# Why does semen sting the eyes **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 22, 2010, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-semen-sting-the-eyes/554680 "2010-09-22T18:51:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-semen-sting-the-eyes/554680/1 "2010-09-22T18:51:49Z")
Lost the questionmark in the header. I’ve wondered about this for a while. ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-semen-sting-the-eyes/554680/2 "2010-09-22T18:55:56Z")
The salt content certainly plays a large part in the pain. ---
**Author:** ![flano1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f14d63/32.png) [@flano1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flano1)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-semen-sting-the-eyes/554680/3 "2010-09-22T18:56:00Z")
Didn’t see that coming. WAG is probably the high pH. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-semen-sting-the-eyes/554680/4 "2010-09-22T18:56:52Z")
Too much information. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-semen-sting-the-eyes/554680/5 "2010-09-22T19:04:37Z")
Maybe the semen isn’t what’s hurting you. Anything else around that might be poking you in the eye? ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-semen-sting-the-eyes/554680/6 "2010-09-22T19:07:04Z")
> [@flano1](#): > > Didn’t see that coming. ummmmmm ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-semen-sting-the-eyes/554680/7 "2010-09-22T19:58:19Z")
Semen stings the eyes because its nature’s way of telling you you are doing something wrong. Or maybe its god’s way of telling you to knock it off and don’t do dat no mo. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-semen-sting-the-eyes/554680/8 "2010-09-22T20:06:41Z")
internal use only ---
**Author:** ![Al\_Bundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@Al\_Bundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_Bundy)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-semen-sting-the-eyes/554680/9 "2010-09-22T20:19:34Z")
…Because you’re doing it wrong! ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-semen-sting-the-eyes/554680/10 "2010-09-22T20:22:02Z")
Ohh, I’ve been hit in the eye with projectile semen and it stung a LOT. My eye was red and puffy for a few days. I’ve since learned to turn my head and close my eyes, btw. Don’t want that happening again. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-semen-sting-the-eyes/554680/11 "2010-09-22T20:45:14Z")
Need answer fast? ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-semen-sting-the-eyes/554680/12 "2010-09-22T21:02:14Z")
Oh, and I don’t know, tiny wriggling things in your eye socket that aren’t supposed to be there? Can’t imagine why that would cause irritation. ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-semen-sting-the-eyes/554680/13 "2010-09-22T21:07:31Z")
> [@EmAnJ](#): > > Ohh, I’ve been hit in the eye with projectile semen and it stung a LOT. My eye was red and puffy for a few days. I’ve since learned to turn my head and close my eyes, btw. Don’t want that happening again. Well, I don’t think high salt would cause that to happen…of course I could be wrong. Is it possible you had an infection? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-semen-sting-the-eyes/554680/14 "2010-09-22T21:10:09Z")
> [@EmAnJ](#): > > projectile semen Band name. And it’s possible that all those sperm think your eyeball is just a ginormous ovum, and are trying to get in. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-semen-sting-the-eyes/554680/15 "2010-09-22T21:18:41Z")
The eye has pretty narrow tolerances for pH, and I’ve heard that semen is alkaline (to counteract the normally acidic vagina). ---
**Author:** ![J\_Cubed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@J\_Cubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_Cubed)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-semen-sting-the-eyes/554680/16 "2010-09-22T21:43:14Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > > [@flano1](#): > > > > Didn’t see that coming. > > ummmmmm You misspelled “That’s what **she** said!”. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-semen-sting-the-eyes/554680/17 "2010-09-22T21:52:58Z")
The normal pH of semen and tears is the same range - 7.2-8.0. But that’s a pretty big range, so if you’re on the lower end of that and your partner the higher (assuming the semen in your eye isn’t yours), then yes, that could cause irritation. The most worrisome part of getting semen in the eyes is that it’s a great way to spread STI’s, and herpes in the eye royally sucks. Surprisingly, semen’s not particularly saline, I was taught, but I can’t seem to find numbers on that right at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-semen-sting-the-eyes/554680/18 "2010-09-22T23:30:57Z")
You’re drinking too much orange juice! ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-semen-sting-the-eyes/554680/19 "2010-09-22T23:49:50Z")
When something hits your eye at high velocity it hurts, then it stings. I don’t have any experience with semen, but I did get mud in my eye once. It stung for the rest of the day and my eye was red the whole time. ---
**Author:** ![TomGorstaad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@TomGorstaad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TomGorstaad)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2010, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-semen-sting-the-eyes/554680/20 "2010-09-22T23:49:55Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > > [@EmAnJ](#): > > > > projectile semen > > Band name. > > And it’s possible that all those sperm think your eyeball is just a ginormous ovum, and are trying to get in. I just may not be able to sleep tonight. That’s just a horrific mental image. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-semen-sting-the-eyes/554680.md?page=2)