A mother from Texas lost sight in one eye due to a grave mistake she made with her contact lenses.
A lifestyle blogger based in Austin, Texas, Rachel Prochnow did something she had done numerous times before last year: she showered without removing the lenses.
A little irritant in her right eye soon became a much more severe problem. Blindness on that side set in within two weeks.
Her eye was damaged when a parasite that lives in the water got under the lens, perhaps while she was washing, and burrowed into the sensitive tissue, according to the doctors.
Acanthamoeba keratitis was the final diagnosis by the doctors.
The CDC reports that the acanthamoeba parasite—a single-celled organism—is present in several environments, including lakes, seas, tap water, soil, and air, and that it is responsible for causing the ailment.
According to The Cleveland Clinic, approximately 1,500 Americans contract it annually. Nearly all of those cases involve people who use contact lenses.
Contact lenses can rip tiny holes in this protective layer, allowing the Acanthamoeba parasite to invade. Parasites can cause redness, impaired vision, watery eyes, discomfort, and light sensitivity if they manage to penetrate the cornea and reproduce. This can cause blindness in the long run.
Eyedrops are a simple treatment for the illness if doctors diagnose it early enough.
Around 40% of cases require surgery to remove the parasites from the exterior of the eye and then restore the region by transplant.
Prochnow went to experts and had her cornea scraped after five separate physicians initially gave her the wrong diagnosis.
She had cornea transplant surgery a year and eighty-two medical visits after her original diagnosis.
The operation was successful.
Prior to the operation, her visual acuity was severely limited; now, she is able to see the largest letters on a vision chart. Her vision is far from ideal, but she wears corrective lenses, which give her more than adequate vision.
To reduce your risk of contracting this illness, take out your contacts before going in the shower, don’t swim with them in, never use tap water to clean your case or your contacts, and don’t wear them for longer than is absolutely required.
