Eye Irritation is a disease-level status effect that reduces a duplicant's Athletics skill while they are affected. It is caused by exposure to high-pressure irritant materials (gases, powders, and liquids) and progresses in severity based on both the irritant's pressure (or mass) and the duration of exposure.
Exposure accumulates continuously while a duplicant occupies tiles containing irritants. Exposure increases about every 33 milliseconds by the formula: Exposure += 0.033 × Irritant Exposure Rate × Mass (kg). For liquids the mass term is divided by 1000. The Exposure value is clamped between 0 and 30. When Exposure first exceeds 8, the duplicant gains Minor Eye Irritation; when Exposure exceeds 15, it escalates to Major Eye Irritation.
Minor Eye Irritation reduces Athletics by 2. Major Eye Irritation reduces Athletics by 4. The condition is tied to the Exposure value and will resolve if Exposure falls below the thresholds.
Despite being linked historically to Excavation damage in code and formerly named "Mining" prior to the Launch Update, performing combat errands does not increase Excavation and thus does not affect Eye Irritation accumulation. High-pressure irritant tiles increase Exposure far more quickly than low-pressure tiles, so avoid standing in concentrated clouds, heavy dust, or pooled irritant liquids to prevent rapid onset.
