Eye Pain due to Hair Dye

[eschiller]

I decided to post this very painful eye problem of mine in a desperate attempt to find some answers.  I dyed my hair at home on 18 Jan 09...I will never forget this day!  After keeping the dye for about an hour it was time to rinse it and I held the shower head (the one you can actually hold) in my hand and tilted my head back a little and turned the water on.  It was that first pressure of water mixed with hair dye that went over my left eye and burnt my eye.  It was the first rinse of water that came down and went into my left eye with basically the contcentrated hair dye.  I felt the initial burn for a few seconds and the burning went away, similar to the shampoo burn.  I rinsed my eye but apparently it was not long enough like 15-20 minutes.  The fact that the hair dye stated "No Ammonia" on its box made me think that it would be less toxic, was I absolutely wrong!!!  After I completely rinsed my hair I actually did not feel any pain in my left eye that night.  Did not seek medical attention, didn't think it was needed since I did not feel pain after that accident.  
BUT the next day I felt this excruciating pain in my left eye, throbbing, like a very painful electric current radiating in the eye ball.  That is when I realized something terrible had happened.  Called the eye doctor (an optometrist) and made the appointment to be seen.  He told me that the eye was irritated and inflamed.  Prescribed some anti-inflammatory eye drops (Flourometholane, Lotemax, Acular...) and refresh eye drops.  The pain did not lessen at all, on the contrary I thought I was going to go blind in my left eye.  The pain was internal, they did not see any scarring tissue or chemical burn on the cornea, retina looked normal after dialation of the eye but still no explanation as to what could have caused this constant pain.  They even dialated my left eye for the purpose of paralysing the pain to last for 2-3 days but the pain was not even affected by this dialation!  My eye went through some horrible stages which I thought would end in being blind in that eye.  My vision changed, not seeing double or blurry but everything seemed dim, colors were not as bright or vivid, they looked as if they faded.  It was a painful, slow transition of different phases and it has been a little over a year now.  I know that my constant eye pain started immediately after this hair dye accident so there is no other possible reason or injury to the eye that could have caused this.  I am not diabetic, have no thyroid problems or any other health problems.  My egony stil continues...the colors never fully came back...it was post hair dye exposure that might have permanently damaged my left eye's color receptors in the eye, I feel as if when I inhale the pain increases in my left eye.  Since no chemical burn or scarring or optic nerve problem was visible to any of the eye doctors I've been to, this makes me believe that it is very internal related to either eye vessels or eye nerves or nerve endings.  Something is damaged in my eye but I don't know what, or what is causing this pain.  The initial pain after a 6-7 month period concentrated in the lower party of my left eye ball.  It is not the top but the bottom part of the eye ball where I feel the pain.  This part must have been exposed to the hair dye that night.  When I try to open my eye wide the pain intensity increases even more.   I've been to a few optometrists, ophthalmologists and even a neuro-ophtalmologist.  None of them could diagnose this eye pain problem that has ruined and continues to ruin my life!  Something happened when that hair dye got in and diffused into my eye that night.  Was it a severe allergic reaction that caused a permanent damage in the eye, I wish I had seeked medical attention right away but I waited so whatever damage it did I am now paying for it in a very painful way.  I really hope that someone can HELP me!  Please help me....
If it helps for information I used Revlon's permanent hair color with no ammonia.  

[Jayholl1988]

Did your hair turn out tho?

[Jayholl1988]

Jk. I was just curious if the pain stopped? Hopefully. Im scared to dye my own hair now!

[JohnHaganMD]

JKs hair almost dyed.

[RenoM2011]

I was dyeing my hair today with Garnier Herbashine and a freak accident happened. The bottle slipped out of my hand, and, as I was trying to catch it, it squirted right into my right eye. It started to burn immediately but I could not get my coloring glove off right away, so the dye must have stayed in my eye for at least 15 seconds. I rinsed it out as much as I could, but my eye kept hurting , it felt like there was something under my eyelid. The vision in my right eye became very blurry, it looked really red and the eyelid was swollen. I waited for about an hour, still without a change. Then I googled " hair dye in the eye" and found some posts from other people that had similar hair dye accidents happen to them. everyone suggested to go see a doctor right away. So I called my optometrist. Thank god she could see me on a Saturday at 5 pm! They were about to leave the office when I called. After an exam the doctor said that fortunately it didn't damage my cornea, just the whites of my right eye got some chemical burns and that's what was causing pain and blurred vision. She gave me some numbing solution and all the pain went away in an instant (temporarily.., unfortunately) and prescribed steroid eye drops 3 times a day for 3 days. I am glad I went to see my optometrist right away, at least it gave me some temporary relief and a peace of mind going forward, knowing that I am not going to go blind:) I hope this is helpful for someone in a similar situation. I color my own hair quite often, every 3 to 5 weeks, and never could have imagined this happening to me. I think I'll just buy swim goggles or something for future use... Looks stupid but definitely beats going blind:)!  

[J_in_Chicago]

I was dying my hair a few days ago and a glob of hair color (about the size of my pinky nail) dripped off of my bangs and fell into my left eye.  As soon as it made contact, my eye started to burn tremendously.  Trying to remain as calm as I could with this horrible and excruciating burning sensation I was experiencing, I quickly and very gently wiped the glob away and immediately started to rinse my eye under cool running water by cupping my hand and letting the water flow. I kept blinking my eye and moving it around so to rinse off as much as I could...also lifting my upper and lower lids to allow water to penetrate those areas.  After about 5 minutes, I checked my eye and it was bloodshot red.  Since it was still burning after the first rinse, I decided to rinse my eye again a few more times for about 5 minutes each time.  Thank goodness the hair color was Ammonia free because I can't imagine what it would have felt like if it did contain Ammonia.  The redness was gone by the next morning, but even after a few days, my left eye still burns.  I am sure it is inflammed within the fold of my eye, but I am also wondering if it caused permanent damage to my eye...keeping in mind that I had lasik done on my eyes about 6 years ago.  My vision seems a little blurry in the left eye and I am wondering if that will clear up and allow my vision to return back to normal.  Any suggestion will be greatly appreciated!!

Thank you in advance,
J in Chicago

[eschiller]

Dr. O.,

Have you ever seen patients or heard of any that actually went blind or had severe complications like mine?  After seeing 2 optometrists, 1 opthalmologist and a neuro-opthalmologist I am really puzzled as to what could be causing this problem.  It is in the lower left corner of my left eye ball...more likely that is where the dye concentrated after it got in my left eye.  I used all those three kinds of drops, each weekly, and Refresh eye tears but still no relief.  
Thank you so much for your quickly reply sir...

[Antariksh_Patre]

Very sad to hear that! :( Are you alright now?

[JohnHaganMD]

This conversation inactive since 2010

[Jayholl1988]

I hope not. Yall ppl are scaring me. Im never dying my hair again.

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

Sorry to hear about your problem.  I have seen some patient who developed eye problem after getting hair dye in their eyes.  Most recover with treatment.   I do not what your exam shows.  You most likely will have to find an ophthalmologist who can help you.  I would suggest you see a cornea specialist.

Dr. O.

[Kioni_kenzie]

Doc I use a volume 40 hair dye n basic white and I keep having iching and  burning in my scalf. I have runny eyes and when I walk in the sun I feel sick what should I do

[JohnHaganMD]

Sorry you will need to see your personal physician or ophthalmologist or optometrist.