[Image: Gencraft / AI]
You’d think it’s a no-brainer: Before squeezing liquid into your eyeballs, make sure it’s actually meant for them.
Yet, an alarming number of people – in the US, especially – are skipping that crucial step by mistaking nail or eyelash glue for eye drops.
Sounds ridiculous? Well, it’s happening more often than you’d expect.
Take the case of a woman in late 2024 who unintentionally sealed her eyes shut with nail glue, thinking it was lubricant drops. She even posted a TikTok about it, but fair warning—it’s not for the faint of heart. The sheer horror of what she described was enough to make me recoil within the first few seconds.
Watch on TikTok
According to Dr Richard Davidson, an ophthalmologist with the University of Colorado Health System, this isn’t some rare, once-in-a-blue-moon event. In fact, it seems to happen in clusters.
“There might be a couple of months where we don’t see anyone, and then all of a sudden, we may get two or three people with this type of situation,” he said via VICE.
Luckily, most of these incidents don’t cause permanent damage, but they do require immediate medical attention.
Nail and eyelash glue are essentially fast-acting super glue. Once it makes contact, you’ve got a minute, maybe two, before it hardens. If you ever find yourself in this nightmare scenario, Dr Davidson advises bolting straight to the nearest faucet and flushing your eye relentlessly. Even if you manage to get most of it out, you’re in for a few days of serious pain.
If this ever happens to you, he reckons you should try not to feel too foolish—well, apart from the physical agony, which is non-negotiable.
Like Dr Davidson said, “It’s amazing how many products look similar, and we can end up putting them in the eye by accident.”
See:
Perhaps one day, the makers of eyedrops and glue will have a sit-down and agree on packaging that’s less likely to cause chaos.
Until then, do yourself a favor: Read the label. Your eyeballs will thank you.
[Source: Vice]
