Teenager Nearly Goes Blind After Eye-Eating Parasite Grows on Her Contact Lens

[octoberlib]

After experiencing a throbbing pain and noticing redness in her right eye, Ashley Hyde, an 18-year-old high school senior, went to several doctors. None of them could figure out the problem.
"They did multiple cultures where they scrape your eye," Hyde told Local 10 in Florida. "One time, they had to drill into my eye. It was really nasty."

Eventually her doctors identified the infection as acanthamoeba, a microscopic parasite found in water that, if left untreated, would have eaten through Hyde's cornea. The doctor's blamed the infection on dirty contact lenses.
One of the doctors who spoke to Local 10 recommended tossing disposable contacts after each use.

"Every day, we see people come in with contact lens related to infections, complications, ulcers," said Dr. Adam Clarin, an optometric physician. "There are all things that are potentially blinding."
Clarin recommends patients use disposable contacts for daily use.
"There is nothing safer or healthier than throwing out the lens every day and starting with a new one the next day," added Clarin.

As for Hyde, she now has months of treatment ahead of her. Her advice? Change your damn contacts.

http://gawker.com/5992675/teenager-nearly-goes-blind-after-eye+eating-parasite-grows-on-her-contact-lens

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Just the phrase "eye-eating parasite" was enough to make me

figuratively run screaming from my computer.

[octoberlib]

2. Me too. I know more than a few people who re-use their disposable contacts.

When I posted this on FB they started freaking out.

[backscatter712]

4. Ye flippin gods! This makes me so glad I don't use contacts!

I have visions of miniature alien xenomorph chestbursters popping out of my eyeballs!

[Aerows]

3. Oh nice

I've known about Acanthameoids. But thank you so much for reminding me of these hideous things so I can now sit here in fear of encountering them.

I'm damn near blind without correction - I mean seriously near-sighted to the point where I can't determine a face from 3 feet. Ugh. With my lenses, though, I see just fine.

[pink-o]

5. Throwing away your contacts daily costs $60. A month!

Every three days of use reduces the amount to 20. Most of us wear our contacts beyond the limit because of the cost.

If you buy a fresh lens case every month, and soak lens in sterile fluid overnight, AND you wash you hands every time you handle them, you should be all right. Just don't wear the same pair more than 3 days

[Starry Messenger]

6. That is one of the many reasons I wear glasses.

Shudder.

[Phentex]

7. My niece had this and she did not wear contacts...

Supposedly from swimming. It can get into your brain and be deadly. It was very scary and she spent a week in the hospital.

I know it's supposed to be very rare but i keep hearing about other cases.