I (Jo) didn't know there was different types of contact solution. One is a saline solution that you can wash contacts with and put them in your eye and another is hydrogen peroxide that is put with the contacts in a special container. A chemical reaction happens and six hours later it is safe to be put in eyes.
My old solution was finished and I needed to wash my contacts and put them in my eye. I went to the cupboard (blind), took the next solution out, one that had been given to me from a visiting former INF expat worker, washed my contacts and put them in my eye. Immediately it felt like it was burning and I couldn't hold my eye open enough to get it out, I panicked a little but managed to get it out as Mark came running to see what was up. I said it feels like I have acid on my eye - he looked at the bottle and said I did!
I washed the eye out but thought I should get it assessed at the hospital. I went to the admission - paid Rs20 (NZ40cents) and was ushered into a waiting room. There, all the patients were lined up eager to talk to a foreigner and tell them how little money they had and could I pay for their treatment. My turn came up to see the doctor, all the patients were ushered into a room where 3 doctors worked alongside each other and as there was a foreigner speaking nepali - all the nurses were also present. They took my history and referred me to room 15. I wandered around finding that room eventually finding it to be told to sit down and wait... again with an audience. It appeared to be the kids ward. Maybe only kids put strange things in their eyes! I had my vision assessed (which they thought was fine) and told to go to yet another room.!
I wandered around and finally found room number 8 (there is no logical order that I could work out as to room numbers). There, all the patients and family sat outside until 10 were called in at once to a small doctors room. In the room we all sat and watched as all the individuals were assessed - 2m away from where we were sitting! We all knew what each others problems were. The man before was taken off to theatre to have 'his eye taken out'! I think the medical translation is to have a cataract removed but that wasn't the literal translation.
This doctor looked into my eye and told me there was no damage which I was really happy about (I still don't think they understood what I did as I haven't seen the hydrogen peroxide solution here) and sent me to the pharmacy for eye drops.
It was very dry and uncomfortable for a few days but fortunately it is fine now. And I m using a different solution now!
I am impressed at how quickly services are available in Nepal. Non urgent CT's and ultrasounds are done on the same day. The flipside is that there is no privacy and everyone watches it, especially when it is a foreigner. For an eye that is fine but fortunately I haven't had to be assessed for anything more personal!
My old solution was finished and I needed to wash my contacts and put them in my eye. I went to the cupboard (blind), took the next solution out, one that had been given to me from a visiting former INF expat worker, washed my contacts and put them in my eye. Immediately it felt like it was burning and I couldn't hold my eye open enough to get it out, I panicked a little but managed to get it out as Mark came running to see what was up. I said it feels like I have acid on my eye - he looked at the bottle and said I did!
I washed the eye out but thought I should get it assessed at the hospital. I went to the admission - paid Rs20 (NZ40cents) and was ushered into a waiting room. There, all the patients were lined up eager to talk to a foreigner and tell them how little money they had and could I pay for their treatment. My turn came up to see the doctor, all the patients were ushered into a room where 3 doctors worked alongside each other and as there was a foreigner speaking nepali - all the nurses were also present. They took my history and referred me to room 15. I wandered around finding that room eventually finding it to be told to sit down and wait... again with an audience. It appeared to be the kids ward. Maybe only kids put strange things in their eyes! I had my vision assessed (which they thought was fine) and told to go to yet another room.!
I wandered around and finally found room number 8 (there is no logical order that I could work out as to room numbers). There, all the patients and family sat outside until 10 were called in at once to a small doctors room. In the room we all sat and watched as all the individuals were assessed - 2m away from where we were sitting! We all knew what each others problems were. The man before was taken off to theatre to have 'his eye taken out'! I think the medical translation is to have a cataract removed but that wasn't the literal translation.
This doctor looked into my eye and told me there was no damage which I was really happy about (I still don't think they understood what I did as I haven't seen the hydrogen peroxide solution here) and sent me to the pharmacy for eye drops.
It was very dry and uncomfortable for a few days but fortunately it is fine now. And I m using a different solution now!
I am impressed at how quickly services are available in Nepal. Non urgent CT's and ultrasounds are done on the same day. The flipside is that there is no privacy and everyone watches it, especially when it is a foreigner. For an eye that is fine but fortunately I haven't had to be assessed for anything more personal!
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