I am never grilling without wearing my contacts again!

[Michael_in_TX]

No, I didn't light my house on fire instead of my charcoal....this is much more mundane, yet absolutely astonishing to me.

A few weeks ago I was grilling some chicken thighs and the smoke just got to me. Eyes burning, watering like crazy. I was having to flip the chicken with my eyes closed! I chalked it off to perhaps using too much wood, not letting it burn down, or the smoke was just blowing in my face more than normal.

Yesterday, I did the exact same cook in essentially in the same way. No problem with my eyes. In fact, the smoke conditions were significantly worse as we had a slight breeze and the smoke was really being pushed into my face (things learned: take care not to breath in heavily when this is occurring!).

It then hit me what the difference was. A few weeks ago, I was wearing glasses. Yesterday, I was wearing contacts.

I remembered a similar situation with onions. I can cut onions all day long and not have any issues with me eyes, but switching from contacts to glasses and it is almost unbearable.

I wear rigid-gas permeable lenses (RGPs). These are "hard" (though not the old style hard lenses) contacts that cover just my iris. The irritants in smoke and the chemicals from the onion must affect something in the iris.

Has anyone else noticed this? Do the more popular soft contacts help as well?

[IowaGirl]

I'd never wear contacts to protect against smoke, onions, and other irritants. Having worked as an engineer in the chemical industry where eye protection is a big deal, I learned contacts are not adequate eye protection. They hold contaminants against the eye tissues which can increase damage to the eye. They also slow the rate at which tears can remove the irritants from the cornea. And permeable ones can become contaminated with chemicals and release them over time back into the eye. Just because it doesn't hurt when wearing contacts doesn't mean it's a good idea.

[RonB]

https://smile.amazon.com/s?k=safety+goggles&crid=2QVMJ7T6JKLSK&sprefix=safety%2Caps%2C137&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_4_6

Just sayin'...

[Mr. Bones]

As previously noted, in many of my posts, I wear, an advocate proper PPE...

I have found, in my case, however, that even that is not 100% Dumbarse-proof...

[Steve R.]

Mr. Bones, I have learned to never underestimate a determined dumbarse.

[Mr. Bones]

Steve R. I am, if anything, determined lol Brother!

[DiverDriver]

Yuppers! I wear oasis and there is no issue with smoke or onions. BUT do not take them out after playing with peppers!

[Mr. Bones]

Yup.
Man's right.

[mrteddyprincess]

Hmmm. I wear soft contacts and have always wondered why cutting up onions doesn't make me cry, but, that I can remember occasions where it did. I wonder if those occasions were when I wasn't wearing contacts? You might be onto something!