Red eyes?

[mle]

Has anyone else had a problem with bloodshot eyes? I've been vaping for a few weeks - haven't had an analog since last weekend. The last couple of days my eyes have been REALLY red - we're talking bloodshot and watery. My eyes don't itch or sting, but since I work with customers all day it does seem a bit unprofessional to be sporting the Cheech & Chong eyes. Is this a common side effect of vaping? I wear lenses, maybe the vapor irritates them?
Any input would be much appreciated. Hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving - cheers!

 

[dormouse]

A problem i was having with one eye being teary (the one on the side I drew on cigarettes) actually cleared up after I started vaping. Some people are sensitive or allergic to PG but I don't know what kinds of symptoms they get. You could try an all VG juice and see if the problem goes away.

 

[enree]

It is the first time I heard such reaction. Any history of allergy?

 

[NCC]

Allergy, perhaps. Possibly not related to vaping. Is the pollen count down yet out there?

 

[mle]

Colorado pollen activity has finally ended for the winter (after a miserable spring/summer of allergies for the kiddo and me), but I'll have to try out a VG liquid. Maybe it's just something in the apartment... Thanks for the help all.

 

[BenP]

Perhaps a reaction to the flavouring?

 

[classwife]

Mine look like road maps if I get one ounce low on water it seems !!! I have learned that this is my first signal that I need water !!!


I also have started keeping lubricating eye drops (from the Opt.) with me.

 

[Whytlash]

I wear lenses also. I wear monthlies (which I love-in for a month, then change 'em out for another pair!) and my eyes are pretty much bloodshot to some degree a good part of the time. I use Clear Eyes for that, but I notice my eyes are ore sensitive to the vapor when I have them out for a couple of days, like right now, to give my eyes a little break for a couple of days before I put the next pair in. I haven't noticed any distinct difference in eye irritation since I quit smoking 2 1/2 months ago and started vaping.

It's possible you're having a sensitivity to the vapor due to PG and/or VG. I wouldn't think the flavoring, but you can't rule that out either. The only pharmacological thing I can think of immediately is that, being a stimulant, nicotine constricts the blood vessels, and perhaps the change in your nicotine absorbtion due to vaping has, in your case, caused the difference to become more noticeable in the blood vessels in your eyes.

And now that I've said all that, you've got me thinking about it and I'm sure I'm going to be looking in the mirror more now and paying more attention to it!

Steve

 

[Tiari]

Hi! I too wear monthly contacts, and was having the same problem and figured out the issue after a little bit of research. The problem is, contacts and water do not mix, making them irritating and drying them out, and the water vapor that is hitting your eyes are making the contacts "tacky" and irritating without you knowing it. (they are "wet" so you don't feel contact irritation).

The answer is to use a product called Clerz. I'm going to try and post a picture of the package to make it easier. They are contact lense drops you use right in your eye, and it conditions AND cleans the lenses without having to take them out. Helps rid any residuals from the vape.

Hope this helps!

Hrm, guess as a n00b there's no option to post pictures yet. Just do a search on the internet for Clerz eye drops, you'll find them in any eye care section.

 

[psl_shawn]

i used to live in fort collins had the same problem but i thought it was from smoking, come to find out it was from not chaning the a/c filter often enough.

probally not what the problem is for you but worth checking out.

GL

 

[mlinky]

Something I found out years ago when I stopped smoking for 2 years: when you have smoked most of your life, then stop smoking, you develop allergies that you didn't have before. Short explanation, the tar that was coating your lungs kept common pollens off. Stop smoking, clear the tar, and viola, you are suddenly sensitized.

 

[Brian Dortch]

my nose has gotten really stuffy lately or it could be my baseboard heater

 

[mle]

Well, I guess it's time for some experimenting.
@classwife - Good call - with all the Thanksgiving chaos that's been going on I probably drank more coffee than anything (oops!).
@Tiari - Thanks for the tip on Clerz. The eye drops I've been using seem to have no effect at all.
@psl_shawn - That's where I'm located - the pollen here was outrageous this past season, so the air filter probably is getting a bit icky.
@whytlash - I was wondering about nicotine effects also. But from what I understand, redness is caused by dialated blood vessels, rather than constricted ones. I'm not quite sure how that all works... Research time!
I'll post results - just in case anyone else is wandering around looking high as a kite =)

 

[Whytlash]

mle, yes, the red veiny look is dialation of blood vessels, and that is where I'm kinda heading with that. From what I have gleaned so far in reading, it appears that the nicotine delivery and absorbtion from vaping is different, and less, than from smoking. I have noticed that difference. I vape 18mg, and it has been sufficient for me.

A nunmber of different things can contribute to such eye difficulties, and nicotine is just one of them. Since you mention it, coffee is also a stimulant and produces the same effect mentioned, but to a different degree based upon its delivery system and absorbtion characteristics. Gee, I've never gotten to use such terminology so much!

And, in closing, PG -being a humectant - is going to suck moisture out of your eyes as it floats around your face. That's another thing that can contribute to the situation. On that happy thought, I'm gonna go drop some Clear Eyes in my ocular equipment and drink some coffee, and vape some more of the new Tiramisu juice I mixed up earlier this evening.

Steve

 

[smokum]

lol...... and don't forget the obvious too..... hours upon hours appeasing your NEW addiction of ECF forum research and fun.

Oh the hours I spend online !!

VapeOn,
Greg

 

[mle]

lol...... and don't forget the obvious too..... hours upon hours appeasing your NEW addiction of ECF forum research and fun.

Haha - there is of course that additional eye strain.

@Steve - Coffee and tiramisu? Yum. And since coffee is being brought into the equation, I might mention that the redness seems to decrease when I'm drinking coffee. This would make sense, since caffeine is a vasoconstrictor like nicotine. So then that seems to point more towards the redness being an issue caused by either the PG or possibly flavorings rather than nicotine. But then there are so many other lifestyle and environment factors...hmmm. Thanks for your input!

 

[Annie Miller]

mle, yes, the red veiny look is dialation of blood vessels, and that is where I'm kinda heading with that. From what I have gleaned so far in reading, it appears that the nicotine delivery and absorbtion from vaping is different, and less, than from smoking. I have noticed that difference. I vape 18mg, and it has been sufficient for me.

A nunmber of different things can contribute to such eye difficulties, and nicotine is just one of them. Since you mention it, coffee is also a stimulant and produces the same effect mentioned, but to a different degree based upon its delivery system and absorbtion characteristics. Gee, I've never gotten to use such terminology so much!

And, in closing, PG -being a humectant - is going to suck moisture out of your eyes as it floats around your face. That's another thing that can contribute to the situation. On that happy thought, I'm gonna go drop some Clear Eyes in my ocular equipment and drink some coffee, and vape some more of the new Tiramisu juice I mixed up earlier this evening.

Steve

oooh Tiramisu care to share the recipe

and on subject my eyes get like that when I get dehydrated, usually clears up after I down a few glasses of water and use some eye drops. I have also noticed my allergies are more sensitive the first few months after I quit smoking even when I went cold turkey, not sure why just something I have observed each time I quit smoking

 

[Whytlash]

mle, there are so many factors involoved in such a thing, it can be quite a feat to try and narrow it down to a single one, or two. But, sure enough, a bit of coffee will clear up those red eyes! Just not directly in your eyes......

Annie, I got a bottle of Tiramisu flavoring from Libery Flights. It's made by Flavour Art and is quite strong. In a 3ml bottle with 1 1/2 ml 36mg PG nic and 1 ml of PG I started with 4 drops. Just a little light so I added another 2 drops and it was close enough for me (IIRC). A 5 ml bottle of it will last a long while at that rate!

Steve

 

[mle]

You're not supposed to drip coffee in your eyes? Oops. How about an injection - Pulp Fiction style? =)

 

[mle]

Weeellllll, I feel pretty stupid. Turns out I have viral conjunctivitis, and I was blaming my poor PV.