3.1  From Chemistry to Symptoms

The ocular chemical burn is the result of the destruction of a more or less important quantity of biochemical constituents of the cells of living tissues when in contact with an irritant or corrosive chemical.

Corrosives and irritants are mainly acids, bases, oxidizing agents, reductors, chelators, alkylating agents, and solvents.

3.1.2  What Are the Parameters

Affecting the Chemical Burn?

The first damages to tissues do not develop within the first seconds of contact with a corrosive. They progressively and quickly take place only when the penetration phase starts from the surface of the cornea toward the deeper layers.

The seriousness of a chemical burn depends on (Fig. 3.1):

•The nature and concentration of the chemical

•The energetic level of the chemical reaction

F. Burgher (*), L. Mathieu, and J. Blomet PREVOR Laboratory, Moulin de Verville, 95760 Valmondois, France

e-mail: fburgher@prevor.com; lmathieu@prevor.com; jblomet@prevor.com

Diffusion

Reaction

Fig. 3.1  Parameters affecting the chemical burn

•The length of contact

•The physical characteristics of the chemical (solid, viscous, etc.) or the specific conditions of use (under high pressure, at hot temperature, etc.)

3.1.3  Extent of the Matter

Chemicals are omnipresent in our world today. Chemical risk is a permanent issue in our everyday environment, obviously on work premises, and may also be caused by different circumstances of chemical assaults. Among all chemical accidents, eye projections are a specific issue because of the vulnerability of ocular structures and also because of the risk of major functional after-effects. Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) is a division of the American Chemical Society. This International database of the American Chemical Society is a worldwide reference registering