Go to urgent care or an eye doctor as soon as possible
Do not rub the eye
Remove contact lenses immediately and do not wear them until cleared by a doctor
Rinse the eye gently with sterile saline or clean water if debris may be present
Blink several times to help flush the eye
Use preservative-free artificial tears if available
Apply a cold compress over the closed eye for comfort
Keep the eye closed and rest in a dark, quiet room
Take over-the-counter pain medicine if you normally can take it safely
Do not use eye patches unless a doctor tells you to
Do not use redness-relief eye drops
Do not put ointments or drops in the eye unless prescribed or approved by a clinician
Seek emergency care immediately if vision is blurry, pain is severe, light hurts a lot, the eye is very red, there is discharge, or symptoms worsen