Eye Irritation

Eye Irritation is a disease-like status effect caused by exposure to irritating gases and liquids. It builds up over time based on both irritant pressure and how long a Duplicant remains exposed, with the body taking the topmost occupied tile into account for the check. Because the effect is tied to exposure rather than a single instant hit, high-pressure irritant tiles raise the severity much faster than thin clouds or small pools.

The condition has two severities: Minor Eye Irritation and Major Eye Irritation. Minor Eye Irritation applies -2 Athletics, while Major Eye Irritation applies -4 Athletics. Exposure starts at 0 and is clamped between 0 and 30; once it rises above 8, the Duplicant gets Minor Eye Irritation, and once it rises above 15, it becomes Major Eye Irritation. Exposure then falls when the Duplicant is in nonirritating surroundings, such as Oxygen or Water.

Most gases and liquids increase irritation unless they are specifically listed as harmless or soothing. In practice, this means many common materials will slowly or rapidly build up exposure if a Duplicant stands inside them. The exact rate depends on the substance and its mass in the checked tile. Liquids are much weaker per kilogram than gases, since their contribution is divided by 1000.

A few practical points make the condition easy to manage:

• A Shower removes both Minor and Major Eye Irritation.
• An Oxygen Mask does not protect against irritating gases or liquids.
• An Atmo Suit provides immunity from irritating gases and liquids.
• Nonirritating environments reduce exposure naturally, so moving an affected Duplicant into safe air or clean water will let the condition wear off.

Allergy Medication cures Eye Irritation and is crafted in an Apothecary from 1 Blossom Seed and 1 kg Dirt. Since making the medicine requires Bristle Blossoms, it can be awkward to rely on in colonies that want to avoid exposing Duplicants to plant scents, so prevention is often easier than treatment.

The disease is usually best handled by controlling access to irritants rather than waiting for recovery. Duplicants working around harsh gases, contaminated pools, or other eye-irritating materials should be given proper protection, especially in enclosed spaces where exposure can rise quickly. For ordinary colony hygiene and short-term relief, a Shower is sufficient; for hazardous work, an Atmo Suit is the real solution.