Ok all you optical Mega minds.....

[optilady1]

I need help!

I have a patient who over the last few years has become allergic to everything. She goes to an allergist, is officially allergic to nickle, cobalt, hair dye, and a bunch of other things she can't even say, let alone spell. She can't even wear titanium. I do believe that she can wear solid gold.

Her currant frame is some type of plastic, and she wanted to update, to I put her into another plastic frame. Specifically a Vera Wang V009 with 1.67 and Super high vision. I believe her old material is either 1.67 or poly, also with an A/R. I don't have them in front of me, or I would tell you the brands; she didn't get them from me.

She picked them up 2 days ago and loved them. Vision good, loved frame, blah, blah. I just got a phone call from her and she is, off course, breaking out with them on. Only on her nose, were the frame touches, not on the temples, but I don't remember if they touch her there. I called Kenmark, and they weren't able to give me the specific material, and told me to call back after expo, because of staffing issues.

Pt is going to go to her allergist and have them independantly test the frame and the lenses, and I told her I would do some digging, which of course means asking other people what they think. I feel so bad for her, because she's afraid she will end up in her old frame for the rest of her life.

So my ultimate question is, What are the different types of plastic frames? I was just looking through my notebooks from school, but I don't know if I kept the notebook with the breakdown of the different types of plastic materials (optyl, acetate, zyl...). Any of you guys and gals know of any where I could look to figure out if one type is more irritating than another?

Any help will be much appretiated! Thanks!

[DragonLensmanWV]

Too bad Safilo has essentially killed all their Optyl frames. That was my go-to, as I never had anyone react to it - ever. You might call them to see if they have introduced any newer ones with Optyl fronts. Alternatively, Chris has some frame coating available from his website that might work on a plastic frame, it might react with the plastic and melt it some. Or you can mount nose pad arms on the plastic frame so you can use silicone or even leaded crystal nose pads. Heck, you might even be able to rustle up some old Optyl frames on ebay.
examine her old frame- does it look like it's made of sheet plastic (i.e. has an embedded pattern) or injected (will have a solid color with no "grain" to speak)?
There are sites where you can purchase antique gold filled frames, but they're fairly expensive, but nowhere near the price of Gold and Wood.

[CCGREEN]

Optyl By all means Optyl material. I am another who when I had a pt. with those kinds of difficulty's put them in Optyl material and never had a issue again. But best of luck at finding any of those frames though.

[chip anderson]

Hilco will coat metal frames for same, maybe they have a coating for plastic ones.

Chip

[Uncle Fester]

I'm surprised Chip didn't mention contacts as a possible solution.

As an aside you say she isn't allergic to gold so if she's like my wife she's not allergic to any precious gems either.
Funny how that works! :)

[optilady1]

I'm surprised Chip didn't mention contacts as a possible solution.

As an aside you say she isn't allergic to gold so if she's like my wife she's not allergic to any precious gems either.
Funny how that works! :)

personally I go with platinum and diamonds, but I'm extra sensitive. :)

[RetroRat]

Could small, inconspicuous adhesive foam nose pads be enough to stop the frame contacting the skin?



Otherwise M3 does a medical hypoallergenic foam tape as well which you can chop up to hide under the bridge that I've had some success with.

[TLG]

Check with Safilo. I haven't used them in a few years but my catalogue from '07 confirms my recollection of a few Dior styles made in Optyl back then. And yes, I agree that Optyl is very likely the solution if you can find it. I had a woman so sensitive to EVERYTHING that I had to take frames to her home because it was so dangerous for her to go out. Good Luck!

(If worse comes to worse, I may have an old - unused - one somewhere -> Givenchy I anyone?)

[Java99]

Dior styles are still made with optyl.

[fjpod]

Tell her to change her diet, take anti-oxidants, and increase physical activity.

[Chris Ryser]

Apply this total sealer before it happens or ......even after...........and give your patient the extra protection and service.
Unlike eczema, allergic contact dermatitis is a condition that affects people in their later stages of life, most likely because the condition does not occur upon first exposure to a substance. It usually takes numerous exposures for this skin condition to develop. Take nickel as an example. Only about two percent of girls under the age of ten are allergic to nickel. Compare that figure to women 50+, where the number of those affected rises to about fourteen percent.

click here► http://optochemicals.com/products/info_frame_protec.htm

[Mizikal]

http://chrisblattman.com/2010/04/11/...-try-hookworm/

I remember talking about this in microbiology. A hookworm can help with allergies.They are not sure why but they do. I cannot remember the specifics but now I will have to read through that part of my Microbiology text book again.

[skt]

I have a couple guccis in stock that are optyl

[jefe]

I do believe that she can wear solid gold.

Why not gold electroplated?

[DragonLensmanWV]

Why not gold electroplated?

The gold would be too thin, once a small part of it wears through, you're done.

One thing about Optyl - the outer covering was IIRC, a polyurethane coating. Maybe someone makes a similar coating that could be sprayed on.

[chip anderson]

Actually you can get polyurathane spray at any hardware, home improvement or paint store.

[jefe]

Actually you can get polyurathane spray at any hardware, home improvement or paint store.

or shellac, which I believe is hypoallergenic

[uncut]

@ optilady:

I find that Silhouette's spx material works in situations like yours. My only negative is that the selection is sparse. You might also want to look at their Titan Pure part of the collection, as that form of titanium will not cause a reaction. Like gold, there are different qualities of titanium available, some containing nickel, which a lot of people react to.

[Darryl Meister]

So my ultimate question is, What are the different types of plastic frames

Getting back to your "ultimate" question, these were the common plastics available in my dispensing days:

Cellulose acetate ("Zyl")
Cellulose proprionate
Polyamide ("Nylon")
Co-polyamide ("SPX")
Epoxide ("Optyl")
Polymethyl Methacrylate ("Acrylic")

Unfortunately, sensitivity to these materials probably depends upon a number of additional factors, including the plasticizers used, the manufacturing method, the coatings applied, etcetera. Several good suggestions have been provided in this thread though.

Best regards,
Darryl

[Chris Ryser]

Getting back to your "ultimate" question, these were the common plastics available in my dispensing days:

Cellulose acetate ("Zyl")
Cellulose proprionate
Polyamide ("Nylon")
Co-polyamide ("SPX")
Epoxide ("Optyl")
Polymethyl Methacrylate ("Acrylic")

I can go a little further than Darryl:

There used to be some more as:

Cellulose nitrate

Kasein

Keratin materials: as

Buffalo Horn
Turtle Shell
Snake Skin

and by the way:

Wax - Key to the Process

• Wax is the oldest thermoplastic material
known to man

– softens with heat allowing it to be easily shaped

• Originally Patterns were made from various
natural materials

– bees wax
– tallow

– resin

– tar

• Today the name ‘wax’ applies to any
substance having wax-like properties

– more accurately described as an industrial
moulding compound

• If the pattern is wrong, the casting will be
wrong
- it follows that the choice of wax is
critical

[Darryl Meister]

I didn't inlcude cellulose nitrate, since its use was discontinued many years ago due to its flammability.

Best regards,
Darryl

[billmdee]

I believe Gold Cartier frames are double plated with 23k gold, so even if they do wear thin or flake, there is gold underneath. That my be an option but $$$$.