A mother of three claims she almost went blind after industrial washing up liquid sprayed into her eyes while she was at work.
Toni Brown, from Birmingham, was cleaning utensils at a Greggs concession store in a BP garage in Frankley, Worcestershire, last autumn when the cleaning product ‘shot up from the bottle’ and landed in her eye.
The 37-year-old said the liquid started to “bubble in her eye” and caused her so much pain that she could no longer open her eyes – meaning she temporarily lost her sight.
She called a taxi to take her to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, where doctors told her the super-strong detergent had ‘burnt her corneas’.
Although she has largely recovered from the ordeal, Ms Brown said she has been forced to wear sunglasses when outside because her eyes are so sensitive to light.
Ms Brown is taking legal action against Moto Services, which manages the Greggs franchise where she worked. Her lawyers say she has admitted liability.
Toni Brown, from Birmingham, was cleaning utensils at a Greggs concession store in a BP garage in Frankley, Worcestershire, last autumn when the cleaning product ‘shot up from the bottle’ and landed in her eye
Ms Brown worked a night shift at the Moto Services garage on the M5 southbound near Frankley in October 2022.
She poured washing up liquid into a sink to clean utensils after baking baguettes for the Greggs franchise.
Ms Brown claims the detergent bounced back into her face, causing an immediate burning sensation in her eyes that left her unable to see.
‘It was instant. I don’t know why it shot in my eye, I think the pump was clogged. My eyes were stinging and burning,” she said.
Mrs Brown went to a first aid kit but claims there was no eyewash and only one pack of plasters.
She called NHS 111, who advised her to go to A&E, so she called a taxi to take her to hospital.
Doctors poured liters of saline into her eyes for six hours to try to flush out the dish soap, she claimed.
Mrs Brown said: ‘It was unbearable. The solution burned my eyes and it felt like they were on fire.
‘They said my PH level was 11 when it should be between five and seven, and it took them all night to get it to its natural level.’
She was later transferred to Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre where she discovered that the liquid could only be handled if they were wearing personal protective equipment.
She said: ‘I had never heard this before and I had never been told this before. I was really angry that I had never been trained in this.’
Ms Brown claimed doctors told her she had ’90 per cent severe damage to both eyes, including corneal burns’ and that she would have vision problems in the near future.
She added: “The lady doctor then asked me who I lived with and I said I lived with my three children. She said I would be blind for the foreseeable future and might need skin grafts in the future. It was terrifying to hear this.”
Medics prescribed her four different eye drops, antibiotics and pills to prevent infection.
She says she was then “completely blind” for more than a week – because her eyes were “shut” – while her family washed, dressed, fed and moved her around the house.
‘It was terrible not being able to see and having to depend on family members for everything. I even had to use a relative’s wheelchair to get outside,” Ms Brown said.
“My children and relatives had to wash and loosen my eyelids every hour to put drops in them because green and yellow plasma was leaking and seeping out.”
Her vision improved over the next few months, but she says she still had blurred vision in one eye for four months.
She now uses eye drops during the day and ointment at night due to persistent dry eyes. She claims her optician told her her eyesight has deteriorated so much that she has had to drastically increase her reading glasses prescription.
Mrs Brown said: ‘The dry eye makes my eye run all the time. I can no longer stand the light, so I had to buy five different pairs of sunglasses, so that I always have sunglasses with me wherever I go.’
The 37-year-old said the liquid started to “bubble in her eye” and caused her so much pain that she could no longer open her eyes – meaning she temporarily lost her sight. She called a taxi to take her to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, where doctors told her the super-strong detergent had ‘burnt her corneas’.
Mrs Brown added: “This was devastating. I never knew dish soap at work could be so dangerous. My whole life has been affected by it as my eyes are now very sensitive and I have to wear sunglasses most of the time.
‘Most women are known for their lipstick. I was known for my mascara and now I can’t wear it anymore because my dry eyes are causing my eyes and makeup to run, so I feel like I’ve lost a part of myself.
‘I’m now afraid that something will come near my eyes. Now that I know how precious your eyesight is, I don’t take it for granted.’
Moto Services has since admitted through its insurer that it was not liable for the accident after Ms Brown took legal action.
Ms Brown has not worked since the accident because she is “so nervous” around chemicals. She says she will return to work if she finds a job she is “happy with”, which only requires her to work with chemicals if there is appropriate PPE.
Work accident specialist Stephanie Osborne of Express Solicitors is handling the case and says all staff handling toxic chemicals at work need training and personal protective equipment.
She added: ‘Liability has been admitted in this case (through their insurer). All employers must properly train their staff and ensure they are protected at work.
‘This accident has significantly affected Toni’s life and eyesight and could have been prevented with the right equipment and advice.’
A spokeswoman for Moto Service Stations told MailOnline: ‘We cannot discuss this matter due to the ongoing legal processes.’