Getting cum in your eye is definitely embarrassing and can cause you to worry about serious damage. But it’s important to know that semen in the eye usually isn’t harmful and flushing the eyes with water can help clear the irritation.
However, it’s possible to get STIs like herpes, chlamydia, syphilis and hepatitis B or C through the eye. If symptoms persist, it’s important to see a doctor as soon as possible.
Symptoms
As you might imagine, getting semen in the eye is not a pleasant experience. It can cause a burning sensation and itching. It also may sting or even ooze. If the irritation persists, rinse with lukewarm water and try to keep your hands off of the eye.
Some of the semen’s components, including acids, zinc, chlorine, enzymes, and sugars, can irritate the delicate tissue in the eyes. These irritants can cause redness and blurry vision. The irritation can be relieved by flushing the eye with a sterile solution, such as saline solution or eye drops.
A stye may develop in the eye if bacteria from the semen enters the conjunctiva. STI bacteria, like those found in chlamydia and gonorrhea, can cause this condition. It is possible that the irritation from semen in the eye can re-irritate the stye, leading to a new stye on the other side of the eye or a more severe one at the point of infection.
While there is a chance of getting an STI through the eye, this is not very common. If you suspect you have sperm in the eye, your health care provider will examine it and might take saliva or a sample of the fluid from around the eye for further testing. He or she may also recommend oral or eyedrop antibiotics to treat an STI, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, or syphilis.
Treatment
If you’ve gotten semen in your eye, rinse it out as soon as possible. Then apply a cool or hot compress to the affected area. This can soothe your pain and help your eye heal, says Dr. Matthew Gorski, an ophthalmologist at Northwell Health. Over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen may also help.
Semen is actually a pretty acidic fluid, which is why it hurts when you get it in your eye. But the acid won’t do permanent damage, he tells SELF. The pain is likely from your eye’s natural defense system, which will react to the foreign material with inflammation that can result in symptoms such as burning, stinging, tears, light sensitivity, redness and blurred vision.
While it’s super rare to get STIs like HIV, chlamydia and gonorrhea from cum in the eye, it is possible. And you’ll want to visit your doctor right away if your symptoms are severe. He or she can provide antibiotic or antiviral meds that can treat these infections.
It’s also important to remember that hepatitis B and C, which are typically transmitted through blood, can be spread by semen in the eye. If this happens, your doc will likely prescribe oral or injectable antibiotics. Plus, he or she can test you for STIs that don’t live in the eyes, such as herpes and pubic lice, which thrive on hair follicles.
Diagnosis
Semen is full of irritants that could cause eye damage, such as acids, enzymes, zinc, and sugars. This is why when something gets in your eyes, your body naturally tries to flush it out, causing stinging and pain. That’s why if you get semen in your eye, the first thing you should do is rinse it with water or saline solution (eye drops are best) as soon as possible. Your instinct may be to rub it, but resist the urge to do so; this could spread the semen to other parts of your face and eye or push it deeper into your eye. If you wear contacts, leave them in for now; they can help protect your eye until you can wash it.
It’s also important to note that, although it’s rare, you can get an STI when sperm splashes into your eye. According to the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, this happens most often when you receive cum from someone who has HIV and isn’t taking anti-retroviral medication. You can also get chlamydia, herpes, and gonorrhea from this kind of contact. If you have any doubts, visit a doctor for testing. They will prescribe a course of antibiotics to treat any infections that you might have.
Prevention
Semen contains irritants that can cause the burning and itching you may experience when it gets in your eye. These include sugars, enzymes and zinc that can wreak havoc on your delicate eye tissue. Symptoms of cum in the eye tend to be mild and will probably resolve in a couple of hours, but they can get worse if left untreated.
If you have semen in your eye, the first thing you should do is flush it as soon as possible, says Dr. Stubbs. That means removing your contacts and splashing your eyes with water or a saline solution like eye drops. If you have a bottle of sterile, pure water around, that’s even better—just squirt it into your eye and allow the fluid to run out.
It’s important not to rub the affected eye, which could spread the clump of semen further into your eye and cause more irritation, she adds. In addition, rubbing could potentially lead to a stye, which is an infection that looks like a red bump on the lower or upper eyelid and may feel painful.
It’s also a good idea to visit your doctor if you have a persistent case of semen in the eye. It’s not impossible to contract STIs, like chlamydia or gonorrhea, from semen in the eye, but it’s unlikely. Your doctor can review your STI risk level and prescribe the right treatment for you.
