A grandmother lost an eye after infecting it by wearing contact lenses while taking a shower.
Marie Mason, 54, from Sapcote, Leicestershire, developed an infection in her left eye after a microscopic amoeba, found in tap water, came between her contact lens and the cornea.
She first noticed something was wrong when she started feeling like something was constantly stuck in her eye in 2015.
After her vision deteriorated, she went to opticians who immediately sent her to the hospital.
Mason learned that she had a type of bacteria, Acanthamoeba Keratitis, living inside her eye, which was causing her problems.
Acanthamoeba keratitis is a rare infection caused by a free-living microscopic organism that can cause permanent visual impairment or blindness.
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Mason wore 30-day contact lenses, showering in them, and as the infection can be found in tap water, experts believe it could have infected his eye.
Over time, the infection multiplied, feasting on Mason’s cornea and causing his vision to deteriorate.
“I had to stop working because I had to put eye drops every half hour and it was so painful,” she says of the impact.
“I also had to go to the hospital two to three times a week, sometimes even more and would often end up hurting my eyes if I had a flare-up.
After five years of trying various drugs and following a series of unsuccessful operations including three corneal transplants, his eye had to be removed.
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Fortunately, Mason was able to adjust to the loss of sight in his left eye and two years later his life was almost back to normal.
She is now back as an administrative assistant, working for her husband Jonathan, 50, and volunteering with his church.
“My life is fine now, I haven’t gone back to work where I left, but I work and do a lot of volunteering,” she explains.
“My life is different, but it’s not necessarily a bad change.”
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Mason says the only thing she hasn’t gone back to is driving.
“I stopped driving quite early in the trip because I wasn’t comfortable with it,” she explains.
“And I don’t have the confidence to go back to that.”
She also says she sometimes struggles with simple, everyday tasks like walking down the street.
“When you have people walking by you, it makes you jump because you’re not expecting it,” she explains.
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Mason is now calling for better warnings on contact lens packaging about contamination risks, warning users not to wear lenses in the shower and to touch them after washing their hands.
“I don’t want anyone to think that I ask people not to wear contact lenses because I don’t ask at all,” she explains.
“I just wish manufacturers would put more warnings on the packaging about water and contact lenses.
“I just don’t want anyone else going through what I have,” she adds.
Why you should avoid showering with contact lenses
While it might be tempting for convenience, optician Tina Patel of Feel Good Contacts says wearing your contact lenses in the shower or while swimming or with wet hands can have sight-threatening implications.
“The reason why mixing contact lenses and water is so inadvisable is that it risks contracting Acanthamoeba keratitis if contaminated water comes into contact with the eye,” she explains.
Patel says certain things will increase the risk of Acanthamoeba keratitis
– wear contact lenses in the shower
– wear contact lenses while swimming
– use approved non-medical contact lens solutions
– store your lenses in water
– not washing and drying your hands thoroughly before handling contact lenses
– not effectively disinfecting your lenses and following an inadequate cleaning regimen.
In order to prevent Acanthamoeba keratitis, Patel recommends practicing good hygiene and an effective lens care routine when wearing contact lenses.
“It’s also important to listen carefully to your optician’s advice and always follow their instructions on wearing and caring for 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 to you by your optician and do not mix with other solutions
· Also note the different purposes of the different solutions. Saline solution, for example, is not suitable for disinfection and can only be used for rinsing and short-term storage
Use fresh solution each time you clean your lenses and contact lens case
Do not sleep with lenses unless they are extended wear lenses, prescribed by your optician
Never wet contact lenses with water or saliva
· Never use lenses that have been worn by someone else
Rub and rinse contact lenses gently after removing them, before putting them back in their case
Replace your lens case at least every three months and ideally every month
· 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 affecting the cornea. Although a rare infection, it is more common in contact lens wearers.
Patel says this can lead to serious complications for sufferers, leading to visual impairments or permanent vision loss. In severe cases, a corneal transplant may be necessary.
What are Acanthamoeba?
Acanthamoeba is a naturally occurring, free-living amoeba (single-celled organisms). Acanthamoeba lives in sources such as tap water, sewers, soil, swimming pools, hot tubs, and saunas.
“When we encounter Acanthamoeba, it usually doesn’t cause any harm; however, when the amoeba infects the cornea, it results in Acanthamoeba keratitis,” says Patel.
What are the symptoms of Acanthamoeba keratitis?
Acanthamoeba keratitis can be difficult to detect initially because the symptoms are very similar to other common eye infections and can often be misdiagnosed.
Some common symptoms include:
・Red eyes
Increased sensitivity to light
extreme eye pain
· Blurred vision
The constant sensation of something in the eye
Excessive tearing
A ring-shaped ulcer may also appear in later stages of the infection.
If you experience any of these symptoms, Patel advises that you remove your contact lenses and consult your optician immediately, who will advise you on what to do.
If your optician cannot be reached at this time, you should go to the nearest eye emergency service.
Is Acanthamoeba keratitis treatable?
Acanthamoeba is much more difficult to treat than other microbial infections. Antibiotics cannot treat Acanthamoeba.
“Procedures are mostly done by trial and error based on patient reaction,” says Patel. “For this reason, early diagnosis is extremely important.
“One method of treatment is to apply a high dose of topical antimicrobial agents to the area of the site of infection. Cysts can become very resistant to therapy, so a potent combination of substances is needed.”
Additional SWNS reports.
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