# How dangerous to the eyes are onions? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 5, 2004, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-to-the-eyes-are-onions/267624 "2004-10-05T11:58:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-to-the-eyes-are-onions/267624/1 "2004-10-05T11:58:23Z")
I regularly have to chop up onions at work and after a while it becomes unbearable, my eyes stream, they burn like I’ve spent too much time in the swimming pool and my nose runs. How long would I need to cut onions for before my eyes were damaged? ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-to-the-eyes-are-onions/267624/2 "2004-10-05T16:27:21Z")
• Get a loaf of french bread (or Wonder Bread, whatever) and keep it next to where you do your onions. Cut a hunk of it and put it in your mouth, just leave it there, with your tongue tucked up against the bread, while you peel and chop. No more onion-tears. Try it. • As far as I know, onion fumes don’t damage eyeballs. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-to-the-eyes-are-onions/267624/3 "2004-10-05T16:30:38Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > • Get a loaf of french bread (or Wonder Bread, whatever) and keep it next to where you do your onions. Cut a hunk of it and put it in your mouth, just leave it there, with your tongue tucked up against the bread, while you peel and chop. No more onion-tears. Try it. You know I know I have to ask how this works. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-to-the-eyes-are-onions/267624/4 "2004-10-05T16:56:07Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > You know I know I have to ask how this works. Tips on how to avoid typos would be welcome as well. ---
**Author:** ![hammos1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@hammos1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hammos1)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-to-the-eyes-are-onions/267624/5 "2004-10-05T17:00:57Z")
The remedy I had heard was to hold a spoon between your teeth while chopping. I suspect that all anti-onion strategies are based on the principle that if you breathe through your mouth, not your nose, while chopping, you won’t get the tears. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-to-the-eyes-are-onions/267624/6 "2004-10-05T17:02:18Z")
Yes but I know that you know that I know that you know :smack: Sorry. To answer your question, I don’t know. But personal experience validates the claim that it does work, so try it. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-to-the-eyes-are-onions/267624/7 "2004-10-05T17:06:34Z")
I’ve heard that the bread “soaks up” the fumes before they get to your eyes. But then again, if a spoon works too, maybe **hammos1** is right. ---
**Author:** ![Fat\_Marrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ebca7d/32.png) [@Fat\_Marrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fat_Marrow)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-to-the-eyes-are-onions/267624/8 "2004-10-05T21:45:57Z")
Now for the science bit… (I’m recalling facts from years ago so I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong) I belive the chemical in onions that is released when cutting forms sulphuric acid when in contact with water. It is the sulphuric acid that stings the eyes as I belive moisture in surrounding the eye is mildly alkaline. So, all the myths aside, as long as there is a source of moisture between your eyes and the onion, your eyes will be fine. I personally run my wrists under water before cutting the onion - this works fine. Breathing through your mouth instead of your nose also helps as the vapours are drawn to your mouth - further from your eyes than your nose. Another handy hint for onions an garlic - to get the smell off your hands simply rub a spoon over your hands under running water (use the spoon as if it were a bar of soap). Sounds silly but the metal actually breaks down the fragrant molecules so they no longer smell! Here endeth the lesson. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-to-the-eyes-are-onions/267624/9 "2004-10-05T21:56:25Z")
That should be sulfenic acid is released when cutting onions. The gasseous form of which creates sulfuric acid when reacting with moisture in the eyes. See [how stuff works](http://science.howstuffworks.com/question539.htm) . ---
**Author:** ![Lagged2Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ac8455/32.png) [@Lagged2Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lagged2Death)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-to-the-eyes-are-onions/267624/10 "2004-10-05T22:19:32Z")
According to _Cook’s Illustrated,_ (sorry, no cite) the only sure-fire solution is to completely seal your eyes against the onion-gas (sulfenic acid) with a set of [non-ventilated eye-protection goggles,](http://www.gatewaysafety.com/products.asp?CategoryID=2) a snorkel mask, or something similar. Personally, I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing a snorkel mask without also wearing the snorkel itself. You know, to complete the look. ---
**Author:** ![GilaB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@GilaB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GilaB)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-to-the-eyes-are-onions/267624/11 "2004-10-06T06:39:31Z")
Unless the onions are very strong, I actually find that my soft contact lenses shield me from almost all of it, which is weird given that they’re mostly just water themselves. ---
**Author:** ![mmmiiikkkeee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@mmmiiikkkeee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmmiiikkkeee)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-to-the-eyes-are-onions/267624/12 "2004-10-06T06:55:56Z")
> [@Lagged2Death](#): > > Personally, I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing a snorkel mask without also wearing the snorkel itself. You know, to complete the look. You probably wouldn’t look any sillier wearing a snorkle mask in the kitchen than you would with half a loaf of bread hanging out of your mouth, drooling and breathing like Darth Vader while you rub yourself with cutlery :D.