What did I get in my eye?

[janey99]

Garden related, really!

This evening, I was puttering in my garden, checking my tie-ups, looking under leaves to check baby vegetables, and generally crawling around, and I must have itched my eye with something on my hand - now it is itchy, teary/a little gooey and a little blurry. i've been rinsing it with saline and it *might* be getting a little better, but not fast enough for me!

What could have gotten in it? I was touching the leaves of everything, including cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, peas, pumpkins and spinach.

The good news is, my "one-ball" squash are little yellow globes the size of walnuts!

Jane

[JamieCatheryn]

Probably the nightshade plants' leaves got something on your hands that you rubbed your eye with. There are toxins in them. Tomatoes and peppers, that is. Oh and carrot greens have something to them that causes allergic reactions in some people too, worsened by light exposure.

[henny penny]

It could have been anything, really. Any plant with volatile oils can irritate your eyes or skin. I once got an instantaneous rash over my arms, neck and chest from carrying an armful of overgrown lovage to compost. Won't be growing that herb anymore!

[janey99]

Thanks for your suggestions! I rinsed with saline a bunch of times that night, and when I woke up the next morning my eye was all crusty, but once I cleaned it off it was fine.

Next time I will definitely wash my hands!

I've also noticed that my arms get itchy when I'm poking around my zucchini and other squashes, and the leaves brush on me.

I'm such a delicate flower . . .

Jane