Sexually Transmitted Infection

[Doolallygirl]

I heard you can catch syphillis in your eye, is this true?

[thewillow]

Yes, it can cause eye disease.

[Hippy]

Syphillis is a truly nasty disease, and until the development of antibiotics (Penicillin, Streptomycin etc) in the 1930s Syphillis was almost as much a scourge as AIDS is today.

See here for more about antibiotics.

[Doolallygirl]

Oh I haven't got it by the way, I was just told you could and wondered. How would you go about getting it though? Can it be passed from semen-hand-eye contact?

[kalise25]

I'd have to check my ophthalmological tomes to be sure, but I think that things like chlamydia, gonohorroea, and syphillis in the eye are usually passed through the birth canal; or are ocular manifestations of the systemic disease. But don't quote me 'til I check!! And yes, they are wildly nasty things. Apparently syphillis is having a major resurgence at the moment - haven't people heard of condoms? Or going to the doctor?