Direct contact with the eyes can burn the cornea. In animals that have been exposed to vapors or directly to methylene chloride, the cornea was damaged. The damage healed within a few days after the exposure ended. Methylene chloride has not been shown to cause cancer in humans exposed to vapors in the workplace. However, breathing high concentrations of it for long periods did increase the incidence of cancer in mice.
Several tests measure exposure to methylene chloride.
These tests are not routinely available in your doctor's office. The most direct test measures methylene chloride in the air you breathe out. Your blood can also be tested to determine if methylene chloride is present. Since it stays in the blood a very short time, you must have these tests soon after exposure. Doctors can also test urine for methylene chloride or for chemicals such as formic acid that are produced as methylene chloride breaks down in the body.