Close call. Almost lost an eye.

[BTR]

I fucked up. I was cleaning my saltwater tank after the Rams game and decided to do some rearranging. Like an idiot I pulled a zoanthid encrusted rock out of the water and one of them squirted me right in the eye. About midnight I woke up in severe pain and my eye was swollen shut. Went to ER and got both eyes flushed. Nothing more they could do so they referred me to an ophthalmologist the next day. Palytoxin poisoning. Fucking layers of my eyeball separated from the toxin. Steroid eye drops prescribed. Fast forward 3 days and the colored part of my eye turns white. Go to different ophthalmologist who looks at it for all of 30 seconds and says go to Loma Linda NOW. In the middle of the night I got a cornea transplant. Cornea was completely melted, eye was at risk of collapse and removal. So far so good. Inner pressure is good. Transplant looks good. Apparently I got into a fight coming out of anesthesia. Took 5 people to pin me down. That would explain why my shoulder hurts.

 

[SHOCKtheMONKEY]

Holy $hit!
Good luck on the recovery.

 

[Boat 405]

Damn. I thought a 16 penny nail to the eye was bad. Good luck with the recovery.

 

[sintax]

thats nuts man.... talk about a 1 in a million money shot!

I've had a few saltwater tanks, so i'm very familiar with the zoas you're talking about.

 

[nowski]

You are one lucky guy, I hope your recovery is a success. Who did say you like in the Superbowl???

 

[stephenkatsea]

Saltwater enviroments and reefs contain thousands of very toxic animals. The average amateur owners of salt water fish tanks have no idea. Goggles, at a minimum, when working within or around one.

 

[HocusPocus]

That's gotta be painful, hope it gets better soon.

 

[BTR]

You are one lucky guy, I hope your recovery is a success. Who did say you like in the Superbowl???

Rams

 

[BTR]

Saltwater enviroments and reefs contain thousands of very toxic animals. The average amateur owners of salt water fish tanks have no idea. Goggles, at a minimum, when working within or around one.

I knew. Just let my guard down for a split second. Complacency. Palytoxin is the second most toxic known substance. Don’t know what holds the #1 spot.

 

[nowski]

I knew. Just let my guard down for a split second. Complacency. Palytoxin is the second most toxic known substance. Don’t know what holds the #1 spot.

Maitotoxin takes the #1 spot...

 

[monkeyswrench]

I hope you're feeling better soon. Some scary as hell stuff...salt water is evil, and so are the things that live in it

 

[stephenkatsea]

I knew. Just let my guard down for a split second. Complacency. Palytoxin is the second most toxic known substance. Don’t know what holds the #1 spot.

Glad you received some very good treatment. Maybe some of the best in the world. Continued great recovery and Go Rams.

 

[BTR]

But it’s so purdy. The culprits are the dark green ones bottom left.

 

[cole_skier]

My wife has worked in ophthalmology for 30+ years. Once the cornea goes things go bad quick. Glad you got it taken care of.


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[HOOTER SLED-]

So wait.....you're not gonna have to wear a patch permanently and get a cool pirate name now? Well that sucks.

 

[DaytonaBabe]

Holy crap! How scary!






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[buck35]

I got stung by an elegance coral while cleaning my reeftank in the nineties. There is still a small divot on my hand from that, about the size of a cig burn .

 

[BTR]

I got stung by an elegance coral while cleaning my reeftank in the nineties. There is still a small divot on my hand from that, about the size of a cig burn .

I have a small one. Gorgeous creature but evil stingers.

 

[riverroyal]

Wow. Who knew

I saw the thread title and wasn't expected a fish tank

 

[BTR]

Wow. Who knew

I saw the thread title and wasn't expected a fish tank

Life can change in an instant. I am grateful the second doc sent me straight to Loma Linda where they could perform a transplant same day.

 

[RichL]

Wow. That's some scary stuff. Good luck with the recovery.

 

[havasujeeper]

I am totally confused as to what squirted you in the eye. Can you advise more for us non salt water aquarium folks?

 

[Keymyster]

That's crazy. Hope the best for you. I wouldn't had a clue.

 

[Rondog4405]

A rock facial! Damm that suxx! Jk.. Sounds crazy..and painful! Great lookin tank!

 

[buck35]

BTW , BTR the tank is awesome looking. Post a few more pics when you get healed up.

 

[cakemoto]

 

[Dan Lorenze]

Holy Shit! That's Gnarly!

 

[crzy2bealive]

Whoa that's crazy. Didnt know a salt water tank can be dangerouse

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[mobldj]

is dr chalam your doc

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

Wait, so a rock almost took your eye out?!... wtf.

 

[Cray Paper]

Man that is some serious shit. If I was you, that tank and every F'ing thing in it would be on Craigs List, cheap.

I worked with a guy that had something similar to you happen except he doesn't know what caused it. Long story, but he wound up with an infection that went through his eyes straight to his brain. Couple months in a coma, came out the other side blind and with sever muscle damage to his limbs. He was told only 3 - 5 people a year in the US go through what he did and he is the only one to survive. He said he gets calls from doctors and cant provide answers to help their patients.

Protect your eyes folks. Your brain is right behind them.

 

[monkeyswrench]

Ok, there are a lot of things to take away from this:
If it's real pretty, it can wreck your day.
If it's squirtin', close your eyes.

...And the big one, if it looks anything like Medusa, and smells like fish...
Keep That Shit Away From You!


Glad you have good doctors close by. I know their neurosurgery group is pretty good. In all seriousness, happy you received treatment, though it sucks it happened. Do everything the doctor says...just like your girl. I've spent time being a pirate, or being told to rest both eyes even though one is damaged. I'm better about safety glasses now, but still get in hurries. If they say lay off the TV, this screen counts too. We'll understand if it takes some time to get an update. Not to mention, there's already too many blind pricks on the water, rather you not join their ranks.

 

[WhatExit?]

Jeezus - glad you're OK!


OATA has joined forces with key public health officials to produce guidance to help marine aquarium hobbyists who keep corals protect themselves against palytoxin poisoning.

Health Protection Scotland approached OATA with a request to help produce the advice after a small number of incidents involving palytoxin were reported across the UK. It has also produced new clean up procedures in the event of an incident.

Palytoxin is produced by species of Palythoa and Zoanthus soft corals with Palythoa species generally considered to be more toxic than Zoanthus species. However, as many hobbyists may not be able to distinguish between them, the collective term of ‘zoantharians’ is used.

The greatest risk of palytoxin poisoning comes from exposing the slime coating produced by zoantharians to air. Wherever possible, marine animals should be handled underwater and fully submerged. They should not be lifted out of the aquarium unnecessarily. If hobbyists do need to transfer them, the advice is to do so using submerged plastic bags, containers or buckets.

The main symptoms of palytoxin poisoning following exposure either via the skin, eyes or by inhalation are: Fever (more than 38°C), cough, headache, difficulty breathing, sore throat, runny nose, chest pain, rapid heart rate, skin redness/rash, swelling, numbness/tingling, muscle pain, irritation of the eye, sensitivity to light and conjunctivitis. Additional indicators may in-clude the detection of a foul smell or a bitter/metallic taste in the mouth.

https://ornamentalfish.org/new-advice-issued-to-prevent-palytoxin-poisoning/

 

[SBMech]

Fucking shit BTR! Glad it worked out in your favor! Hope your recovery continues successfully!

 

[Old Texan]

Damn that's wild!!!!! Glad you got help and saved your eye.....Like others I opened the thread expecting a, "running with scissors" type deal.

No way I'd have something that dangerous in my home. Beautiful and interesting, but I've got inquisitive grandkids that like to "touch".

I was watching a show about dangerous animals and a guy was holding a toad that excretes killer venom when it feels threatened, telling he audience how dangerous it was. Nonchalantly bare handed. That made me think of Steve Irwin the Croc guy and how he "fearlessly" mingled with and handled dangerous creatures until the sting ray nailed him.......

When I was a kid, a reptile guy used to come on a local news show and brought poisonous snakes. He even allowed rattle snakes to bite him and quickly took anti-venum. He died when a king cobra nailed him in his lab, no one around and no anti-venum available. BNAG, dead.

Point being, when the dangers are around, it's just a matter of time before something tragic can happen. You ain't a cat with 9 lives, second chances come with a lesson learned, and that aquarium ain't that pretty.....

 

[highvoltagehands]

View attachment 722068 But it’s so purdy. The culprits are the dark green ones bottom left.

Sweet looking tank Popeye.

 

[cakemoto]

Is that a Red Sea tank?

 

[02HoWaRd26]

Trimming my palms a few weeks ago a got smacked in the eye with a leaf.... i thought i was going to die for a day or so...
God man i totally feel for you mine wasn’t even an actual scratch and it hurt sofa king bad. Prayers for a quick recovery and good drugs along the way. The eye has to be the most painful experience on the body.

 

[BTR]

is dr chalam your doc

Dr Hwang at Loma Linda University.

 

[BTR]

Is that a Red Sea tank?

Yes. E260 to be precise.

 

[BTR]

Trimming my palms a few weeks ago a got smacked in the eye with a leaf.... i thought i was going to die for a day or so...
God man i totally feel for you mine wasn’t even an actual scratch and it hurt sofa king bad. Prayers for a quick recovery and good drugs along the way. The eye has to be the most painful experience on the body.

No pain meds for eye injuries. You just have to deal with it. Good news is that since the transplant, zero pain.

 

[BTR]

I’m going to pay to have it professionally stripped and will start over with only SPS (small polyp stoney) corals. Far safer and slower growing.

 

[BTR]

I am totally confused as to what squirted you in the eye. Can you advise more for us non salt water aquarium folks?

A few others posted pictures. The coral polyps that look like little flowers.

 

[havasujeeper]

Thanks. I knew there was a reason I didn't want one of them "high maintenance" tanks in my house. The ol' lady is enough for me!

 

[HNL2LHC]

oh my gosh! That is some crazy shit. Best of luck to a full recovery

 

[JD D05]

Damn that is pretty wild.

How old are you? Fighting out of anesthesia is common with younger people. I did the same thing when I was 18 but haven't done it since. But I always warn them.

 

[BTR]

Damn that is pretty wild.

How old are you? Fighting out of anesthesia is common with younger people. I did the same thing when I was 18 but haven't done it since. But I always warn them.

54. The young dumb punk rocker paid a visit.

 

[coolchange]

That's why me and my friends call ther boats and cars junk. Cuz everything's just a heartbeat from going sideways.
was doing some cuttings from a Mexican fire finger plant for a friend of mine to transplant. I know they can be toxic and I wash my hands. best I can guess is there was some on the outside of the bag and I got it back on my hands again and rub my eye. Started to itch got in my truck to drive home, and on the freeway my I was on fire. Polder the shoulder and look for old dead water bottles and was squeezing those in my eye.got home said this is BS went to the ER spent 3 hours with a douchebag cup in my eye flooding it.

 

[monkeyswrench]

54. The young dumb punk rocker paid a visit.

My head went straight to liberty spikes...

 

[RitcheyRch]

That's crazy and glad you are ok. Thanks for sharing. I would never have imagined something like that happening.