Don't Rub Your Eyes After Handling Zoanthids/Palythoa

yeah that is our hope on documenting so much on this, hopefully this can prevent somebody else from being exposed.

Curt is lucky............we have already agreed for him to go to someones elses house to dog sit for the next couple weeks. He has volunterred to come back home and go back and forht, however the dog he is watching is 16 years old and is on his way out......owner is in S Africa and cant bear to put him down. So curt is staying with him He is volunterring to come back home, however I am going to allow my parents to care for me for a bit and am stayng at their house right now.

I become an absolute homicidal ragging lunitic on low dose steroids, never been on 60mg prednisone, i dont want to subject anyone to be around me when that kicks in!

Thanks again for all the wishes!

 

well I am famous now in reefer land! LOL
Palytoxin-containing zoanthids can temporarily - or possibly permanently - blind you — Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog

my hope is simply that maybe my story can prevent even one person from having to go through this. Saw the doctors today again and seeing a little improvement. The redness has improved, steroids are helping with the pain (though I did just take pain meds after have 3 doctors shin light in my eye for an hour). Not seeing any change in the ulceration or the infiltrates yet. The inflammation of the cornea is improving somewhat.

They have taken some medical pictures of my eye on Monday and again today that I am going to get a copy of to show the progression. They are still concerned over the ulceration and keep stressing hte uniqueness of this situation. Stressed again today that they are unsure of the prognosis yet and that it is way too early to know for sure, however possible need corneal transplant.

They are going to write a journal article on this and my experience once they get this under control

here is the ugly piece that has caused all of this! Yes the tank is very dirty as I am not allowing anybody to put their hands in there yet (did kill other things in the tank that are non-paly, non-zoa)


this is my eye today (again just crappy cell phone pics)
Not a clear picture but again you see the ulceration of the eye


Basically from the pictures they have shown me, the pupils is a circle. The ulceration is covering about 80% of the pupil and is in a form of a circle to a c-shape

 

;oh yeah.....if anybody would like the paly colony i might be able to part with it! It is true, the uglier the more toxic
:

 

Sorry to hear about this - Wishing you a speedy recovery - Donate that coral to a local lake - nobody should have that in that tank.

 

i think the more people that read/hear about your misfortune the better. I certainly did not put much thought into Palytoxins until I read of your malady. I hope you heal with Godspeed.

 

60mg steroids????? Ouch, I'd have to lock myself in the basement for fear of killing someone. I feel your pain with those, I have to take them when my neck flares up.

I'm glad you at least became "famous"lol. Best of luck again. My paly's will be going to the LFS next trip. Not worth it, and they're an ugly brown anyways

 

Seriously, you two need to start fragging those palys and selling them:

"Shackmel's Eye Palys" AS SEEN ON REEFBUILDERS.

Also can I get your autograph?

 

lol.......thanks all! I am tempted to toss the coral in question as they are not even that pretty of a coral. I definately will never ever frag them and give them to anyone else. I have been doing a lot of research on this and am even concerned about the airborn toxicity (read an article about someone actually dying from respiratory symptoms from the toxin after pouring boiling water on them) and dont want to risk someone being exposed to them after I toss them

So far, the 60mg of pred has not fully kicked it. I feel human still! I have had people tell me that I am talking very fast and very loud, but other than that I am not homicidal yet. They are talking about possibily starting me on pred forte eye drops also tomorrow so hopefully they can start to taper me down a bit!

On a side note, the LFS that I was working in has told me that they have implimented that all employees must wear gloves when handling any zoa and paly!

 

praying for a good recovery

 

While it is unfortunate that his happened I guess the silver lining is that the word is getting out and hopefully others will be spared a similar experience.

Here's hoping for a speedy and complete recovery.