Eye and Ear Infections After Floodwater: Red Flags and Care
Short answer: dirty floodwater splashed into the eyes can cause conjunctivitis, and water trapped in the ear can cause an outer-ear infection. Rinse eyes with clean water, dry the outer ear gently, put nothing inside the ear, and see a doctor the same day for eye pain, blurred vision or a very painful, swollen ear.
In brief
- Eyes: rinse with clean, boiled and cooled or bottled water; don’t rub.
- Ears: tilt the head to drain, dry only the outer ear with a towel; no buds, oil, garlic or hairpins.
- Same-day doctor: painful red eye, blurred or lost vision, light hurting the eye, or ear pain with swelling, fever or discharge.
- Contact lenses: take them out and don’t wear them until the eye is fully settled.
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Floodwater isn’t rainwater. Not even close. By the time it has run through streets, drains and fields, it carries sewage, animal urine, soil, and bacteria. A splash in the face while pushing a stalled bike, a child playing in a flooded lane, a dunk while crossing a nala: that’s often all it takes. This guide, part of our Barsaat and Flood Season series, covers the eye and ear problems that follow, what to do in the first hour, and the warning signs that mean you shouldn’t wait.
Why dirty water causes eye and ear infections
Your eye has a thin, clear skin over its white part called the conjunctiva. It’s moist and delicate, and when germs land on it they can settle in and cause pink eye (aankh aana). The eye’s tears wash small amounts away, but a big splash of dirty water, followed by rubbing with dirty hands, overwhelms that defence.
The ear canal is a short, dark tunnel ending at the eardrum. Normally a thin layer of wax keeps it slightly oily and acidic, which germs dislike. When water sits in the canal, the skin goes soft and soggy, the wax protection washes off, and bacteria or fungi from the water move in. Doctors call this otitis externa, or “swimmer’s ear”.
First aid for dirty water in the eyes
- Wash your hands with soap first, if you can.
- Rinse the eye with plenty of clean water: bottled water, or boiled water that has cooled fully. Tilt your head so the water runs from the nose side outwards, away from the other eye.
- Keep the eye open gently with clean fingers and rinse for a few minutes.
- If you wear contact lenses, remove them and throw away daily lenses. Never rinse or store lenses in tap water or floodwater.
- Don’t rub. Rubbing pushes grit and germs deeper and can scratch the eye.
- Use a clean towel only for yourself and wash it after one use.
Some stinging is normal. Redness that grows over the next day, sticky yellow or green discharge, or lids glued shut in the morning are different, because they point to an infection that has taken hold rather than an eye that is simply irritated by grit and dirty water.
Conjunctivitis after a flood: care at home
Most pink eye after floodwater is bacterial or viral, and the eye looks red, feels gritty and waters, sometimes with yellow or green discharge. It spreads. Often to the other eye first, then to the rest of the family.
At home, clean the discharge with cotton dipped in boiled, cooled water, wiping from the inner corner outwards and using a fresh piece for every wipe, wash your hands after each touch, keep towels, pillowcases and kajal separate, and keep a child with sticky eyes home until the discharge stops if the family can manage it. Skip the leftover drops. Drops from a neighbour, an old bottle in the drawer or anything with a steroid in it can make some eye infections much worse, so let a doctor choose.
Our guide to Conjunctivitis (Aankh Aana) at Home has the full hygiene routine for stopping it spreading through a house or a relief camp.
Myth: surma, rose water or breast milk clears eye infections
These are traditional. People use them with love. But surma and kajal can carry lead and grit, rose water from the market is not sterile, and breast milk is not a safe eye rinse for a germ-laden infection. Putting anything unsterile into an already infected eye adds more germs. Clean water to rinse, clean hands and a doctor if it’s not settling: that’s what works.
A painful red eye or blurred vision after floodwater is a same-day visit, not a wait-and-see.
Water in the ear after a flood: rinsing and drying rules
Water trapped in the ear feels full and sloshy, and it usually drains on its own within a few hours if you give it a little help with gravity and leave the inside of the canal alone. Gently does it.
- Tilt your head to the blocked side and gently pull the earlobe down and back, or lie on that side for a few minutes.
- Dry the outer ear only, with the corner of a clean towel.
- If a hairdryer is available, hold it on the coolest setting about an arm’s length away for a short while.
- Keep the ear dry while bathing for a few days by putting a cotton ball smeared lightly with petroleum jelly in the outer opening (not pushed in).
Nothing goes inside the ear. No cotton buds, matchsticks, hairpins, keys, warm oil, garlic, onion juice or mustard oil. These scratch the thin skin of the canal, push dirt deeper, and can tear the eardrum. With an infected or perforated ear, oil and garlic can make things much worse. For children, read Bachon Ke Kaan Ka Dard (Earache): Why Nothing Goes in the Ear.
Signs of an outer-ear infection
First it itches. A day or two after the water, an infected ear turns sore, and the pain gets sharply worse when you tug the earlobe or press the small flap in front of the canal, sometimes with swelling, a smelly discharge or muffled hearing on that side.
A doctor can look inside and clean the canal if needed, and decide whether you need ear drops. Don’t use drops from home, especially if there’s any chance the eardrum is torn, as some drops can harm the inner ear. Adults with ear pain can find more on safe home care in Earache at Home.
For the eyes: a painful red eye, blurred vision, any loss of vision, light hurting the eye, a feeling that something is stuck under the lid, a white spot on the dark part of the eye, swelling around the eye with fever, or any eye problem in a contact lens wearer or a newborn. Sudden vision loss or a painful red eye means an eye doctor or emergency department the same day. For the ears: severe pain, swelling that spreads behind or in front of the ear, fever, pus or blood from the ear, sudden hearing loss, dizziness, or a facial droop. People with diabetes or a weak immune system should go early for any ear infection, as it can spread. Call 1122 in Pakistan, 112 in India, or your local emergency number if someone is very unwell. Only a doctor should decide on drops or other medicines.
Eye and ear infections after floodwater: questions
Can floodwater cause an eye infection?
Yes. Floodwater often carries sewage and bacteria, and a splash into the eye can cause conjunctivitis. Rinsing with clean water straight away and not rubbing lowers the risk.
What should I wash my eyes with after dirty water gets in?
Use plenty of bottled water, or boiled water that has fully cooled. Rinse for a few minutes from the nose side outwards. Avoid tap water if the supply may be contaminated.
How do I know if water in my ear has caused an infection?
An infection usually brings itch, then pain that worsens when the earlobe is pulled, swelling, discharge or muffled hearing. Simple trapped water just feels full and clears within hours.
Is it safe to put oil in the ear after water gets in?
No. Oil traps moisture and germs and can harm an ear with a torn eardrum. Tilt, drain and dry the outer ear instead.
Can I use cotton buds to dry my ear?
No. Buds push dirt and wax deeper and scratch the canal skin, which is exactly how infections start. Dry only the outer ear with a towel.
Can I wear contact lenses in flood season?
Avoid them when there’s any chance of floodwater splash, and never rinse lenses or cases in tap or floodwater. Glasses are safer during this time.
Is pink eye after a flood contagious?
Usually, yes. Keep towels and pillows separate, wash hands after touching the eyes, and keep children home until the discharge stops.
When is a red eye an emergency?
When it’s painful, the vision is blurred or lost, light hurts, or there’s a white spot on the dark part of the eye. Those need an eye doctor the same day.
Can a child get an ear infection from playing in rainwater?
Yes. It happens most when dirty water gets trapped in the ear. Drain and dry the outer ear, keep fingers and objects out, and see a doctor if pain, fever or discharge follow.
Should I use leftover eye drops for red eyes?
No. Old or borrowed drops may be contaminated or contain steroids, which can worsen some infections. Let a doctor decide.
How long does it take water to drain from the ear?
Usually a few hours. If the full feeling lasts beyond a day, or pain, itching, discharge or dulled hearing start to creep in, see a doctor rather than trying to dig the water out yourself.
Can floodwater in the eyes cause leptospirosis?
It can, because the germ can enter through the eyes and mouth. Fever with muscle pain and red eyes in the weeks after floodwater contact needs a doctor.