Head Porters: Eye health question

[user-9274568]

Guys, I've been wearing contacts since 14 years of age. I'm 42 now, and have never had a problem with them. I can go 45 days on a pair of Acuvue contacts. I slept in them, never took them out during that time.

Something has changed. I've been porting on stuff daily since October. I'm having eye issues now. They burn, water, itch, it's horrible. The doctor can't seem to find anything wrong. My eyes look good.

Brings me to my question. I wear eye protection while porting. However, would the fumes do this? Anyone experience anything like this?

Thanks Guys!!

[airflowdevelop]

I am going to ask a really dumb question... that will sound like it is not related..

how are your sinuses? Are you wearing a respirator or mask?

[user-9274568]

Yes on both. I either wear a paint mask or a 3M.

However, I still get some "grud" if you know what I mean. But for the most part, it's good.

I spent some time in a body shop in my younger years, now I had issues with that! Mask and all.. I was always hacking something up..

[ap72]

I also wear contacts and sometimes have eye problems after porting. Are you wearing safety glasses or sealed goggles? Goggles are a PITA, but they do keep more fo the gunk out of your eyes. You can also try doing most of your work under a plate of plexi-glass, it can also be a PITA though.

[Greezer]

Have a Nice Day

[Barbapapa]

I had a similar problem. One eye seemed irritated as though some debris were there, I assumed it was because of all the grinding and cage work I'd done recently. A trip to the eye doctor showed nothing even after Clockwork Orange eyeball probing, no debris, scratches or retina damage.
It's still a mystery. The doc suggested dry air as a possible culprit. During winter months the air is much dryer. Other factors might be increased computer use and decreased blinking that it brings. Maybe age is a factor and maybe it's just a combination of things.
Do you have mist in your shop from coolant? Been using a PC alot more? Have you been cleaning your parts before porting with something new? Ventilation?Actually even if you've been using the same chemicals in your shop that could still be a possibility because of changing formulas imposed by EPA oppression.

Another factor is your age. At 40 I suddenly became prone to allergy problems from pollen when it was never a factor before.

[jacksoni]

Guys, I've been wearing contacts since 14 years of age. I'm 42 now, and have never had a problem with them. I can go 45 days on a pair of Acuvue contacts. I slept in them, never took them out during that time.

Something has changed. I've been porting on stuff daily since October. I'm having eye issues now. They burn, water, itch, it's horrible. The doctor can't seem to find anything wrong. My eyes look good.

Brings me to my question. I wear eye protection while porting. However, would the fumes do this? Anyone experience anything like this?

Thanks Guys!!

Chad- though I don't do a lot of contact lens stuff (don't fit or dispense) I do see the problems at times. (I am an ophthalmologist).
First off, though many varieties of contact are "approved" for extended wear, meaning sleeping in them etc, most ophthalmologists do not recommend doing that, in fact fairly strongly recommend against sleeping in them. Corneal ulcer, an infection in the cornea, is a very serious problem (can cause major loss of vision, even blindness, with some bugs) and the rate goes up a lot every night you sleep in them. Yes, the rate is low, but the consequences are high- putting those many season valve springs back in your high dollar engine.

Of course I agree 100% about wearing eye protection/glasses/face shield etc and respirator. Larger high speed particles embed or enter the eye (hammering stuff), while smaller may just sit on surface but cause irritation and pose both some toxicity and infection risk. No argument there.

What your situation sounds more like is either 1) fit parameters may have changed and the lenses are tight (too steep) and do not move adequately to let tears flow optimally. 2) You are becoming intolerant for other reasons which we occasionally see with time and long term wear over the years. 3) Somtime we develop what amounts to a form of allergy which is associated with the lens material, the solutions and chemicale/preservatives needed to clean them, deposits of protein building up on the lenses (especially those used for a long time as you do) and other factors. This is called Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis (GPC) and is generally readily diagnosed. Ask you doctor to look for this. Stopping wearing the lenses for a while, changing type of lens, solutions and some drops usually will take care of it but can take some time to settle down. 4) And maybe most likely: your eyes are dry. You don't live in particulary humid spot, at least some of year, has been winter and heat on and generally that drys the environment as well. Dry eye is a common problem and not just in older women, the most ususal population. I have seen in mid 20's males with no underlying contition. You may be able to manage it with some extra lubrication (saline or other drops designed to be used with contacts) and regular artificial tears when the lenses are out, Omega 3 supplements (fish oil, flax oil or combinations) help and are good for your heart, blood pressure, cholesterol skin, retina and rest of you. Decreasing wear time or taking lenses out at night can help as well. Also going to higher permeability lenses. Ask your doctor to check your tear film and production. Also look for lid disease (blepharitis). This can disrupt the tear film as well as cause inflammation that is irritating.

I think the dry eye/tear deficiency scenario most fits you but GPC is certainly possible and easy to check for.

Hope this helps.

Jack

[highVE]

I too whear contacts, however.... They are monthly replacements, and I DO take them out every night before bed, and keep them in a cleanse wash of saline solution. IMO, this is imperitive! with out doing so (i personally ) get severe eye infections. Porting heads especially doing all the cartridge rolling work creates so much damb dust, it does get in to my eyes.

I'd take them out if i was you

Mike Theroux
www.mikesportingservice.com

[bill jones]

-I have a fan that blows right to left across my bench--it's a 3 speed portable fan on a stand like you'd use to circulate air in your house on a hot day.

-I have it hanging upside down from the ceiling about 2 feet above the porting table--the positions are adjustable and I can adjust the air path up and down or left and right----I like to be able to feel the air path

-I used to wear a head rag-----but recently I bought several 'hoodie" jackets and started wearing those-----they allow me to tighten up the hoodie around the top and sides of my eyeglasses.

-My face shield and glasses will fog up without the air flow.

-I'd think having fresh air across your face and a secondary pair of eyeglasses like maybe try as simple set of cheater lenses---and trying the hoodie will help.

[airflowdevelop]

Yes on both. I either wear a paint mask or a 3M.

However, I still get some "grud" if you know what I mean. But for the most part, it's good.

I spent some time in a body shop in my younger years, now I had issues with that! Mask and all.. I was always hacking something up..

I was born with pretty bad allergies... I can't believe how much worse they have become due to the grinding dust. Even if I don't "feel" like I have a bad sinus problem everything is super sensitive now to dust and dirt. First place I notice it is in my eyes. I have bouts where my eyes itch and water that bad that it looks like I am crying... If I take a snort or 2 of a vics vapor inhaler the problem goes away in a few minutes. I hate to use the inhaler too much though as I fear it might get addictive.

The problem I see is even if you have a great ventilation system... and wear a good mask WHEN you are grinding... when you are done grinding EVERYTHING has a thin layer of grinding dust on it. everything you pickup, touch or move is putting that dust back in the air for you to breath.

basically... I think this is an occupational hazard we can try to control...but cannot remove completely.

If I do valve jobs for a few days...no grinding... my head gets crystal clear... but then my back gives out... one thing or another! falling apart piece by piece!

[BirdMan]

What I have used for 20 some years is a 5 gal shop vac sucking on the opposite end of port I am working on. It even helps when doing an intake manifold even though you have several openings which I guess you could plug/tape to seal. I normally do not use a mask of any kind. I only use a mask when I am working on something else where I can't use the vacuum. The fan sounds good, too.

[Stef]

I've had similar problems. Some of the aluminium you grind off is very fine and can and will get through safety glasses or goggles. You must get the dust directed away from you either by extraction or as Bill Jones does by blowing it away.
It's horrible to end the day with itchy eyes. I wash my eyes afterwards with saline solution which helps a little (don't use an eye bath!). Just use the stuff that comes with your contacts.

[strokersix]

X2 on the shop vac sucking through the port. Works great.

[358T]

Chad, I wore contacts for 15+ years without problems. Then all of a sudden I started having issues. My ear doctor never really could find a root cause. They said that sometimes peoples eyes change sensitivity to allergies and such. Still can't tolerate contacts almost 10 years later. A guy at work is going through something similar also.

Scott

[narcotix]

I'll second jacksoni....I've been wearing contacts for quite a long time and only have developed GPC in the past 3 years or so. Took a while for me to report the problem as I attributed it only to fatigue/allergies. Optho started me on cromolyn eye drops and I take a Claritin if its allergy season and now no more itching.

I wouldn't wear contacts for more than 12 hours at a time and NEVER sleep with them. ClearCare hydrogen peroxide nightly cleaner can help, and moisturizing eye drops can help as well.

Good luck!