Scantlings

I scratched my cornea this weekend. I think I had a defective contact lens. When I clawed it out of my eye, in pain, I probably scratched it up pretty good.
I sailed home from Oxford, pretty much on fire by the time we docked. A nice night at Urgent Care for some numbing agent and ointment. Follow up is today.

Ajax wrote:I scratched my cornea this weekend. I think I had a defective contact lens. When I clawed it out of my eye, in pain, I probably scratched it up pretty good.
I sailed home from Oxford, pretty much on fire by the time we docked. A nice night at Urgent Care for some numbing agent and ointment. Follow up is today.

Ouch. On the plus side, the cornea is made up of some of the fastest growing cells in the human body so even significant damage heals fairly quickly and well. Did they apply a pressure bandage in urgent care?

LarryHoward wrote:

Ajax wrote:I scratched my cornea this weekend. I think I had a defective contact lens. When I clawed it out of my eye, in pain, I probably scratched it up pretty good.
I sailed home from Oxford, pretty much on fire by the time we docked. A nice night at Urgent Care for some numbing agent and ointment. Follow up is today.

Ouch. On the plus side, the cornea is made up of some of the fastest growing cells in the human body so even significant damage heals fairly quickly and well. Did they apply a pressure bandage in urgent care?

No pressure bandage. The pharmacy (and other Kaiser pharmacies) are all out of the Cipro drops so all I had, was Erythro ointment. I smeared that into my eyeball and managed to fall asleep. I woke up feeling 75% better. The pharmacy at the facility I'm going to this afternoon, has the Cipro drops so I'll pick them up then.

Good news about the healing powers of the eye. I thought I read that awhile ago, but I wasn't sure. Glad to hear it's true.

Ella has managed to scratch Sarah's cornea a couple times since she showed up. Both times Sarah healed up pretty quickly. It sucks, but you'll survive.

Ajax wrote:

LarryHoward wrote:

Ajax wrote:I scratched my cornea this weekend. I think I had a defective contact lens. When I clawed it out of my eye, in pain, I probably scratched it up pretty good.
I sailed home from Oxford, pretty much on fire by the time we docked. A nice night at Urgent Care for some numbing agent and ointment. Follow up is today.

Ouch. On the plus side, the cornea is made up of some of the fastest growing cells in the human body so even significant damage heals fairly quickly and well. Did they apply a pressure bandage in urgent care?

No pressure bandage. The pharmacy (and other Kaiser pharmacies) are all out of the Cipro drops so all I had, was Erythro ointment. I smeared that into my eyeball and managed to fall asleep. I woke up feeling 75% better. The pharmacy at the facility I'm going to this afternoon, has the Cipro drops so I'll pick them up then.

Good news about the healing powers of the eye. I thought I read that awhile ago, but I wasn't sure. Glad to hear it's true.

Lack of a pressure bandage (and not sending you to the ER to have an eye Doc look at it right away) would likely mean superficial scratches, which still burn and hurt like hell.

My experience was grinding rocker panels after dinner on a bare metal restoration of an old Porsche. My goggles were badly pitted (D'uh!) so I lifted them to look at an overhead surface and saw one small spot that needed additional grinding. I picked up the grinder and hit that spot with my goggles still on my forehead and send a steel splinter into my right eye. I discovered that they use a needle to pluck out the foreign object and then a mini grinder to remove the "rust ring" from the cornea so it can stay transparent. Not a fun evening. Pressure bandage and ointment for about a week and all was good.

I had a corneal ulcer a few weeks ago, I suspect it was a small drop of acetone I was using to clean a surface before painting, using glasses but not goggles.

I used to get these a lot, my eyes are sensitive to diesel fumes.

A good first aid trick is to close the lid and apply some micropore tape to keep it closed, sometimes you have to repeat it as the first layer cleans off skin oils and stuff.

Even better if you have some antibiotic eye ointment or drops first, but it still works to keep you comfortable until you get to the doctor.

Rich did you sail single-handed back from Oxford with that eye condition?

Also, do you think you can SEE your way into sending me a photon or two of the Poplar Eye-land race? Spinsheet beckons.

Glad you are feeling better!

-- i & i

Tim Ford wrote:Rich did you sail single-handed back from Oxford with that eye condition?

Also, do you think you can SEE your way into sending me a photon or two of the Poplar Eye-land race? Spinsheet beckons.

Glad you are feeling better!

-- i & i

Wife was sleeping below. She didn't know I was struggling so yes, I singlehandedly sail home. It wasn't terrible until we were nearly home.

I just sent photos to your NBRYA email address.

Rich

Excellent, got 'em!

Great job on getting 27 boats signed up!

Tim Ford wrote:Excellent, got 'em!

Great job on getting 27 boats signed up!

You can also get treatment and a prescription from an optometrist. If the scratch or object is more than ‘x’ deep, they’ll send you to an ophthalmologist. At least that’s how it works up here. Glad to hear you are on the mend.

Yikes, glad you're healing up. (Note to self: Wear my freaking goggles!)

I went to an ophthalmologist yesterday. She shrugged and said I was already mostly healed. She reversed the Urgent Care doc's recommendation for the Cipro antibiotic drops.
She told me to continue with the ointment until Friday and to go buy "tears" to lubricate with from the local pharmacy.

I'm 99% today, with a minor irritation. I've gone from a 9 to a 1 on the pain scale.

Ajax wrote:I went to an ophthalmologist yesterday. She shrugged and said I was already mostly healed. She reversed the Urgent Care doc's recommendation for the Cipro antibiotic drops.
She told me to continue with the ointment until Friday and to go buy "tears" to lubricate with from the local pharmacy.

I'm 99% today, with a minor irritation. I've gone from a 9 to a 1 on the pain scale.

Well that is a good outcome! Glad to hear it.

Rich,
This getting old thing sucks. I have been wearing contacts for 25 years. Last year, probably from not cleaning the frequently/well enough, I had some bumps on the eyelid appear that prompted my opte to give me a small bottle of some steroid and no contacts for a few days. I have considered more than once to get surgery to correct my vision, but my Dr. keeps talking me out of it (she had it done 15+ years ago) - not sure of the long term effects, but she said if the contacts are not too much trouble, just keep wearing them. I'd like to wake up on the boat being able to see, or more importantly, not be fearful during every night sail that if I rub a lens the wrong way and it comes out, I need to disrupt the entire boat and go below to try and get it back inserted.
I have considered surgery because when I wear contacts to correct my nearsightedness, (so I can see things like instruments and tell tails), now I need to wear reading glasses to see anything close up when it is dark. In bright sunlight, the phone/iPad/computer are no problem, but it seems that those that get Lasik end up wearing reading glasses anyway...i might be able to eliminate one nuisance and at least see far away.

It is always a little scary when we damage our eyes, since they are so important. I have been standing behind a tile (wet) saw for many weekends, and found safety glasses with cheaters in the bottom, and have been glad to have them as the little shards smack me in the cheeks around the glasses!! Anyway, glad yours was just painful for a couple days!

Oooh, I like safety glasses with cheaters. I'll have to shop for them.

Yeah, getting old sucks. Now I've made an appointment to have a lump on my trapezius examined.

Ajax wrote:Oooh, I like safety glasses with cheaters. I'll have to shop for them.

Yeah, getting old sucks. Now I've made an appointment to have a lump on my trapezius examined.

The cheaters come in different strengths, so you can pick the level you need in the little bifocal section. The rest of the glasses are clear. and of course they come tinted so you can wear them instead of sun glasses too.

Ajax wrote:Yeah, getting old sucks.

Says the youngest guy here.

slap wrote:

Ajax wrote:Yeah, getting old sucks.

Says the youngest guy here.

Nah, I'm a couple years younger than Rich, and I think getting old sucks too. I think Trevor may be the youngest of us posting regularly.

I have started to carry reading glasses on long bike rides so I can read the map on my phone if I get lost. I am up to 2.5 diopters as of this Spring.

Benno von Humpback wrote:I have started to carry reading glasses on long bike rides so I can read the map on my phone if I get lost. I am up to 2.5 diopters as of this Spring.

I tried progressive lenses in my glasses. I found myself squinting through the top 1/4 of the lens most of the time. Went back to regular lenses.

Ajax wrote:

Benno von Humpback wrote:I have started to carry reading glasses on long bike rides so I can read the map on my phone if I get lost. I am up to 2.5 diopters as of this Spring.

I tried progressive lenses in my glasses. I found myself squinting through the top 1/4 of the lens most of the time. Went back to regular lenses.

There are several brands of lens, which have different near/far patterns, and they can be customized. I asked for more mid-range territory on my latest set and they're a big improvement. Progressives don't work on the bike, however.

you guys are reminding me that I really need an eye appointment. I've been out of contacts for a while now and I'm tired of wearing my glasses. I have talked on and off about getting lasik, but the process gives me the willies.

I used to be able to wear my contacts 24/7 for about a month straight, but now I have to take them out at night or my eyes are super unhappy about them. Switching brands helped quite a bit, but they went from being very little maintenance to a lot of extra steps.

My prescription changed a bit last time where with the contacts I now have really good distance vision, but I have a harder time seeing things up close. With them out, I can focus in really close. This has presented a challenge when I need to do something fiddly or hunt for lice... grade school kids are fun.

The upshot of home quarantine is, no lice.

I also am not keen on lasik surgery. Sure, only 1 in 10,000 experience major difficulties. I'll end up being "that guy."