Aa
Semen in eye, once and for all!
Hi Doctor,
I am a 24 year old gay male. About 4 weeks ago while having unprotected oral sex with a friend of unknown status (he says he is hiv negative but people can lie), he ejaculated onto my chest and face. No ejaculate entered my eye immediately however after a minute or two some did drip in and my eye began to sting. I wasn't concerned about it until I came across your reply to this topic in which you say this situation is high risk and recommend an immediate course of PEP:
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/HIV-Prevention/semen-in-eye/show/437767
However about a year later someone else asked you about a very similar semen in eye situation, in which you reply that the risk is so negligible that it should not even be of concern:
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/HIV-Prevention/Ejaculate-in-Eyes/show/1076713
My question is how could your answers to these two very similar situations be so opposite to one another? Was there new evidence that made you change your mind about the risk of this type of situation?
I've had no symptoms of any infection after my encounter and while I suspect that you will tell me not to worry about it, your first answer has made me extremely paranoid and worried to the point where I cannot focus on anything else until I take a test.
Thanks for your clarification Doctor.
I am a 24 year old gay male. About 4 weeks ago while having unprotected oral sex with a friend of unknown status (he says he is hiv negative but people can lie), he ejaculated onto my chest and face. No ejaculate entered my eye immediately however after a minute or two some did drip in and my eye began to sting. I wasn't concerned about it until I came across your reply to this topic in which you say this situation is high risk and recommend an immediate course of PEP:
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/HIV-Prevention/semen-in-eye/show/437767
However about a year later someone else asked you about a very similar semen in eye situation, in which you reply that the risk is so negligible that it should not even be of concern:
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/HIV-Prevention/Ejaculate-in-Eyes/show/1076713
My question is how could your answers to these two very similar situations be so opposite to one another? Was there new evidence that made you change your mind about the risk of this type of situation?
I've had no symptoms of any infection after my encounter and while I suspect that you will tell me not to worry about it, your first answer has made me extremely paranoid and worried to the point where I cannot focus on anything else until I take a test.
Thanks for your clarification Doctor.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Yes, in addition to lying, it is possible someone became infected since his or her last test. But this is statistically unlikely. As for the supposedly conflicting advice, we'll just have to agree to disagree. Take care.
Thank you for your reply. My concern is not that he is lying, it is that he may not accurately know his own status as I live in New York City which as you know has a high prevalence of HIV among msm. Thanks for responding to my specific encounter, but as sundus405 points out, I don't think it resolves any of the confusion arising from the Dr. Hook's conflicting replies.
I don't get how in the first thread, Dr. Hook suggested a likely 1/100 percent that HIV can come through the mucous membrane (eyes), but that was ruled out the moment it was known the partner is anonymous in the second thread.
Would you rule out testing for unprotected anal intercourse (1/100 chance) with a stranger with unknown status?
Nonetheless, I'm sure this is a minor misunderstanding or misinterpretation.
Would you rule out testing for unprotected anal intercourse (1/100 chance) with a stranger with unknown status?
Nonetheless, I'm sure this is a minor misunderstanding or misinterpretation.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
This discussion raises another important point -- one I have made many times on this forum, but not for a year or more.
While we recommend users look at the forum for questions similar to their own, and appreciate it when they do so, it can be overdone. It is often not helpful to search for multiple replies and certainly not helpful to look for discrepancies between our replies. In general, Dr. Hook's and my replies are specific to the question asked, and it may not be safe to assume that the identical response applies to all similar situations. In addition, depending on the apparent anxiety level of the question, we may take more or less assertive statements ("impossible you were infected" versus "infection is highly unlikely in this situation). While we hope users do not see very many major discrepancies from one reply to the next, or between Dr. Hook and myself, frightened or anxious users tend to be drawn to minor differences that in fact have no significance.
While we recommend users look at the forum for questions similar to their own, and appreciate it when they do so, it can be overdone. It is often not helpful to search for multiple replies and certainly not helpful to look for discrepancies between our replies. In general, Dr. Hook's and my replies are specific to the question asked, and it may not be safe to assume that the identical response applies to all similar situations. In addition, depending on the apparent anxiety level of the question, we may take more or less assertive statements ("impossible you were infected" versus "infection is highly unlikely in this situation). While we hope users do not see very many major discrepancies from one reply to the next, or between Dr. Hook and myself, frightened or anxious users tend to be drawn to minor differences that in fact have no significance.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum. Bottom line: There is no signficant risk of HIV from the exposure you describe.
There is no significant discrepancy between Dr. Hook's replies in the two links you provided. In the first instance, the exposure was to semen from a partner known to have HIV; in the second, the partner was not known to have HIV and probably did not. As for your own exposure, it is very unlikely your partner was infected. Yes, people can lie, but most do not; a person's confidence that s/he doesn't have HIV usually is quite reliable, especially if s/he has been tested fairly recently.
From a risk perspective this exposure does not warrant HIV testing. However, whenever a person is worried about an uncertain exposure, testing should usually be done. (In general, testing is rarely recommended after any individual exposure, unless especially high risk, e.g. a known infected partner or unprotected anal sex with an anonymous partner. Rather, annual testing, without concern about individual events, makes more sense.) In any case, your negative result -- which for sure is what you can expect -- probably will be more reassuring than anything I can say. .
Really, this even shouldn't be a big worry for you. The chance you were infected is zero for all practical purposes.
I hope this helps. Take care and stay safe-- HHH, MD
There is no significant discrepancy between Dr. Hook's replies in the two links you provided. In the first instance, the exposure was to semen from a partner known to have HIV; in the second, the partner was not known to have HIV and probably did not. As for your own exposure, it is very unlikely your partner was infected. Yes, people can lie, but most do not; a person's confidence that s/he doesn't have HIV usually is quite reliable, especially if s/he has been tested fairly recently.
From a risk perspective this exposure does not warrant HIV testing. However, whenever a person is worried about an uncertain exposure, testing should usually be done. (In general, testing is rarely recommended after any individual exposure, unless especially high risk, e.g. a known infected partner or unprotected anal sex with an anonymous partner. Rather, annual testing, without concern about individual events, makes more sense.) In any case, your negative result -- which for sure is what you can expect -- probably will be more reassuring than anything I can say. .
Really, this even shouldn't be a big worry for you. The chance you were infected is zero for all practical purposes.
I hope this helps. Take care and stay safe-- HHH, MD
You are reading content posted in the HIV - Prevention Forum
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
Can I get HIV from surfaces, like toilet seats?
Can you get HIV from casual contact, like hugging?
Frequency of HIV testing depends on your risk.
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) may help prevent HIV infection.
