contacts and cadavers

[beezies]

So Tufts just sent a letter telling everyone with contacts to get fitted with glasses for work with cadavers. I did this, and then they sent another letter about loupes. Is it worth getting prescription loupes or would I be able to use contacts with them? If you spend a lot of days working in anatomy with the cadavers and then using your loupes on those same days, it could be a pain in the butt switching contacts in and out. Admittedly, I have little to no idea when and why loupes are used during the first year. Sorry for the ignorance.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[rocknightmare]

umm i used contacts in the anatomy lab. now glasses will probably help you a little with the tearing in the beginning but i see no reason why you can't use contacts in the lab.

loupes you need in operative lab when you start making preps, but i am assuming that in your schedule when you take anatomy it is by itself alone, so no you don't need to switch back forth but just make sure ...

 

[Trookie]

I wore eyeglasses a few times in gross lab, and I thought it made things worse! I guess because contacts directly cover at least part of your eye, while eyeglasses allow the fumes to find their way under. I wore contacts, safety glasses, facemask, and Vicks Vaporub on my upper lip and I was still struggling.

 

[Biogirl361]

trookie, lol, you must have one of the bad ones
almost everyone in our labs just wear the coat and regular glasses or contacts and gloves. I can definitly see why they would make you wear regular glasses though, those fumes can really burn and i'd imagine it could damage your eye if it built up behind a contact.
nobody in my class wears loupes for gross lab. loupes are for preclinic and clinic if you want them.

 

[burmafrost]

r u kidding. u dont need any of that. i wear contacts in anatomy lab and no loupes in operative. Tufts must be getting a huge kickback if they r trying to get all their students to buy loupes b4 they even start school

 

[Trookie]

trookie, lol, you must have one of the bad ones

You're telling me. She was really freaking juicy. She smelled like wasabi gone wrong.

 

[m-dmd]

Are you freakin' kidding me. I had gross lab, and I have to say we dissected everything (We constantly asked ourselves why the heck a dentist needs to know the intricate anatomy of a penis). I wear contacts and wore them during the labs (as well as the 4 hour long study sessions well into the night) and never ever had a probem.

I got loupes during my second year, and use them today. Love em and I remember thinking to myself when I got them that I wish I had gotten them earlier. We had lab right from the first day of school (ok not the first day, but close). THey help you see things that you may not notice and for you newbies...that is REALLY important (cause you will not see those little intricacies that all your prof's are looking at!).

I say get the loupes, you are going to use them so why not get one step ahead of the game. Get them with a Rx only if that is how you plan on wearing them in lab and with patients.

 

[nyu915]

I managed with glasses in gross lab fine. double glove; i used vinyl and latex, labcoat and mask. Some of my classmates had eye irritations from wearing contacts beacause of the formaldehyde fumes. But that can be taken care of with goggles (eye safety glasses that are "required" for clinic if not loupes)

 

[rocknightmare]

You're telling me. She was really freaking juicy. She smelled like wasabi gone wrong.

go home girl..!

 

[ScubaDr2B]

I don't understand why they would not want you to wear contacts in gross lab. I wore contacts the whole time and had no problems. Gloves and scrubs, thats it....

 

[beezies]

I don't understand why they would not want you to wear contacts in gross lab. I wore contacts the whole time and had no problems. Gloves and scrubs, thats it....

The letter they sent said something to the effect of "Even with goggles, the fumes can cause permanent damage to the eye." It was enough to make me go out and buy a pair of glasses, something I haven't done in four years. About the loupes, I guess I'm kinda wondering if there are any Tufts students out there that had to do dental lab work with them (or maybe use them in dent sim?) on the same days that they had anatomy. That would help me decide if I really want prescription ones. I'd say that when I actually get to practicing though that I would want to still use contacts.

 

[FlossY]

Everyone thats in your class are getting the same letters......They probably all have bought their eye glasses and loupes.....So if you dont want to stand out get them. All your classmates will have them and if you dont the pro. maybe like hummmmmmm....a rebel already (j/k)

But i would say get them definately with Rx already put in...its just easier that way.

*peace*

 

[rocknightmare]

Everyone thats in your class are getting the same letters......They probably all have bought their eye glasses and loupes.....So if you dont want to stand out get them. All your classmates will have them and if you dont the pro. maybe like hummmmmmm....a rebel already (j/k)

But i would say get them definately with Rx already put in...its just easier that way.

*peace*

i don't recommend the Rx personally b/c loupes are meant to stay the same for several years while Rx change yearly or every other year.. so it would be pain th e arse to change something like Rx in a loup

 

[nyu915]

i don't recommend the Rx personally b/c loupes are meant to stay the same for several years while Rx change yearly or every other year.. so it would be pain th e arse to change something like Rx in a loup

not sure if it's true, but i heard that if you order through the reps and if you do get Rx, then they'll adjust your loupes for free during your 4 yrs in school.

Might wanna check with the rep though.

If you "need" to wear glasses and can't wear contacts, what should you do though?

 

[ca_dreamin']

You're telling me. She was really freaking juicy. She smelled like wasabi gone wrong.

Wow, just a little reminder...you were working on someone's family member.

 

[Trookie]

Wow, just a little reminder...you were working on someone's family member.

Oh, relax.

 

[saycheese]

Do all dental schools require students to purchase loupes??

 

[ItsGavinC]

Do all dental schools require students to purchase loupes??

Many do, but not all. I love loupes, but don't use them for everything.

 

[ca_dreamin']

Oh, relax.

Just think it's a matter of respect and dignity. You're free to differ.

 

[Sprgrover]

The letter they sent said something to the effect of "Even with goggles, the fumes can cause permanent damage to the eye." It was enough to make me go out and buy a pair of glasses, something I haven't done in four years...

The embalming fluids can irritate the skin, eyes, and nose but I don't think that having to run out and buy glasses is necessary. If the fluids were indeed that caustic there would be more stringent protocols involved, such as being in a full body suit and operating under a hood. There were plenty of students in my class that wore contacts and googles. After a couple of weeks the embalming fluids will be washed or dried off of your body and then the real fun begins.

 

[nnjh]

Are you freakin' kidding me. I had gross lab, and I have to say we dissected everything (We constantly asked ourselves why the heck a dentist needs to know the intricate anatomy of a penis). I wear contacts and wore them during the labs (as well as the 4 hour long study sessions well into the night) and never ever had a probem.

I got loupes during my second year, and use them today. Love em and I remember thinking to myself when I got them that I wish I had gotten them earlier. We had lab right from the first day of school (ok not the first day, but close). THey help you see things that you may not notice and for you newbies...that is REALLY important (cause you will not see those little intricacies that all your prof's are looking at!).

I say get the loupes, you are going to use them so why not get one step ahead of the game. Get them with a Rx only if that is how you plan on wearing them in lab and with patients.

Where do you go to school? Here at columbia we don't dissect the genitals or the lower extremities.

 

[Ankylosed]

The embalming fluids can irritate the skin, eyes, and nose but I don't think that having to run out and buy glasses is necessary. If the fluids were indeed that caustic there would be more stringent protocols involved, such as being in a full body suit and operating under a hood. There were plenty of students in my class that wore contacts and googles. After a couple of weeks the embalming fluids will be washed or dried off of your body and then the real fun begins.

I'm not sure of the exact chemical composition of the embalming fluids, but federal law states that a drop of formalin any bigger than the size of a dime is supposed to cleaned up solely by a HAZMAT team. When I was stationed at a Naval Hospital they evacuated our entire OR for the day to clean up a quarter size spill. My guess would be that most spills go unreported..

 

[Trookie]

Just think it's a matter of respect and dignity. You're free to differ.

That's irrelevant to this particular thread, but thanks for the lecture. Just because I pointed out the not so pleasant odor of a cadaver doesn't mean I don't respect the donor. I think that's obvious. Let's try to keep this thread on topic. PM me if you have anymore issues you want to discuss.

 

[ca_dreamin']

That's irrelevant to this particular thread, but thanks for the lecture. Just because I pointed out the not so pleasant odor of a cadaver doesn't mean I don't respect the donor. I think that's obvious. Let's try to keep this thread on topic. PM me if you have anymore issues you want to discuss.

Trookie:
As a direct reply to a direct quote on this post, my reply was 100% accurate and justified. As a dental prefessional, I have the honor of treating my patients, classmates, and everyone involved with my dental experience with the utmost respect and it just bothers me to see such disrespect for someone who has so generously given their body to us so that we can have a deeper understanding of the human body. I have friends who plan to donate their bodies, so maybe this makes me more attentive to such comments when I see them here...

You are right that constant bickering over one post on this thread is not overly productive, so I will let this aspect go after this post...truce Just remember that my opinions are just as valid as yours.

OP:
As for my experience in our gross anatomy lab, I also wore contact lenses under my goggles- as did many of my classmates. A few people in my group did notice sight discomfort in their eyes (and lungs...even with mask), but this seemed to be more of an issue in the first few labs, and seemed to subside after the first week or two. Some classmates switched from slip on goggles to the more traditional goggles that we were used to wearing in undergrad (chemistry labs) and some would also double mask. I did not really notice the discomfort that a few of the others did. If I had to do it over again, though, I probably would have taken the safer route and just worn glasses, though. It's an easy adjustment that could help save a lot of frustrations in the future!

PS: Best of luck in your anatomy lab next year! Work hard and study this section...you will see it again on the boards!!

 

[ScorpiORTHO]

I wore glasses during anatomy lab. Even if you don't feel the irritation right away, the fumes become captured in the contact lens material and can stay there for a long time even after lab. That's the danger in wearing contacts...the lingering remnants of the fumes. Also, it's safest to wear some kind of protective eyewear bc things could fly at you. One girl went to the ER cause she got something in her eye.

 

[rocknightmare]

I'm not sure of the exact chemical composition of the embalming fluids, but federal law states that a drop of formalin any bigger than the size of a dime is supposed to cleaned up solely by a HAZMAT team. When I was stationed at a Naval Hospital they evacuated our entire OR for the day to clean up a quarter size spill. My guess would be that most spills go unreported..

LOL, def no hazmat at VCU. stuff splattering all over the place.

 

[ScubaDr2B]

the employees of our gross lab that handled the bodies and such told us that we had nothing to worry about....that the amount of hazardous chemical was no more than about 5% in our bodies, the majority of the fluid was just plain alcohol. Also I don't understand what the real fuss is with the glasses vs. contacts, we didn't wear goggles or masks and I never had any irritation, even when my face was practically buried up in the cadaver; I also don't recall anyone else ever saying anything about this, but I'm sure if it were an issue we would have been made to wear at least a mask and goggles......Loupes, I personally think that if you wear contacts its not a great decision to get Rx lens, what an inconvenience to take out your contacts just to put on loupes....I think the only ppl who got the Rx lenses were the people who wore glasses and only glasses....hope this helps

 

[1992Corolla]

Just think it's a matter of respect and dignity. You're free to differ.

the fact that you changed the topic to post YOUR opinion on the matter did deserve the comment by the original poster...chill out.

cadavers DO smell like a marinade gone wrong, that doesn't mean we don't respect the donors. If my body ever got donated I too would agree that I smell.

OT:
I say if you're worried about your contacts then wear them in the lab and take them oput when you get home to let your eyes air out. Most of the newer contacts breath so good anyway that it probably won't be a problem.

 

[ca_dreamin']

the fact that you changed the topic to post YOUR opinion on the matter did deserve the comment by the original poster...chill out.

cadavers DO smell like a marinade gone wrong, that doesn't mean we don't respect the donors. If my body ever got donated I too would agree that I smell.

OT:
I say if you're worried about your contacts then wear them in the lab and take them oput when you get home to let your eyes air out. Most of the newer contacts breath so good anyway that it probably won't be a problem.

You, too, are free to differ. Already called truce with poster and stand by all statements. Please read previous posts before criticism. Thanks.