TheClark Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 (edited) Have You Ever Caught Yourself Accidentally Rubbing Your Eyes After Touching Palys? Me honestly, I cannot ever remember doing it, I am crazy about rinsing my hands after handling them especially during fragging. but just might have rubbed my eyes last night. We were in a rush to head out, I had been inspecting the purple death and mind blowing colony for pests as I periodically for all the colonies as part of preventative maintenance. I don't remember touching my face, but as we drove to dinner, my eyes had a distinct dry feeling. So distinct I had to pull over and put in some allergy eye drops. Thought to myself 'that's weird!'. It was fine for a while, but by the time bedtime hit, things were miserable. It felt like something was in my eye, high up in the back. I was convinced something was stuck in there, and tried all the eye flushing techniques including hopping in the shower with a cup and flushing the eye out (very effective by the way). Went to bed that night, for a rough night of little sleep. Felt a little feverish... Wait, feverish? Looked in the mirror after getting the crusty eye opened. Yikes! Gross!! Headed to the ER with my PalyToxin Print outs. Here is a good one for eyes: Aquarium Coral Keratoconjunctivitis (good one if in your eyes, doc liked it) http://archopht.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=426342 Doctor was awesome, long story short she numbed the eyes, stained them, tested PH, and used a lighted scope of some sort. She got in touch with an Ophthalmologist who just happens to be a reefkeeper (I gotta meet this guy!). He knew all about PalyToxin and prescribed the goods ointment and drops (steroid and antibiotic) Tonight things look better, but not 100% yet. Maybe 50%. So... what did I learn? I don't know, I have fragged at least 600 times based off of frag plug purchases in ebay history. Have I been lucky? Was it totally unrelated? Did I get in a rush and not rinse my hands, then rub my eyes? Was it Palytoxin, or just a random reef bacteria? Not 100% sure, but I knew about Palytoxins because of stories like this. So here I am sharing an embarrassing story in the hopes that someone else will read it and recognize possible symptoms if they are ever in the same boat. If your eyes are weird after working in the reef tank, get em checked out! Edited May 1, 2015 by theclark 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald525 Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Glad you are doing well. Great idea to bring the information in because most doctors aren't familiar with this. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spilo Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Dunno man but iv seen some pictures of one guy who got in the eye bad.. don't think he ever got his vision back... scary stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spilo Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 https://www.facebook.com/shawn.pollock.332?__nodl Look at that guy man... I'd definitely say you got lucky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheClark Posted May 1, 2015 Author Share Posted May 1, 2015 https://www.facebook.com/shawn.pollock.332?__nodl Look at that guy man... I'd definitely say you got lucky Holy smokes! That is horrible! Yeah I was fearing something like that early in the process. I want to emphasize that I don't know if this was palytoxin, bacteria from the tank, bacteria from the gym etc... Not 100% convinced it was reef related but just something everyone should keep on their radar. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saltwater newbie Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Happy your OK buddy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catfish2 Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 This is totally one of those things that I would say "that would never happen to me" about. Until it does and then you're like oh crap, how did this happen. Glad it's getting better and thanks for posting, it makes us all a little more aware. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitrillion Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Gald your better! Now you see why I said perinode about fraging and handling zoas and palys! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandinga Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Scary stuff man, thanks for sharing. So you weren't even fragging...just inspecting. wow man, hang in there and get better soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisQ Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 (edited) Sorry but come on edit shenanigans..........Now i confused myself! Dang Jeremy! and i have to lol at myself, here i am fraggin GB Yowsers and GB Purple Sky's last week sitting in my bed but hey! I had my provocative eyewear on! and i dig with a fresh razor under the polyps taking a good chunk of the plug with me, with a greater risk of cutting myself.. I think in this case we need to all think about the old saying, "A dull blade is more dangerous than a sharp blade, being it requires more pressure with a dull blade, very important when fragging zoas. For the sake of discussion, do people frag Zoas like this individual? Edited May 1, 2015 by ChrisQ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danlu_gt Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Wow, glad you're better. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
softy Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 dang brutha!! good to hear you are all good... but dang!! i know you won't forget to scrub down afterwards again... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JManrow Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Jeremy, I am glad to hear that you are ok. I have also been very fortunate not to have severe outcomes from fragging zoas 20 years ago, before we knew of the dangers of palytoxins! I have cut quite a few zoas without gloves or protective eyewear. The only caution we heard, was not to return the water cutting was done in to the tank. I have learned to become more cautious over the years as we learned about the hazards of palytoxins. Thank you for sharing the info on aquarium coral keratoconjunctivitis. I think that it may be a good idea that this document and info be posted as a sticky here at the forum. http://archopht.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=426342 I really like the kit that George is using in the video. I tend to buy my frag tools at the hobby shop, but that kit is nice! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheClark Posted May 1, 2015 Author Share Posted May 1, 2015 Thanks everyone, things are 'looking' allot better this morning, I may make it to that dinner with my wife after all without looking like Frankenstein! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bombertech Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Glad you are doing okay! For everyone who doesn't have one, Planet Zoa has a really nice palytoxin card you can print out at home to place in your wallet 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JManrow Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Glad you are doing okay! For everyone who doesn't have one, Planet Zoa has a really nice palytoxin card you can print out at home to place in your wallet Matt... is this the card? If so, thanks! http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8Oj75Q7ZZkw/Uhdl2EOr6lI/AAAAAAAAALw/vFTZzmNQYuc/s1600/poisonsheet.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexinverts Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Glad to hear that you are ok, Jeremy. The picture looks a bit like conjunctivitis (pink eye) to me, but much better to be safe than sorry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheClark Posted May 1, 2015 Author Share Posted May 1, 2015 Glad to hear that you are ok, Jeremy. The picture looks a bit like conjunctivitis (pink eye) to me, but much better to be safe than sorry! Thanks! It could very well be, that would be a relief. I suppose bacteria from slimy purple deaths could have been a cause as well as many, many other things. Have to say if it was pink eye it was an especially brutal variety compared to anything I have experienced! I hope to get a followup with the ophthalmologist so I can meet the guy and learn more, and have another local reefing contact. Either way, it is a good reminder to protect our eyes and I hope we all keep it in mind as I wouldn't wish this: https://www.facebook.com/shawn.pollock.332?__nodl On anyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yourmedic Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 Glad to hear all is well!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheClark Posted May 2, 2015 Author Share Posted May 2, 2015 Thank you, I feel very relieved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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