Something in my tank is burning my eyes.

Hello,

I have had this problem with my eyes for the past month and I have narrowed it down to it only happening on the nights that I have worked on my tank, like sticking my arms deep in the water, things like that. Basically what happens is I work on my tank, clean up, wash my hands possibly more than once, but when I go to sleep, I subconsciously rub my eyes with my hands and that is when it starts. My eyes burn so bad that I cant open them and tears just pour out of them uncontrollably. Then for a few days after they are bright red and burn constantly. The first time this happened, I went to the emergency optometrist and they told me it looked like surface agitation possibly from a chemical or something and they gave me medicated eye drops. Last night this happened again and I am out of eye drops and dont want to pay for more because they are $30 per bottle and it is small, very small. I would like to figure out what is doing this to me so I can try to avoid it if possible. I know this is kind of a stupid topic, but I am wondering if anyone else has had this same problem?

 

Not a stupid topic. Maybe you are allergic to something you add to your tank, even possibly the salt. I find when I do water cahnges or my arms are in my tank that my arms get itchy. I think I have an allergy to an ingrediant that is in either the salt, calcium supp, alk supp, or reef plus. Try reading the ingrediants and doing a google search on allergic reactions. I am leaning towards allergies because it's lasting too long to be just an irritant. I would start wearing vinyl gloves or better yet, get the coralife gloves that go up to the armpit.

 

you are probably allergic to the bactieria in the water. theres so many different kinds of bacteria in saltwater and you only need to be allergic to 1 which kinda sucks I am too and if I dont wash my hands and arms really good I will break out into a rash Try washing your hands with a little bit of vinigar or like they said gloves. Hope ya feel better P.S. have you tried the visine allergy drops

 

What kind of corals do you keep in the tank, if any?

 

+1

My girlfriend is allergic to something in my tank also... she cant stick her hand in it cause she will itch for a while. Maybe the salt, maybe bacteria... could be anything really...

Marc.

 

ive heard of people developing an allergy to salt water. get some gloves that go up to your armpits

 

This is a shot in the dark but do you have any allergens to antibiotics from the doctor ???

 

I get all itchy too when I have been working in the tank for a while. I dont have any corals yet. Just a FOWLR with 3 fish and a hermit. I dont dose anything to the tank, I only soak the fish food in zoe, selcon, and garlic.

 

I think you should try wearing safety goggles ( just the cheap plastic clear type ) and also gloves as Jason suggested above, also wash your face thoroughly after you clean up.