Viral TikTok has Philadelphia doctors warning of painful eye drop, nail glue mixup
Doctors are warning about a painful and viral mix-up on social media: People accidentally get glue in their eyes instead of eye drops. While the mishap sounds alarming, doctors say it doesn't cause permanent damage.
A viral TikTok video that has been shared more than 41,000 times has become a cautionary tale. It's one of many that often go viral in hopes of warning people about a dangerous trend.
"It can be quite serious depending on the volume of the glue that gets into the eye," Dr. Julia Haller, ophthalmologist-in-chief at Wills Eye Hospital, said. "These glues unfortunately harden in a matter of seconds."
Haller says it's a common problem that is treated in the emergency department.
"What we're seeing is that the lids are stuck together. So we have to very gently break down that adhesion, pry the lids apart and piece by piece very meticulously take out tiny little pieces of that solid adhesion," Haller said.
Haller says eye drops are often in bottles similar in size to other products dangerous to the eye.
"It can cause a chemical burn in addition to the adhesions. And so in addition to chipping away those adhesions where there's some loss of lash and skin, there can be a chemical burn to the surface of the eye and damage to the cornea," Haller said.
This mistake often happens when people are distracted or unable to see well. They may confuse eye drops with eyelash glue, nail glue, or even ear drops.
"What we are seeing in the emergency room is unfortunately even parents who mistakenly put the wrong drop in their children's eyes," Haller said.
To avoid this, people are encouraged to read the labels out loud before using them and to store the bottles in different locations.
"In some way labeling it so that even in a rush, it's easier to identify what drop you're putting in," Haller said.
Doctors say that if this happens, people should immediately use water to flush out the glue. They also say to get it out of your eye as fast as possible, check with their doctor, or go to an urgent care center.
