Lewisite is a vesicant and toxic lung irritant that is absorbed into tissue. If inhaled in high concentrations, it can be fatal in as little as 10 min; the body is unable to detoxity itself from lewisite exposure. Routes of entry into the body include the eyes, skin absorption, and inhalation. Eye contact results in pain, inflammation, and blepharospasm (spasms of the muscles of the eyelid), if decontamination of the eyes occurs quickly after expo-sure, damage may be reversible; however, permanent injury or blindness can occur within I min of exposure.