If you are giving first aid for ANY eye injury:
The most common eye hazards people face in bushfire circumstances are smoke, poisonous and harmful gases, and thermal dangers such as embers and radiating heat.
Smoke from burning vegetation is made up of hundreds of chemicals in a gas, liquid and solid form. These include some toxic aldehydes*, benzene (a known carcinogen), water vapour, harmful gases such as carbon monoxide, and small particles of soot and other materials (as small as 3.5 micrometres**).
Exposure to and contact with these substances can lead to irritation of the eyes.
Common symptoms following exposure to and contact with smoke include pain, discomfort, redness and watering of the eyes.
Possible injuries resulting from exposure to fires and smoke include abrasions to the cornea, conjunctivitis (red eyes), and ember burns to the eyelids, eyeballs and face.
*Aldehydes are a respiratory irritant— most are safe but some are potential carcinogens. Formaldehyde is the most abundant aldehyde produced during bushfires.
** A micrometre (μm) is one-millionth of a metre.
If you get smoke in your eyes
The blink reflex usually causes the eyelid to close in response to heat. So, fire or thermal injuries generally affect the eyelid rather than the eyeball itself.
If any embers fly into your eye, or if you have had direct fire (thermal) burn to your eye
If the burning material includes plastics or rubber, the thermal gases and ember particles are likely to be particularly irritating.
If you feel a foreign body in your eye
St John Ambulance Australia acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities on the Traditional Lands on which we work Australia wide. We acknowledge the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples, the Traditional Custodians of the Canberra region, where our Australian Office is based. We pay our respects to elders past and present. At St John Ambulance, we are an inclusive organisation. We welcome and respect people that come from all backgrounds, cultures, religions, genders, sexualities, bodies, and abilities. Access to First Aid and its knowledge are fundamental human rights. Every person deserves access to life saving support, no matter who they are.
St John Ambulance Australia’s nationally recognised accredited courses are delivered by way of third-party arrangement with other organisations (for example, with our St John State and Territory agents). These agents (except WA) are authorised to deliver nationally recognised and accredited training on behalf of St John Ambulance Australia Ltd (RTO 88041).
St John Ambulance Australia acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities on the Traditional Lands on which we work Australia wide. We acknowledge the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples, the Traditional Custodians of the Canberra region, where our Australian Office is based. We pay our respects to elders past and present. At St John Ambulance, we are an inclusive organisation. We welcome and respect people that come from all backgrounds, cultures, religions, genders, sexualities, bodies, and abilities. Access to First Aid and its knowledge are fundamental human rights. Every person deserves access to life saving support, no matter who they are.
St John Ambulance Australia’s nationally recognised accredited courses are delivered by way of third-party arrangement with other organisations (for example, with our St John State and Territory agents). These agents (except WA) are authorised to deliver nationally recognised and accredited training on behalf of St John Ambulance Australia Ltd (RTO 88041).
