Conjunctivitis When Cleaning

[sophie trophy]

Hi,

I have had a tropical fish aquarium up and running for about 4 years, with no particular problems - no obvious diseases etc... About 6 months ago I got conjunctivitis (not the fish!) when I cleaned the tank - really gritty eyes, couldn't open them, very sore etc. Doctor gave me drops and it cleared up. This has happened now two times since, and happened when I forced my husband to clean them.

I have found nothing similar on the internet, and my local fish shop had heard of nothing - have any of you guys come accross anything like this?

I fear my only solution would be to replace or sterilise EVERYTHING - even the fish, as I assume they would be infectious.... does anyone have any advice on what I could successfully use? I am thinking of sterilising by boiling, or a sterilising fluid such as Milton (used for babies), but I wonder if I would need to (or could) use anything stronger?

Any thoughts appreciated....

 

[rocknurworld2006]

if you aren't rubbing your eyes or touching during a water change and washing after wards, then it will not be causing this. but people with conjuctivitis can get recurrent spells of this .

conjunctivitis can be caused my irratants, such as smoke, dust, wind, cold or dry air.


there is also a type of conjuctivitis known as "allergic conjunctivitis" which is a complication of hayfever, or me be cuased by a wide variety of airborne antigens, e.g. dust, pollen, fungus spores, animal dander, cosmetics, hair sprays, soaps. This condition can sometimes be chronic!

as this time of year with hayfever in way, it could be this, do you suffer from this??

as well have changed any products from above and had any bad reactions?

 

[sophie trophy]

...no, it isn't like a normal allergic conjunctivitis, as both me and my husband get it. The symptoms are different (very severe, sudden onset, not related to pollen etc). It is also not a 'text book' infectious conjunctivitis, as both eyes are infected simultaneously, and eyes are gritty not sticky and full of pus. It is definitely something in the aquarium that is causing it - the only way I am safe is if I wear my diving mask, as any splashes or (unintentional) eye rubbing causes the problem.

It is clearly not a common problem, but if anyone has heard of anything like it before....

 

[moll]

I got very painful gritty eyes a few weeks ago when I managed to get tank water in my eyes during a water change but it has never reoccurred.

I think you will have the problem as long as you have fish even if you sterilise your tank obviously there is something that caused the first occurrence possibly the fish waste in the water.

 

[ICEEGRL]

What chemicals do you use in your tank?
You two could be allergic to something in one of them...

Prime eats me up if it gets on me or near my eyes. I have to be very careful and wash very well after having my hands in a tank.

Just a thought...

 

[Kombat]

I've gotten exactly what you describe, but usually just from touching fish food, specifically blood worms. I have to really diligent about washing my hands immediately after feeding blood worms.

Sometimes when cleaning, the arm that is in the tank will break out in hives and itch like crazy.