Introduction: New designs of eye wash stations have been developed in which the direction
of water flow from the fountain has been reversed, with two water streams originating nasally in
both eyes and flowing toward the temporal side of each eye. No study has been done to determine
the ideal direction of water flow coming from the eye wash in relation to the eye.
Materials and methods: Ophthalmic eye examinations were conducted before and after the
use of two eye wash stations with opposite water flow directionality. Fluorescein was instilled
in both eyes before using an eye wash to measure the effectiveness of the water flow. Subjects
were surveyed upon their experiences using the eye washes.
Conclusion: Ophthalmic examination found no significant difference in the efficacy of the
eye washes with nasal-to-temporal water flow when compared to temporal-to-nasal water flow
direction.
Keywords: eye wash, ocular burn, cornea, water flow