In a shocking incident, a woman has lost vision after she went swimming with her contact lenses on. The 23-year-old woman who hails from Texas, United States reportedly developed a rare parasite infection.
The woman was visiting Alabama with her friends in August when she contracted the parasite acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) – an amoeba that can damage the cornea and cause vision loss.
“This infection mimics other common infections so at the time I was put on steroids and a handful of other drops,” she explained on a GoFundMe page created to help her pay her medical bills.
She also said that the delay in diagnosing the rare infection caused it to worsen. “I was in the most pain I’ve ever experienced and eventually went fully blind in my right eye,” she said as quoted by media outlets.
The 23-year-old said she was seeing an eye doctor every two days and was referred to different eye specialists as she sought an answer for the pain and vision loss. When she got her results back, it was confirmed that she had the rare infection. Reportedly, could possibly go permanently blind or lose her eye if she didn’t start treatment immediately.
“Because this infection is so rare, the drops that are used for treatment are only made in the UK. Luckily, the doctor’s office in Dallas had a couple of samples so I could start treatment as soon as possible,” she said.
She needs to put drops in her eyes every 30 minutes because “it is such a slow healing process”. “I’m thankful that we know exactly what it is and I’m able to start the correct treatment,” she said. “If I would have known that from not swimming in my contacts I could’ve avoided all of this pain, I would have never done it.”
What is acanthamoeba keratitis (AK)?
Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is a rare but often misdiagnosed corneal infection, a 2023 study by StatPearls journal revealed. According to the study, it primarily affecting contact lens wearers and occasionally resulting from corneal trauma in non–contact lens users.
This infection is caused by the Acanthamoeba genus, a globally widespread unicellular protozoan parasite. “In the past 2 decades, there has been a continuous increase in contact lens users coupled with inadequate hygienic practices, elevated risk factors, and improper handling methods, which have led to increased risk of microbial keratitis, especially bacterial keratitis and AK,” the study found.
What are the symptoms?
According to Cleveland Clinic, symptoms include:
- Eye pain (sometimes severe).
- Feeling like something’s stuck in your eye (foreign body sensation), but washing your eyes doesn‘t help, and you can‘t see anything stuck there.
- Watery eye (epiphora).
- Light sensitivity (photophobia).
- Eye redness or irritation.
- Corneas that appear cloudy, dirty or that have a ring-shaped area on their surface.
- Blurred or clouded vision (usually happens with severe or advanced cases).
What causes acanthamoeba keratitis?
The most common ways for acanthamoeba to infect your eyes are:
- Contact lenses.
- Contaminated water.
- Eye injuries.
How acanthamoeba keratitis is treated?
The infection is usually treated by medications and surgery. The approach depends on the severity of the case.
How to prevent acanthamoeba keratitis?
According to Cleveland Clinic, some of the steps that you can take include:
- Wear contact lenses as instructed
- Store your contacts properly
- Clean your contacts and the case you store them in
- Throw contacts away if you get an eye infection and replace the case
- Avoid getting water directly in your eyes
- Take precautions if you’re at higher risk for AK infection
- Use eye protection to avoid injuries