Ruh-roh... Allergy to saline solution

[Eva]

I have been consistently eating grrrreat raw foods these days (and I'm feeling grrrreat too!)... but now... when I get even a little saline solution on my face when putting my contact lenses in, it reacts and turns fuschia and burns! I've never had this problem before!

I think it's a combination of two things:

1. I stopped washing my face and started dry brushing and rinsing with water twice daily instead. Now may face does not get all of the chemically treated face washes. (Almost perfectly clear too and so soft now by the way!)

2. I'm eating raw food with none of the chemicals and misc. laboratory junk in it.

What to do??? It looks like I've painted myself a clown face! I'm not going to walk around blind, and when I wear glasses instead of contacts I run into everything.

I'm curious if others have had similar experiences and if there is another kind of solution I could use or something!

[Eva]

Bump! Anyone??

[crystalmoon]

Hi there, I'm having a similar reaction to toiletries & household products I used to be ok with. Now they give me red marks like exema rash. Also I seem to be very sensitive to smells, all my clothes are having to be rinsed in clear water to get rid of the smells of the fabric sofentener I used to use. I've bought some eco balls & soap pods to do my washing & have changed all toiletries to raw vegan ones. I've only been vegan 5 weeks & about 75% raw most of the time. It's like my body is freaking out & refusing to take onboard anymore toxic waste. I'm guessing it's a sign that detox is definitely underway.

[Eva]

I've been finding the same thing with some items re: smell! The fabric softener used to smell like heaven; now it smells like chemicals galore. :eek:

[EZ rider]

I don't wear contacts so this is probably all wrong. Can you rinse off the contacts with clean water before you put them in and have no chemicals on them or around your body and still be able to use the contacts ?

[freebird]

Can you rinse the contacts in a saline solution that you prep yourself with sterilized water and celtic sea salt I wonder? Hope you find a something that works!

[Eva]

EZ Rider: LOL, you're right (that you're wrong!) I think. Supposedly the closest thing to saline solution would be human saliva (which I've had to use when my contact came out away from home!), and the bacteria found in water would give you an eye infection. That's just what the man has told me though!

Freebird: Is that all it is? Salt and sterilized water??? (Plus chemicals in the commercial ones of course)... If that's the case, I can totally just make it at home! :)

[freebird]

EvaRB - yeps that's all saline is a sterile salt solution... it'd be a weak one for your eyes I'm sure! you could try 1/2 tsp salt to 1 cup boiled water. contact solution has other chemicals in it to stabilize it and I'm sure to prevent bacteria build up, so you'll just have to be rigorous on your sterilization of the water and keep your hands clean. :)

[Eva]

Yay!!! I'm going to try that. I'm actually wearing my glasses right now because I didn't want to deal with that this morning. I am just so clumsy without peripheral vision though, and my eyes are BAD!

Thank you so much! :D

[rawsurfer]

i would say research the pH of your eye goo before you do anything of the sort. i am sure it can be done, but you do not want osmosis to occur in the cells of your eyes because you have a hypotonic or hypertonic saline solution.

[Eva]

Oh dear. Well I am wearing my glasses today so I don't have to deal with this just yet, but I will do some research soon! :o

[sfdreams]

Actually, the solution should be 0.85% to be considered "normal" and be at the correct strength. I don't know what that works out to be...had a "recipe" here once that was given to me by a wound-care center. Unfortunately, I don't know where it could be!:p Perhaps a search on the internet will help.

Perhaps the commercial saline had thimersol in it...that was one of the reasons I quit wearing contacts. Even on a SAD diet, I reacted to Thimersol.

Good Luck!



EvaRB - yeps that's all saline is a sterile salt solution... it'd be a weak one for your eyes I'm sure! you could try 1/2 tsp salt to 1 cup boiled water. contact solution has other chemicals in it to stabilize it and I'm sure to prevent bacteria build up, so you'll just have to be rigorous on your sterilization of the water and keep your hands clean. :)

[unbent]

SFDreams, I was not aware that some manufacturers use Thimerasol in their saline solutions.? I will have to check mine when I get home. Thimerasol is the same substance used as a preservative or something in the shots they give you as a kid. My understanding of it is that it is a derivitive of mercury.

I have been using a generic Walgreens branded saline solution and noticed about a month ago that when I get it on my face it gets red like a sunburn where ever it touches. Freaked me out the first time. I did find that if I dab the area with a wet washrag for a minute or two that it washes the solution away and the redness with it.

Andy

[rawr]

I use saline marked "sensitive eye" that is thimerisol-free...it is very easy to find and you can get it in brand name or storebrand versions.

That being said, if the saline runs down my cheek and dries it leaves a lasting-but-temporary red mark. So I rinse my face with regular water afterwards, hold a tissue under my eye, or just make sure to wipe away the saline. Problem solved.

Also, please don't use tap water or saliva - both can cause funky bacterial infections.

[Eva]

Thanks Rawr!!! Great advice... I'm still wearing my glasses, but the next time I go to the grocery store I will look out for sensitive eye saline solutions so I can start wearing my contact lenses again! :) :D