Talking Allergies

Hello everyone. I'm newbie to the forum. Has anyone had any experience with allergic contact dermatitis to plastic eyeglasses instead of the metal ones? All the optometrists I've spoken with seem deny they've ever heard of such a problem. Strangely, only three out of my four pairs of plastic eyeglasses give me a reaction. Why the one pair of plastic sunglasses does not do this is a mystery. Wherever my glasses touch my skin I get a red itchy rash so I cover up as much as I can with silicon nose pads and ear covers.Even my allergist insists that it is pretty much impossible to react to plastic. However- my dermatologist obviously believes me as I'm set to go for skin patch test series tests with the chemicals and dyes that are found in plastics and metals. Have you heard of such a problem? Has anybody else had this experience? What did you do about it? Thanks for listening!!

Deb

It would be uncommon for sure - but I have read occasional studies of people reacting to plastic gloves (as well as rubber gloves, which is more common).

Then there is this study reference, which shows some agents in plastics that have caused issues:

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/jour ... 2/abstract

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Allergic to soy, peanut, shellfish, penicillin

Wait - also had this reference to an eyeglasses case:



http://archderm.ama-assn.org/cgi/conten ... /104/5/524

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Allergic to soy, peanut, shellfish, penicillin

I did have a problem years ago. It was not to plastic glasses but the portion on my new glasses that sits on the nose. (I think that part is called the feet, so that is the term I will use). It felt like the plastic feet were going to bore a hole in my nose it was very red... It was not like I had never wore glasses before. When I told the optical dispenser about this they told me some people have a reaction to the Silicone (or what ever they were made of) he changed the feet to a different type of plastic and I was just fine. The only thing I remember was one was a hard type of plastic the other was more rubbery.

A few years later a friend of mine was having problems with her eyes in that they were always red and sore and she said even though she had had glasses for years since getting the new pair she felt they had only given her problems. I told her of my ordeal, she went to where she got them they changed the plastic feet and she was fine after that, no more problems.
Not sure if this can help you, but I do hope you find out whats up.

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Me-Allergic to Peanut, Tree Nut, Coconut, Shellfish, ASA and Asthma
My Husband and Children No Allergies

I am not surprised by what people are allergic anymore. .. you can be allergic to water, so why not plastics?

Rather than focusing on convincing them that you are having a reaction (just look in the mirror), try to focus on other options.

I too had a problem with the plastic feet once but a simple adjustment solved that.

Some Opticians offer excellent return policies. I hope you can find a brand/style that you like.

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: allergies to some tree that flowers in May
Cat: allergic to beef, pork and lamb

Thanks to everyone for all the comments and suggestions so far! I just found an article on page 27 in the 4th ed. of a book called "Contact Dermatitis" that said reactions to plastic eyeglass frames are rare. To me, that means rare- but not unheard of. I'll have to wait until the visit to the dermatologist in early September.

I would find the part that touched my nose and ears kind of uncomfortable, but I thought it was just due to increased heat/sweat.

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DSs 7,7,9 all PA

I bought a new set of Foster Grant reading glasses and got an itchy, red rash behind my ears each time I tried wearing them. The rash takes about two weeks to heal. I didn't have the problem with the previous Foster Grant pairs I bought 4-5 years ago. I'm going to try some clear replacement earpieces I got at an eyeglass store.
I read on the internet that materials in the earpiece that may be causing the allergic reaction are silicon, latex and a chemical in the plastic called Resorcinol Monobenzoate, an ultraviolet light absorber.

I have the same problem as paige. I can only wear the hard plastic type feet. They rubbery feet give me a rash. I don't have any problem with the plastic type glasses though. I just bought plastc glasses that don't have feet, they just sit directly on your nose and I have no problems with them at all.

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DS Sept 2006 - peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, eggs, coconut; contact reactions. Asthma. Many animal and environmental allergies.
DS Oct 1990 - Environmental allergies

FYI.
Two years ago I learned I was allergic to my new plastic glasses. My doctor said it is rare, but that he was certain the glasses caused the hot, red rash behind both of my ears. I then bought metal glasses and even though they had plastic on the ends of stems, they worked fine. This year, I purchased a similar pair, but it only took 3 days of wearing them before my ears were hot and red. Don't know what I am going to do now. Glass frame manufacturers should identified what kind of plastics they use in their frames.