Frequently Asked Questions

When fine particles such as yellow dust or PM2.5 get into the eyes, they can irritate the surface and cause a gritty feeling, itching and redness. People who already have eye allergies tend to have stronger symptoms.

On high-dust days, wear glasses when you go out (goggle-style glasses give even more protection), and wash your face when you get home to remove particles from your eyelids and lashes. Try not to rub your eyes. Particles easily stick to contact lenses, so switching to glasses on days with symptoms is also a good idea.

If itching or redness lasts for several days, or you notice more discharge, you may need eye drops, so please come and see us.

Without rubbing, rinse around the eyes with clean water or lukewarm water and blink a few times. Stinging and mild redness usually settle down after a while.

Applying sunscreen while avoiding the edges of the eyelids, and wiping off sweat often, helps keep it out of your eyes.

If pain continues, your vision is blurry, or your eye is very red even after rinsing, the surface of the eye may be scratched, so please come and see us.

Chlorine and other disinfectants in pool water can irritate the surface of the eyes and cause temporary redness. Wearing goggles and washing your face after swimming help reduce the irritation.

Summer is also the season when viral conjunctivitis (such as pharyngoconjunctival fever, known in Japan as "pool fever," and epidemic keratoconjunctivitis) spreads easily. If you have a lot of discharge, redness that lasts several days, or a sore throat or fever, please see us promptly.

Viral conjunctivitis is highly contagious, so do not share towels and wash your hands often.

Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis is conjunctivitis caused by a virus, and it is very contagious. It spreads from hands that have touched the eyes to door handles, towels and so on.

Wash your hands with soap right after touching your eyes, use separate towels and toiletries from your family, and take your bath last (if your family shares the same bathwater).

Under Japan's School Health and Safety Act, children must stay home from school or nursery until a doctor confirms they are no longer contagious. If you work, please talk with your workplace. Even if your symptoms improve, do not stop coming on your own judgment; please continue your check-ups.

If it is a small piece of dust, rinse it out with clean water without rubbing.

If a spark hit your eye, you have a burn, strong pain or blurred vision, or it feels as if something is stuck in your eye, do not try to remove it yourself; see a doctor right away (when we are closed or at night, go to an emergency department).

Preventing accidents is also important: keep your face away from fireworks, never look into a lit firework, and make sure children always use them with an adult.

The skin of the eyelid is thin and soft, so even an insect bite can cause a lot of swelling. Cool it with a clean towel and try not to scratch or rub it.

If the swelling keeps spreading, there is strong pain or heat, your vision is affected, or you cannot open your eye, please come and see us.

Eyelid swelling can also have causes other than insect bites, such as a stye. If you are not sure, please ask us.

Right after the injury, gently cool the area over the eyelid with an ice pack wrapped in a clean towel. Do not rub or press hard on the eye.

If you have blurred vision, double vision, pain or difficulty moving the eye, or numbness in the cheek or upper lip, there may be a fracture of the bones around the eye or bleeding inside the eye. Please see a doctor right away (when we are closed or at night, go to an emergency department). If a fracture is possible, avoid blowing your nose hard.

Even if it seems minor at first, symptoms such as flashes of light or an increase in black spots may appear later. If a ball hit your eye hard, we recommend having it checked even if your symptoms are mild.

Caterpillars such as the tea tussock moth, found on camellia and sasanqua trees, appear from spring to summer (and again in autumn), and their tiny venomous hairs, too small to see, can be carried by the wind.

If they get into your eye, rinse it well with running water without rubbing. The hairs can stick into the cornea and cause continuing pain and redness. If pain, a gritty feeling or redness does not settle after rinsing, please see us promptly.

Remove hairs from your skin gently with sticky tape, and take off and wash the clothes you were wearing. When pruning or weeding, we recommend wearing protective glasses, long sleeves and gloves.

Without rubbing, first blink a few times and let your tears wash it out naturally. If it still does not come out, rinse your eye with clean water. If you wear contact lenses, take them out before rinsing.

Trying to remove it with the corner of a tissue or a cotton swab can scratch the cornea.

If a gritty feeling, pain or watering continues after rinsing, sand may still be in the eye or the cornea may be scratched, so please come and see us. After children play in sand, remind them to wash their hands before touching their eyes.

Rinse your eye with clean water without rubbing. If the insect is crushed and its body fluids get into the eye, it may sting or turn red.

If the insect remains under the eyelid, the gritty feeling will continue. Do not try to remove it with a cotton swab; if discomfort, pain or redness continues after rinsing, please come and see us.

On summer evenings, many small insects fly along rivers and rice fields. Wearing glasses or sunglasses while cycling helps keep them out of your eyes.

Immediately rinse your eye with plenty of running water. Hold the eyelids open with your fingers and move your eye while rinsing. Do not rub.

If fertilizer or pesticide got in, bring the bag or container (label) and see a doctor right away. Lime (slaked lime, dolomite lime, etc.) in particular is strongly alkaline and can seriously damage the eye (when we are closed or at night, go to an emergency department).

Muddy water can contain bacteria and fungi, and infection can start from a small scratch. If pain, redness or discharge continues after rinsing, please come and see us. We recommend wearing protective glasses when handling pesticides or lime.

Without rubbing, rinse your eyes well with running water right away. If you wear contact lenses, take them out before rinsing.

If pain, redness or blurred vision continues after rinsing, bring the product and come and see us. Cooling sprays can also damage the surface of the eye with cold if sprayed at close range.

When using sprays on the face, do not spray directly; spray into your hand first and apply while avoiding the eye area. For children, an adult should apply it for them.

Most eye drops are meant to be stored at room temperature, but a car in midsummer can become very hot even in a short time, and the ingredients may change. Please do not leave eye drops in the car or on the dashboard.

Storage instructions vary by product. Follow the instructions on the box or leaflet, such as keeping drops labeled "store in a cool place" in the refrigerator.

If eye drops have been left somewhere hot, or look cloudy or have changed color, do not use them; please ask us. If prescribed drops can no longer be used, please contact us rather than stopping treatment on your own.

If you use eye drops or other medication regularly, check how much you have left so that you do not run out during the holidays. Our holiday closures are announced under "Notices" on our home page. (Golden Week is a series of holidays in early May, and Obon is the mid-August holiday period.)

When traveling or visiting family, it is a good idea to bring spare contact lenses, lens care products and your glasses as well as your eye drops. If you lose a lens or your eyes become sore while away, having glasses will save you trouble.

If you experience a sudden loss of vision, strong eye pain or an eye injury during the holidays, please go to a nearby emergency department.

We do not recommend swimming with contact lenses in. Water can contain microorganisms (such as Acanthamoeba) that can attach to the lens and cause a serious corneal infection that is hard to treat. Lenses can also come out and be lost.

If you are concerned about your vision, prescription swimming goggles are a safe option.

If water gets on your lenses, do not keep using them; switch to new ones (for two-week or monthly lenses, rub, rinse and disinfect them). If you have eye pain, redness or sensitivity to light after swimming, please see us right away.

Glasses lenses have thin surface coatings, such as anti-reflective coatings. Leaving them somewhere hot, like a car in summer, can cause the coating to crack or the frame to warp. Please do not leave them in the car.

When they get dirty with sweat or skin oil, rinse them with water first, then wipe gently with a lens cloth. Rubbing dirty lenses with a dry cloth or washing them with hot water makes scratches more likely.

If your glasses slide down because of sweat, adjusting the frame may help. Ask the shop where you bought them to adjust them. If your vision or prescription does not feel right, please come and see us.

The skin of the eyelids is thin, so sunburn easily causes redness, swelling and a stinging pain. Cool them with an ice pack wrapped in a clean towel and avoid rubbing.

If the eye itself hurts, feels gritty, keeps watering or is sensitive to light, the surface of the cornea may have been damaged by ultraviolet light. If symptoms are strong, please come and see us.

Please also ask us if blisters form or the swelling gets worse. In strong sunlight, protect your eyelids and eyes with a wide-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses.

When mascara or eyeliner gets into the eye, it can sting, feel gritty or cause redness. Rinse it out with clean water without rubbing.

Applying eyeliner on the inner rim of the eyelid (the waterline) can block the glands that produce the oily layer of tears, which can make the eyes dry or lead to styes. Apply eyeliner outside the lash line.

Cosmetics that have been open for a long time are more likely to grow bacteria. It is also important not to share them and to always remove makeup before bed. If eyelid rash, swelling or eye pain continues, please come and see us.

Leaves, branches and rice ears can scratch the cornea. With injuries from plants, fungi and other germs can enter through the scratch, so caution is needed.

Even with a small scratch, if pain, a gritty feeling, watering, sensitivity to light or redness continues, please see us promptly. Relying only on over-the-counter eye drops may make it harder to heal.

We recommend protective glasses when using a grass trimmer or working among many branches.

Rinse your eye with running water for at least 15 minutes right away. Hold the eyelids open with your fingers and move your eye while rinsing. Do not rub.

After rinsing, bring the product (container) and see a doctor right away. Alkaline products such as mold removers and drain cleaners in particular can damage deep parts of the eye, and the injury may be more serious than it looks (when we are closed or at night, go to an emergency department).

Wear goggles or glasses and gloves when handling detergents, and take extra care when spraying overhead.

Breath escaping from the top of the mask fogs the lenses. You can shape the nose wire to fit your nose and reduce gaps, fold the top edge of the mask slightly inward, or use an anti-fog product for glasses.

Driving or walking down stairs with fogged glasses is dangerous. When they tend to fog, stop and wipe them first.

Breath constantly blowing onto the eyes can also make them dry. If your vision bothers you or your glasses prescription does not seem right, please come and see us.

Snow strongly reflects ultraviolet light, and spending a long time without goggles can cause snow blindness (ultraviolet keratitis), a burn-like injury to the surface of the cornea.

Snow blindness typically causes strong pain, watering, sensitivity to light and a gritty feeling several hours after exposure. Rest your eyes without rubbing, and if symptoms are strong, please come and see us.

On the slopes, use UV-blocking goggles or sunglasses even on cloudy days.

The viruses and bacteria that cause colds can also cause conjunctivitis. It often spreads from hands used to blow the nose or rub the eyes.

Wash your hands often, avoid rubbing your eyes, and use separate towels from your family.

If yellowish discharge continues, redness gets worse, or you notice sensitivity to light or blurred vision, please come and see us.

If you use eye drops or other medication regularly, check how much you have left and come in early so that you do not run out while we are closed. Our holiday schedule is announced under "Notices" on our home page.

If you have a sudden loss of vision, strong eye pain, an eye injury or a chemical in your eye while we are closed, please go to an emergency department.

The clinic can be busy right after the holidays. Please allow extra time for your visit.

Right after the injury, gently cool the area over the eyelid with an ice pack wrapped in a clean towel. Do not press hard or rub.

If you have blurred vision, double vision, pain or difficulty moving the eye, or numbness in the cheek or upper lip, there may be a fracture of the bones around the eye or bleeding inside the eye. Please see a doctor right away (when we are closed or at night, go to an emergency department). Avoid blowing your nose hard. If you also hit your head and feel nauseous or dazed, go to an emergency department.

Bruising of the eyelid (a black eye) fades over several days, changing from purple to yellow. If you take blood-thinning medication, bruising can spread more easily, so please consult us early.

In Japan, colored contact lenses are "highly controlled medical devices" even without a prescription power, just like lenses for vision correction. Lenses that do not fit or are used incorrectly can cause corneal scratches and infections.

Have an eye exam first and choose lenses that suit your eyes. Some are easy to buy online, but if the size or curve does not match your eye, problems are more likely.

It is also important not to sleep in them, not to share them with friends, and to follow the replacement schedule. If you have pain, redness or blurred vision, remove the lenses immediately and come and see us.

Toy guns that shoot soft darts, rubber bands, party poppers and similar items can cause serious injury if they hit the eye at close range. Before playing, agree on rules such as never aiming at faces and never looking into the toy.

Looking directly at laser pointers or toys that emit laser light can damage the back of the eye (the retina). Never point them at people or animals or look into them.

If a toy hits the eye or someone looks into a laser and then has blurred vision, pain, blood pooling in the dark part of the eye, or a dark or distorted spot in the center of vision, please see us right away.

Without rubbing, rinse your eye thoroughly with running water right away. Hold the eyelids open with your fingers and move your eye while rinsing. If you wear contact lenses, take them out before rinsing.

Kerosene irritates the surface of the eye and causes stinging, pain and redness. If pain, redness or blurred vision continues after rinsing, please come and see us.

When refilling, keep your face away from the container and pump, and wash your hands with soap afterward so you do not touch your eyes with kerosene on your hands.

This is often a subconjunctival hemorrhage, where a tiny blood vessel on the surface of the white of the eye breaks and the blood spreads. It can be triggered by coughing, sneezing, straining or rubbing the eyes, but sometimes there is no clear cause.

It can look alarmingly red, but in most cases there is no pain and no change in vision, and it is absorbed naturally within one to two weeks (it may turn yellowish along the way).

However, if there is pain, blurred vision or discharge, it happened after an injury, or it keeps recurring, there may be another cause, so please come and see us. If you take blood-thinning medication, please also consult us.

Cold wind hitting the eyes can trigger extra tears as a reflex. Using glasses, a hat brim or a scarf to keep the wind off your eyes can help.

When wiping tears, gently dab with a clean handkerchief instead of rubbing. Rubbing repeatedly can make the eyelid skin rough.

If your eyes water even indoors, you have more discharge, or the inner corner of the eye is swollen and painful, the tear drainage passage may be blocked or inflamed. If you are concerned, please come and see us.

The air is dry in winter, and the thin skin of the eyelids easily becomes rough and itchy. Wash your face with lukewarm water without scrubbing, and keep the skin moisturized with a moisturizer that is safe to use around the eyes.

Even if it itches, it is important not to scratch or rub. Rubbing can damage not only the skin but also the surface of the eye.

Some creams used on the eyelids can raise eye pressure with long-term use (such as those containing steroids). Do not use them for long periods on your own judgment, and please consult us if there is redness, swelling or oozing.

Smoke in the eyes can make them sting and water, but this usually settles when you move away from the smoke and rest your eyes. If ash gets in, rinse it out with clean water without rubbing.

If a spark hit your eye, there is strong pain, or your vision is blurred, there may be a burn, so please see a doctor right away (when we are closed or at night, go to an emergency department).

When having a fire, stand upwind and keep your face away from the flames. Adults should make sure children do not get too close to the fire.

Some hot springs, such as acidic or sulfur springs, have water that easily stings the eyes. If it gets into your eyes, rinse them with fresh water from a shower without rubbing.

Bathing or using hot springs with contact lenses in carries a risk of infection from microorganisms in the water, so please take your lenses out first.

If pain or redness continues after rinsing, please come and see us. If you have had eye surgery, please avoid hot springs and saunas until your doctor says it is okay.

Rinse the eye thoroughly with running water right away. Do not rub. Automatic sanitizer dispensers at shop entrances are often right at a child's face height, and accidents happen when the liquid sprays out forcefully into the eye.

Alcohol-based and other sanitizers can damage the surface of the eye. If after rinsing your child still complains of pain, cannot open the eye, or the redness continues, please come and see us.

When children use sanitizer, it is safer for an adult to dispense it into their own hand first and then put it on the child's hands.

Immediately cool and rinse the area around the eye with clean, cold water. Do not rub.

If strong pain continues, you cannot open your eye, your vision is blurred, or the dark part of the eye looks whitish, the surface of the eye may be burned. Please see a doctor right away (when we are closed or at night, go to an emergency department).

Around the New Year, people often cook fried foods such as tempura and hot-pot dishes. Drain ingredients well before putting them in oil, and open pot lids away from your face.

Rinse the eye well with clean water without rubbing. If black ink particles remain, a gritty feeling may continue.

If pain, redness, a gritty feeling or blurred vision continues after rinsing, bring the product and come and see us.

During winter-break calligraphy (kakizome) or crafts, remind children not to swing brushes around and not to rub their eyes with ink on their hands.