# How is it possible to blind yourself with contact lenses? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 11, 2013, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096 "2013-05-11T18:32:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![CatherineZeta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@CatherineZeta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatherineZeta)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/41 "2013-05-12T18:26:14Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Ahhh, > > The ole let me now include a bunch of details that don’t make me look like a jerk gambit. > > We’ve all done it. > > Except me 🙂 I’m glad you don’t **Bill**! Anyway, I don’t care if it makes me look like a jerk to fire him. Bottom line is I had reason to believe he was lying because he overslept. I fired him solely based on that. The information that I found out later was irrelevant but if he’s like that odds are he would have gotten fired for something anyway. One of my other managers fired someone while he was in the hospital. I thought, “Wow, what an asshole.” I then asked her for more details when this individual came to me asking to be re-hired. I then found out that there was way more to the story. I concluded that it was sufficient reason to not re-hire him. I didn’t think that she was just trying to make herself not look like a jerk. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/42 "2013-05-12T18:54:54Z")
> [@CatherineZeta](#): > > He was not able to produce documentation and hung up on me during the discussion. My decision to fire him was based on his attitude. Some people do shut down and if he were to explain later I would re-consider. Fair enough. It’s your decision to make and we sitting here at our keyboards aren’t privacy to every nuance and detail. ---
**Author:** ![CatherineZeta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@CatherineZeta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatherineZeta)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/43 "2013-05-12T18:57:42Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Fair enough. It’s your decision to make and we sitting here at our keyboards aren’t privacy to every nuance and detail. Thank you **Broomstick** \*\*\*\* and I do appreciate the explanation of how what this guy said happened could possibly have occurred and alternate reasons for why someone may behave that way. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/44 "2013-05-12T19:02:39Z")
nevermind ---
**Author:** ![CatherineZeta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@CatherineZeta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatherineZeta)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/45 "2013-05-12T19:05:13Z")
I saw you’ve deleted your post, **Lamia** \*\*\*\*, but I fired him after I started the thread (for anyone else wondering). I also wanted to know about blinding yourself with contacts overnight being plausible, not specifically whether or not I should fire him. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/46 "2013-05-12T19:17:18Z")
Keep digging that hole. Jeezus. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/47 "2013-05-12T19:27:29Z")
It’s plausible. Next- firing some dude for calling in sick? Or giving him the Question? Of course he had an attitude. He called in sick. That’s it. If he has sick leave, pay him, if not then he does;t get paid. One time is never an excuse to fire someone. Now he’s going to be able to collect unemployment, which may cost you. ---
**Author:** ![CatherineZeta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@CatherineZeta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatherineZeta)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/48 "2013-05-12T19:28:30Z")
We’ll agree to disagree then, **bill** \*\*\*\*. If I suspect an employee is lying to get out of work and they hang up when asked about things including documentation then that indicates to me that they probably were lying. If I then find out more information after the fact then yes, that supports my decision to fire him. ---
**Author:** ![R3d\_Anonymous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aeb1de/32.png) [@R3d\_Anonymous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R3d_Anonymous)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/49 "2013-05-12T19:33:21Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Next- firing some dude for calling in sick? Or giving him the Question? Of course he had an attitude. He called in sick. That’s it. If he has sick leave, pay him, if not then he does;t get paid. One time is never an excuse to fire someone. Agreed. That’s what I thought. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/50 "2013-05-12T19:34:59Z")
> [@CatherineZeta](#): > > I saw you’ve deleted your post, **Lamia** \*\*\*\*, but I fired him after I started the thread (for anyone else wondering). > > I also wanted to know about blinding yourself with contacts overnight being plausible, not specifically whether or not I should fire him. Well then I’ll say again (and not delete this time) that it would have been nice to know upfront that you were determined to fire this guy either way and were just wondering whether wearing contacts overnight could really be so dangerous. Your OP suggested that you would not fire him if his story was actually something that was possible: > [@CatherineZeta](#): > > This is this guy’s first week so I’m considering firing him since his story doesn’t sound too likely, not to mention he had an attitude when I asked him what the deal was. I don’t want to be a compete insensitive ass though in case there is some way this can happen that I’m not aware of. I would have appreciated knowing from the beginning that our answers would not have any influence on your decision. ---
**Author:** ![CatherineZeta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@CatherineZeta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatherineZeta)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/51 "2013-05-12T19:37:50Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > It’s plausible. > > Next- firing some dude for calling in sick? Or giving him the Question? Of course he had an attitude. He called in sick. That’s it. If he has sick leave, pay him, if not then he does;t get paid. One time is never an excuse to fire someone. > > Now he’s going to be able to collect unemployment, which may cost you. He wasn’t fired for calling in sick. He was fired for having an incredible attitude about it and it seemed likely he was lying. One time is an excuse for firing someone within reason and this was a reason. There was reason to believe he had overslept and was making something up to avoid getting in trouble. We are very accommodating of time off and so far we’ve never had anyone hang up or get angry, and if they did, there would probably be at least some sort of explanation. I don’t know if he’d bother filing for unemployment (based on other things) and I don’t know if he’d be eligible anyway based on length of employment and whether or not he’d be able to show that he’d actually been sick. ---
**Author:** ![CatherineZeta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@CatherineZeta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatherineZeta)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/52 "2013-05-12T19:43:26Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > Well then I’ll say again (and not delete this time) that it would have been nice to know upfront that you were determined to fire this guy either way and were just wondering whether wearing contacts overnight could really be so dangerous. Your OP suggested that you would not fire him if his story was actually something that was possible: > > I would have appreciated knowing from the beginning that our answers would not have any influence on your decision. I fired him based on his attitude after I started the thread. I started this because I wanted to know if it sounded plausible, however outside of this thread events occurred that led me to believe he was lying. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/53 "2013-05-12T20:48:45Z")
I don’t see anything unusual about Catherine’s reaction here. This employee had a chance to explain but hung up the phone. Presumably if this guy comes in with some kind of reasonable explanation or proof of treatment from the emergency room she would reconsider. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/54 "2013-05-12T21:32:46Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > I would have appreciated knowing from the beginning that our answers would not have any influence on your decision. I doubt you are the only one in that regard. At least we all know about one more “manager” that we wouldn’t care to work for unless our life (sight) depended on it. ---
**Author:** ![CatherineZeta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@CatherineZeta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatherineZeta)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/55 "2013-05-12T21:37:01Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > I don’t see anything unusual about Catherine’s reaction here. This employee had a chance to explain but hung up the phone. Presumably if this guy comes in with some kind of reasonable explanation or proof of treatment from the emergency room she would reconsider. Thank you. That is indeed the case. ---
**Author:** ![CatherineZeta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@CatherineZeta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatherineZeta)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/56 "2013-05-12T21:42:34Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > I doubt you are the only one in that regard. > > At least we all know about one more “manager” that we wouldn’t care to work for unless our life (sight) depended on it. I would not want someone who thinks it’s acceptable to hang up the phone in response to a simple inquiry to work for me. If one acts as if they are lying and refuses to furnish proof that they are not lying then odds are they are lying. All a doctor’s note has to say is, “so and so was here,” nothing about the reason for the visit. He was unable to provide that and hung up the phone. It may not have been clear, but I fired him after starting the thread. I was asking if his reason for not wanting to come in sounded plausible. I initially received responses that it was _not_\*\* very likely although could have in fact happened. Him hanging up on me happened after I started the thread and I called to follow up. It’s easy to say on a message board that I’m so incredibly mean, but as **Broomstick** \*\*\*\* pointed out there are real life nuances that aren’t clear when we’re discussing this on a forum. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/57 "2013-05-12T22:05:18Z")
Not that I’d expect a mean person who is also a bad manager to be receptive to constructive criticism… but, if multiple people are telling you you’re mean and a bad manager, maybe it’s not because we don’t have enough information. Maybe it’s because you’re actually mean and a bad manager. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/58 "2013-05-12T22:08:00Z")
I lol’ed I hope I’d don’t get fired too. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/59 "2013-05-12T22:16:34Z")
People are acting like this guy had three days till retirement and the OP flushed his 401k. He was a brand-new food service employee and gave his manager attitude instead of an excuse. If he is blind, I’m sure he has better things to worry about than keeping a job with no health benefits or accrued time saved up. He’s moved on, so should the OP. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096/60 "2013-05-12T22:51:12Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > I don’t see anything unusual about Catherine’s reaction here. This employee had a chance to explain but hung up the phone. Presumably if this guy comes in with some kind of reasonable explanation or proof of treatment from the emergency room she would reconsider. Ok, but honestly, if I had a really scary emergency like that, and a Manager who is obviously not a “people person” had started grilling me and doubting me like that, I’d have hung up also. Before I said something really bad. My Contacts scratched my Cornea years ago. I went to the ER, and it was really scary. They as much as told me that due to the infection, if I had not come in, I would have lost sight in that eye. I was rather freaked. It would have been exactly the wrong time for my boss to start questioning me in a doubting manner. > **[Corneal abrasion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corneal_abrasion)** > > Corneal abrasion is a scratch to the surface of the cornea of the eye. Symptoms include pain, redness, light sensitivity, and a feeling like a foreign body is in the eye. Most people recover completely within three days. > Most cases are due to minor trauma to the eye such as that which can occur with contact lens use or from fingernails. About 25% of cases occur at work. Diagnosis is often by slit lamp examination after fluorescein dye has been applied. More significant injuries like a corneal ul... \*Injuries can also be incurred by “hard” or “soft” contact lenses that have been left in too long. Damage may result when the lenses are removed, rather than when the lens is still in contact with the eye. In addition, if the cornea becomes excessively dry, it may become more brittle and easily damaged by movement across the surface. Soft contact lens wear overnight has been extensively linked to gram negative keratitis (infection of the cornea) particularly by a bacterium known as Pseudomonas Aeruginosa which forms in the eye’s biofilm as a result of extended soft contact lens wear. When a corneal abrasion occurs either from the contact lens itself or another source, the injured cornea is much more susceptible to this type of bacterial infection than a non-contact lens user’s would be. This is an optical emergency as it is sight (in some cases eye) threatening. Contact lens wearers who present with corneal abrasions should never be pressure patched because it has been shown through clinical studies that patching creates a warm, moist dark environment that can cause the cornea to become infected or cause an existing infection to be greatly accelerated on its destructive path. \* Very real and very scary. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-possible-to-blind-yourself-with-contact-lenses/658096.md?page=4)