Itchy, irritated eyes: How do you know if it's from urticating hairs or just seasonal allergies?

ocinfo2012

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Mar 27, 2023
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My teenage sons and I went to a pet expo and spent some time at a couple of booths that had dozens of tarantulas. My son bought a baby avicularia avicularia, brought it home, re-housed it into a small container. He did not handle it or any other spider at any time. The re-housing was fairly quick and outside of that, the spider was in the enclosures the whole time.

Starting after the expo and into the next day, both sons reported that their eyes were itchy and irritated. To me, it seems like it's more likely from either the elevated pollen counts were are experiencing and/or due to the other pets at the expo (like dogs, cats, etc.). I was also around the spider booths and also was around the baby avic, but eyes aren't any more irritated or itchy than normal.

I cannot imagine it's from urticating hairs from either the Avic we brought home or any of the other tarantulas at the show. I realize that Avics don't usually kick hairs.

Is it at all possible this is due to the urticating hairs? For anyone who has gotten these hairs in their eyes, how does it feel compared to allergies? How much does it take to notice? How long does it last and does it get worse?

Thanks much!
 
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8 legged

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It's possible but unlikely... that should ultimately be clarified by the doctor.
 

ocinfo2012

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It's possible but unlikely... that should ultimately be clarified by the doctor.
Thanks, have you ever gotten them in your eyes? What was the experience like and what can a doctor do, other than give eye steroid drops?
 

8 legged

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I had them near my eyes two years ago. They were in my mucosae not in my "eyeball". It turned red, was burning. I washed with NaCl and on the next day only the red coloration was left. But if hairs are directly in the eye, they have to be removed.
I'm not allergic! You can suffer even more if you are...
A seasonal allergy should be known beforehand, so only the person affected can assess it. Does he already know this or is it new!?
 
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Smotzer

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If you had urticating setae in the eye ball I would image it would be far worse than just a little irritated, it would be pretty significant of a feeling. Likely just allergies from pollen this time of year or other animals dander as you said.
 

viper69

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It’s possible but unlikely. However the recorded case or two with this condition can be quite serious w/setae, potentially causing blindness some physicians thought.

It doesn’t hurt to have your central nervous system examined to be safe.
 

Tarantuland

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Mar 19, 2020
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Avicularia don’t kick hairs, they rub them off. It would have to be from touching them or touching substrate or something airborne. Especially if a baby I wouldn’t think it’s that. However, crickets cause my eyes to become swollen and puffy and itchy. Other feeders frass can do that too. I’m not a doctor but I’d try antihistamines and medicated eye drops personally. But seek medical attention if you’re that concerned
 
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