A 42-year-old construction worker presents with a history of getting plaster in his right eye. He complains of pain, foreign body sensation, and photophobia. His acuity is reduced in that eye to 20/50 with a normal pupillary response. What type of chemical trauma did the worker experience, and what would be your first therapeutic intervention?

A. Alkali burn and lavage the eye with balanced saline solution for 30 minutes
B. Ultraviolet (UV) burn and lavage the eye with balanced saline solution for 30 minutes
C. Thermal burn and lavage the eye with balanced saline solution for 30 minutes
D. Acid burn and lavage the eye with balanced saline solution for 30 minutes

The construction worker likely suffered an alkali burn from plaster, requiring immediate ocular irrigation with a balanced saline solution for at least 30 minutes.

Explanation:

The construction worker experiencing pain, foreign body sensation, and photophobia after getting plaster in his eye is likely suffering from an alkali burn. Plaster is alkaline in nature, and when it contacts the eye, it can cause an alkali chemical injury, which is one of the most severe forms due to its potential to penetrate ocular tissues deeply. The immediate therapeutic intervention for this type of chemical injury is to initiate ocular irrigation or lavage with a balanced saline solution for at least 30 minutes or until the pH of the eye normalizes.