The first reaction when you accidentally get chili on your hand in your eye is "it's burning." We usually rinse it with water or apply a cold compress, but the eye still feels hot and stinging without relief. Why is that?
Actually, it's because we're using the wrong method. The reason it "burns" is mainly due to capsaicin in the chili. Capsaicin is insoluble in water, but it is soluble in ethanol and alkaline solutions. We can carefully wipe the eyelid skin with an alcohol cotton ball or soda water, making sure to keep our eyes closed and not letting it get into the eyes.