Showering with contact lenses is believed to have caused a woman to lose her eye

A grandmother has lost an eye after it contracted contact lenses while showering.

Marie Mason, 54, from Sapcote, Leicestershire, developed an infection in her left eye after a microscopic amoeba present in tap water got between her contact lens and her cornea.

She first realized something was wrong when it felt like something was constantly stuck in her eye in 2015.

After her eyesight deteriorated, she went to the optometrist, who immediately admitted her to the hospital.

Mason was told that she had a type of bacteria, Acanthamoeba keratitis, living in her eye, which was causing her problems.

Acanthamoeba keratitis is a rare infection caused by a microscopic, free-living organism that can lead to permanent visual impairment or blindness.

Continue reading: What is the “20-20-20 rule” and can it protect your eyesight?

Mason wore 30-day contact lenses while showering, and since the infection can be found in tap water, experts believe this may have led to her eye becoming infected.

Over time, the infection multiplied, eating away at Mason’s cornea and causing her vision to deteriorate.

“I had to stop work because I had to put eye drops in every half hour and it was so painful,” she explains of the impact.

“Also, I had to be in the hospital two to three times a week, sometimes more often, and often ended up with eye damage when I flared up.

After five years of trying different drugs and a series of unsuccessful surgeries, including three corneal transplants, her eye had to be removed.

Continue reading: Eye Health: Sleeping in makeup and other bad habits that can cause harm

Thankfully, Mason was able to adjust to losing her left eye, and two years later her life is almost back to normal.

She is now back as an administrative assistant, working for her husband Jonathan, 50, and volunteering at their church.

“My life is fine now, I haven’t gone back to where I left off, but I work and do a lot of volunteer work,” she explains.

The story goes on

“My life is different, but it’s not necessarily a bad change.”

Watch: Reusable contact lenses ‘more than triple the risk’ of rare eye infections

Mason says the one thing she hasn’t returned to is driving.

“I stopped riding pretty early on in the trip because I wasn’t comfortable with it,” she explains.

“And I don’t have the confidence to go back to it.”

She also says she sometimes struggles with simple, everyday tasks like walking the streets.

“When people rush past you, you jump because you don’t expect it,” she explains.

Continue reading: How a woman’s routine eye test led to an urgent hospitalization

Mason is now calling for better warnings on contact lens packages about contamination risks, warning users not to wear contact lenses in the shower and not to touch them after washing their hands.

“I don’t want anyone to think that I’m asking people not to wear contact lenses because I don’t require them at all,” she explains.

“I just wish manufacturers would put more warnings about water and contact lenses on the packaging.

“I just don’t want anyone else to go through what I have,” she adds.

Why you shouldn’t shower with contact lenses

While it may be tempting for convenience, optometrist Tina Patel at Feel Good Contacts says wearing your contact lenses in the shower or while swimming, or with wet hands, can have harmful effects on your vision.

“The reason mixing contact lenses and water is such a taboo is that it risks contracting acanthamoeba keratitis if contaminated water comes into contact with the eye,” she explains.

Patel says there are a few things that increase the risk of Acanthamoeba keratitis

– Wearing contact lenses while showering

– Wearing contact lenses while swimming

– Use of non-medically approved contact lens solutions

– Storing your lenses in water

– Failure to wash and dry your hands thoroughly before handling contact lenses

– Not effectively disinfecting your contact lenses and following an inadequate cleaning regimen.

To prevent Acanthamoeba keratitis, Patel recommends good hygiene and effective lens care when wearing contact lenses.

“It’s also important to listen carefully to your optometrist’s advice and always follow their instructions on wearing and caring for contact lenses,” she adds.

To avoid infection with soft contact lenses

· Wash your hands thoroughly with mild soap and water. Dry your hands thoroughly with a lint-free towel before handling contact lenses

· Use only the lens care system recommended by your optician and do not mix with other solutions

· Also note the different purposes for different solutions. For example, saline is not suitable for disinfection and can only be used for rinsing and short-term storage

· Use fresh solution each time you clean your contact lenses and contact lens cases

· Do not sleep with lenses unless they are long-term lenses prescribed by your optometrist

· Never wet contact lenses with water or saliva

· Never use lenses worn by someone else

· Gently rub and rinse contact lenses after removing them before placing them back in their case

· Replace your contact lens case at least every three months and ideally monthly

· Do not swim with contact lenses

· Remember the 3 S’s – don’t swim, sleep or shower with your contact lenses on

What is Acanthamoeba keratitis?

Acanthamoeba keratitis is a very painful and serious eye condition that affects the cornea. Although it is a rare infection, it is more common in contact lens wearers.

Patel says it can have serious complications for those affected, resulting in blurred vision or permanent vision loss. In severe cases, a corneal transplant may be necessary.

What are Acanthamoeba?

Acanthamoeba are naturally occurring, free-living amoebae (unicellular). Acanthamoebas live in sources such as tap water, sewage systems, soil, swimming pools, hot tubs and saunas.

“When we encounter acanthamoeba, it generally doesn’t do any harm; however, when amoebae infect the cornea, it leads to acanthamoeba keratitis,” explains Patel.

What are the symptoms of Acanthamoeba keratitis?

Acanthamoeba keratitis can be difficult to recognize initially because the symptoms are very similar to other common eye infections and can often be misdiagnosed.

Some common symptoms are:

· Red eyes

· Increased sensitivity to light

· Extreme eye pain

· Blurred vision

· The constant feeling of something in the eye

· Excessive tearing

A ring-shaped ulcer can also occur in later phases of the infection.

If you experience any of these symptoms, Patel recommends removing your contact lenses and seeing your optometrist immediately who will advise you on how to proceed.

If your optician is not available at this time, you must contact the nearest eye clinic.

Is Acanthamoeba Keratitis Treatable?

Acanthamoeba are much more difficult to treat than other microbial infections. Antibiotics cannot treat acanthamoeba.

“Procedures tend to be trial and error based on what the patient is responding to,” explains Patel. “For this reason, early diagnosis is incredibly important.

“One treatment method is a high dose of topical antimicrobial agents in the area of ​​infection. Cysts can become very resistant to therapy, so an effective combination of agents is required.”

Additional reporting SWNS.