Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
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This page describes products and general use; it is not medical advice.
Eye wash solution is a sterile, water-based liquid sold to rinse the eye, and it is a different product from contact lens solution. This reference is for clinic staff, buyers and students who need to know what the product is, what US federal rules say it must contain and say on its label, which container types exist, and how a bottle relates to a plumbed or portable eyewash station.
What eye wash solution is
The US Food and Drug Administration’s over-the-counter ophthalmic monograph (21 CFR Part 349) defines an eyewash as a sterile aqueous solution intended for washing, bathing, or flushing the eye. The same part says ophthalmic drug products should be sterile in accordance with 21 CFR 200.50. The monograph’s labeling section lets an eyewash state that it is for use on the eye to remove loose foreign material, among other listed indications.
Who uses it: first-aid kits in workplaces, laboratories, clinics and homes, and anyone who keeps a rinse on hand for minor irritation from loose particles. It is a first-aid rinse, not a treatment for injury or disease.
What is in it and how it is built
Under 21 CFR 349.20, an eyewash has purified water as its active ingredient. The monograph also calls for suitable tonicity agents to make the solution isotonic with tears, suitable agents to set pH and buffering, and a suitable preservative agent. In practice that means the liquid is mostly water with a small amount of salts.
Products differ in how they meet this. One product line from First Aid Central (distributed through Red Cross Canada) lists 98.3% purified water, with boric acid, sodium borate and sodium chloride as the non-medical ingredients, and describes the solution as isotonic, matched to eye pH, preservative free, single use and terminally sterilized. That is a description of one product line, not a rule for every eye wash: the monograph’s reference to a preservative agent and a preservative-free single-use product are both on the market, so read the label of the product in front of you.
All About Vision, an optometry publisher, notes that over-the-counter eye washes are mostly purified water but that some contain other ingredients that can cause allergic reactions.
Types and variants
| Type | Typical use | Key difference | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bottle with nozzle | Flushing the eye as needed | The monograph’s directions for a nozzle product describe controlling the rate of flow by pressure on the bottle (21 CFR 349.78) | FDA, 21 CFR Part 349 |
| Bottle with eyecup | Rinsing with a cup applied to the eye | The monograph’s labeling section includes directions for products supplied with an eyecup (21 CFR 349.78) | FDA, 21 CFR Part 349 |
| Single-use pods | One-time rinse from a sealed unit | Single-dose units; EZContacts lists single-use pods among eye wash types, and the Red Cross-distributed line above is described as single use | EZContacts; First Aid Central |
| Saline and borate-buffered forms | Temporary rinsing | Examples named are 0.9% sterile saline and borate-buffered isotonic sodium chloride | EZContacts |
| Larger containers (1 L, 4 L) | Rinsing from a bigger volume | Offered in the same product line as the 30 ml bottle | First Aid Central |
Sizes that are offered
Sizes vary by manufacturer. One product line, First Aid Central eye wash solution as listed on the Red Cross Canada products site, is offered in these sizes:
| Metric | US equivalent |
|---|---|
| 30 ml | 1 oz |
| 125 ml | 4 oz |
| 250 ml | 8 oz |
| 500 ml | 16 oz |
| 1 L | 32 oz |
| 4 L | 1 gal |
How to choose
Label criteria are the clearest way to compare products. A product sold as an eyewash should describe itself with an identity term such as eyewash, state the indication (to remove loose foreign material), and carry the warnings and directions in 21 CFR 349.78. Those include “Obtain immediate medical treatment for all open wounds in or near the eyes” and “If solution changes color or becomes cloudy, do not use.” All About Vision also advises checking the expiry date before use.
A bottle is also not the same thing as a plumbed or portable eyewash station. OSHA’s general industry rule, 29 CFR 1910.151(c), says that where the eyes or body of any person may be exposed to injurious corrosive materials, suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing must be provided within the work area for immediate emergency use. How bottles relate to stations is covered in our eyewash station entry, the plumbed vs portable eyewash station comparison and the eyewash station and safety shower requirements guide. For chemical hazards, how to read a safety data sheet explains where first-aid measures for a specific substance are listed.
Safe use and handling basics
- Follow the directions printed on the product. The monograph’s label text covers the cup and nozzle formats above.
- Do not use it if the solution changes color or becomes cloudy (21 CFR 349.78).
- Check the expiry date and discard expired product; do not reuse single-use units, and keep the nozzle or cup from touching the eye (All About Vision).
- Remove contact lenses first (All About Vision).
- Do not use it for cuts, scrapes or burns in or near the eye. Obtain immediate medical treatment for open wounds in or near the eyes, and seek emergency care for a serious object or chemical in the eye (21 CFR 349.78; All About Vision).
For protection before an exposure happens, see what safety goggles are, and for what to do after a laboratory incident see accident in the lab.
Common mistakes
- Treating it as contact lens solution. All About Vision states that eye wash solution is not the same as contact solution; eye wash is for temporary rinsing, not for soaking or disinfecting lenses (EZContacts).
- Making saline at home. All About Vision warns that homemade saline is unsafe, with a risk of bacteria and Acanthamoeba castellanii.
- Reusing a bottle or letting the tip touch the eye. Contamination of the nozzle or cup defeats the point of a sterile product.
- Using a cloudy or discolored solution or one past its expiry date.
- Relying on a bottle where a flushing facility is required. The OSHA rule above refers to facilities for drenching or flushing, which is why the station pages linked earlier exist.
Frequently asked questions
What is eye wash solution?
It is a sterile aqueous solution intended for washing, bathing, or flushing the eye, as defined in 21 CFR 349.3 for over-the-counter products. Its active ingredient is purified water.
Is eye wash the same as contact lens solution?
No. All About Vision states they are different products. Eye wash is for temporary rinsing and is not intended to soak or disinfect lenses.
Can eye wash be made at home?
All About Vision advises against homemade saline because of the risk of bacteria and Acanthamoeba castellanii contamination.
What sizes does eye wash solution come in?
It depends on the manufacturer. One product line is listed from 30 ml up to 4 L (see the sizes table).
Where can I find supplies?
The emergency and trauma supplies category on the medical supply store lac.us lists related products.
Sources
- US FDA, over-the-counter ophthalmic drug products monograph, 21 CFR Part 349 (sections 349.3, 349.20, 349.78), eCFR: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-349, checked 2026-10-30.
- OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.151, Medical services and first aid: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.151, checked 2026-10-30.
- All About Vision, eyewash and saline solutions: https://www.allaboutvision.com/treatments-and-surgery/drugs-medications/eyewash-solutions-saline-solutions/, checked 2026-10-30.
- First Aid Central eye wash solution, Red Cross Canada products site (one product line): https://products.redcross.ca/products/eye-wash-solution, checked 2026-10-30.
- EZContacts, eye wash solution as contact solution: https://www.ezcontacts.com/blog/eye-wash-solution-can-you-use-it-as-contact-solution/, checked 2026-10-30.
