Formaldehyde in/on frames?

[VHB]

A former customer of mine called me yesterday, frantic because she's developed a rash around her eyes and on the bridge of her nose. Her allergist says she's allergic to formaldehyde and gave her a printout of things that have that substance in/on them. Eyeglasses were on the list. She never had a problem when she was buying nice eyewear from me, but now that she's had Lasik, she buys cheap readers at the drug store. She wanted to know if my readers have formaldehyde. I'd never heard of this problem, but since all my readers are from China, I told her that I wouldn't trust the manufacturers to be honest about the materials they use. After all, we didn't think they'd put lead in baby toys, but they do.

I am assuming that cellulose acetate frames are uncontaminated, but since I'd never heard of formaldehyde in/on frames, I might be wrong. Does anyone know anything about this? One friend of mine said he thought it might be in the coatings on injection molded frames and/or a coating on metal.

[optical24/7]

I would recommend a titanium frame with no finish. ( natural color). You can remove any protective polyurethane or varnish finish from it by soaking it in acetone. (removing nosepads and endpieces 1st). For a list of known allergens in glasses refer to....

Table 1.

Reported cases of contact dermatitis from eyeglass frames (-1985)
No. Author Year Allergen or cause
1-5 Kristjansen 1937 acetone extract 2, unknown 3
6 Berkhof 1938 triphenyl phosphate, tricresol phosphate, cellulose acetate
7 Bonnevie 1939 para-aminophenol, para-phenylenediamine
8 Gray 1943 brown-black dye
9 Gaul 1958 unknown (irritant reaction¹red and white gold?)
10 Wilde 1959 phenol-formaldehyde, rubber
11 Pritsche 1961 para-aminophenol, nickel
12 Pegum (1) 1966 tritolyl phosphate, triphenyl phosphate
13–28 Smith (2) 1966 nickel 2, plastics 4, methylethylketone 1, waxes 1, para-phenylenediamine 1,
triphenyl phosphate or cobalt 1, irritant 3, unknown 3
29 Torsuev (3) 1969 plastics
30 Jordan (4) 1971 ethylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate
31–35 Jordan (5) 1972 resorcinol monobenzoate 3, solvent yellow 3: 1, solvent yellow 3, red 26, or p-tert-butyl-phenol: 1
36 Jordan 1972 turpentine
37 Calnan 1975 resorcinol monobenzoate
38 Fisher (6) 1976 optyl: a plastic material of epoxy type
39 Jirasek (7) 1976 nickel
40 Hambly (8) 1978 butyl acrylate
41 Grimalt (9) 1978 nickel
42 D-Goossens (10) 1979 nickel
43–45 Cronin 1980 red 481
46–53 Kalensky (11) 1980 nickel 4, cobalt 1, cellulose acetate 1, nickel or cellulose acetate 1, unknown 1
54 D-Goossens (12) 1981 anthraquinone
55 Maneghini 1982 nickel
56–58 Rycroft 1983 phenyl salicylate, resorcinol benzoate
59–60 Popadinets (13) 1984 plastics
61–67 Hausen (14) 1985 unknown

[VHB]

Yes, I found that same link via Google. However, that is an extremely old citation.

Does anyone have more recent information? Is formaldehyde routinely used in frame finishing? Only on metal? Only on injection molded frames?

Are there any frame manufacturers reading this? Can you supply some information?

[Chris Ryser]

I am assuming that cellulose acetate frames are uncontaminated, but since I'd never heard of formaldehyde in/on frames, I might be wrong.

SPI #01818-AB, 01819-AB, 01856-AB, 01857-AB Cellulose Acetate Tape and Sheets
Section 2 Composition

Component Name CAS # Percent EIINECS/ELINCSCellulose diacetate 9035-69-2 >80% n/aDiethyl phthalate 84-66-2 1-20% 201-550-6Other ingredients none <1% n/a



Section 3: Hazard Identification

Emergency overview: This material is not hazardous by OSHA Hazard Communication DefinitionSignal Word CAUTION!Chronic Hazard: NoAccute Health Hazard: SlightContact Hazard: SlightFire Hazard: NonePhysical Health Hazards: None knownPhysical state: SolidColor: Transparent and colorlessOdor: NoneOdor threshold: Not applicablePotential Health Effects:Routes of exposure IngestionSigns and Symptoms of Acute Exposure: None knownSkin contact: None knownInhalation: If the product is used as intended, it just not possible to envision how one could "inhale" this solid material.Eye contact: Mechanical irritation is not envisioned as being possible.Ingestion: Ingestion is unlikely, so long as product is used as intended.Chronic Health Effects Summary: No known chronic health effects.Conditions Aggravated by Exposure: No known conditions are aggravated by this material.

Section 4: First Aid Measures

Take proper precautions to ensure your own health and safety beforeattempting to rescue and providing first aid. For specific informationrefer to the Emergency Overview in Section of this MSDS.Inhalation: If this occurs, contact physician at once.Eye Contact: Wash eyes with clean low-pressure water. If irritation persists, seek medical advice. It is not envisioned that eye contact requiring this kind of response could ever occur.Skin Contact: No adverse health effects are anticipated, however if irritation developes, then contact physician at once.Ingestion: Contact physician at once.

[Ineed Chocolate]

Funny that this whole subject has come up, as I just had a call from a patient who purchased a Flexon 610 (from their line made in China) and is having a problem with contact dermatitis behind his ears from the temple tips. The tips are not silicone, but good grief, if he is allergic to these basic temple tips and can't wear silicone (also allergic to), what other options do I have to offer him for a more comfortable fitting?

[VHB]

Who knows what the Chinese are putting in things they export to us! I'll bet if you switch the temple tips to ones from another frame (not made in China) you'll take care of the problem. Give it a try and let us know how it works out.

[Andrew Weiss]

Are you sure the problem is formaldehyde? Maybe vinyl nose-pads? They're common on inexpensive frames and they do de-gass - just put a frame with vinyl nosepads in a case for a week or two and open it. They fumes are pretty funky.

I wonder if any inexpensive frame mfgs use vinyl temple-tips, too?

[CuriousCat]

I had a patient who presented with similar symptoms. Titanium nose pads did the trick.

[Ineed Chocolate]

Well, the issue (with my patient, anyway) is the temple tips, not the nosepads. I will try changing them to ones made in Italy and see what happens. Thanks all!