Contact Lense- Safety

A 21 year old guy had worn a pair of contact lenses during a barbecue party.While barbecuing he stared at the fire charcoals continuously for 2-3 min.After a few minutes, he started to scream for help and moved rapidly, jumping up and down.No one in the party knew why he was doing this?Then he was admitted to the Hospital, the doctor said he'll be blind permanently because of the contact lenses that he had worn.
Contact lenses are made by plastics, and the heat from the charcoal melted his contact lenses.DO NOT WEAR CONTACT LENSES WHERE OVERHEATING AND FLAMES ARE CONCERNED..OR WHILE COOKING...!

Dear Mr. Sanjiv
We have to check the authenticity of this information... Please go through the below link which claims the information you supplied is wrong:
Contact Lens BBQ Warning Hoax
I gone to have a Google search cause if the lens getting burned, it was supposed to get the face or eye brow burns first or feels burning sensation... Cooking is a very general activity and if we advice not use Contact Lens for such activity, how this product getting such a wide popularity...

Dear Mr. Dipil,

However this is surely a forwarded warning alert, but the commentry written at google link provided by you seems to be of a representative of a Contact Lense Company. Writer is neither an expert ophthalmologist or one who has authenticated his views with some proof. Further it is no where written in the message that his eyebrows or face didnt got burnt. This message started spreading in 2006 after which lot of R&D was done and safety was a critical aspect which was taken care of.

But still if u see the warning to Contact Lense wearers it says- Avoid exposure to intense Heat as majorly used soft lenses are made of plastic filled with water content which can get dry in heat and cause problem to eyes.

I would like to inform that plastic attached to your body can very well melt before skin gets burnt by latent heat. I would really not fully agree with the commentry of this link and its content saying this is wrong . But for us as community members.... whats the harm in taking a precaution???

Regards

Sanjiv

Dear Raghu,
Thanks for updation.
In fact I knew the incidence which is shared by Mr. Srivastava.
There was some discusions on te above incidence in one of my Training Programs in a Fabrication Industry at Pune.
One of the participant narreted the same and also the extracts of what you posted.
Eye being one of the critical and delicate part of the body, it is always better to take maximum precautions.
Thanks Mr Srivastava for your post.
Thanks & Regards,
Sudhir

Dear Raghu,
Superb analysis and thanks for giving a true understanding on Contact Lenses to community members. Thanks to Dipil & Sudhir too for participation in discussion.
Regards
Sanjiv

Dear Raghu,
Thank a lot for nice information.
I was not knowing ABCD of contact lenses.
Now, I can share or atleast guide someone towards lenses' CARE.
Hasmukh P Valand

The post is a perpetration of an Internet hoax. There was no such case. Not one credible report on this. It is better not to spread such urban legends.
Can't even find ref to contac lenses in OSHA

Dear Saswatabanerjee,
Please refer the OSHA section 1910.133(a)(3) you can find the reference for contact lenses still you can't find the reference means let me know will extract and upload the page for your view. . .
Please see my previous reply on this thread may you will get answer for your question.
Thanks for your feedback.

Dear all,

Kindly see Contact Lens BBQ Warning Hoax It's very easy to check if some info received by email or not. I was invited to take a look at this thread and comment. I just copied a bit of the passage and used it + "Hoax slayer" as search terms in Google and I got links at Google

According to the info at Hoax Slayer, the email is a HOAX that's going round for years.

Dear Mr. Simhan

Thanks for your value addition...

Dear All

Have a look into the below comments from a Senior Medical officer on this topic:

"This information is incorrect because contact lenses can withstand heat more than other body surfaces.

It has no basis in fact. If an everyday occurrence such as staring at a fire for just a few seconds was enough to melt contact lenses and cause serious eye injuries, then there would undoubtedly be thousands of well documented cases of such injuries. If standing close to normal barbecue coles was enough to melt lens, then household heaters, stoves, and a variety of other common heat sources would presumably have the same effect. Given that there is at least 125 million contact lens wearers worldwide, it is vastly improbable that such injuries would have somehow escaped the notice of medical authorities and the news media. Quite obviously, if contact lens where so apt to cause blindness when exposed to commonly occurring heat sources, then they would have been removed from the market years ago.

There are potential risks associated with contact lens use, but these risks are generally concerned with possible eye infections and corneal ulcers and having nothing to do with lenses fusing to eyeballs due to heat exposure."

However I am agreeing with Raghu's comments on the topic and as per OSHA it is not recommended to use Contact Lens for welding activity... But surely not agreeing for not using contact lens for General Cooking Purposes...