I wear contact lenses daily. And I know for a fact I definitely don’t look after them as well as I should. I wear them past their sell by date, wash them with water instead of solution when I stay at friends and forget my solution, and I’ve definitely slept in them more times than I can count. Basically, I am the perfect example of the type of person that should not be allowed to wear contact lenses. Who’s with me?
That is until I read this story and felt so sick to my stomach I decided to change my life (three hours ago), and vowed to never abuse or miss wear my contact lenses ever again. And here’s why you should take note too.
59-year-old Andrew Carthew, a paramedic from Cornwall had to have his eye removed after washing his lenses with water. HIS EYE REMOVED. Andrew’s contacts were infected by a parasitic amoeba, which led to an eye infection called Acanthmoeba Keratitis – this attacks the eye’s cornea, leading to difficulty seeing, or blindness. Andrew’s infection became so severe that he was unable to do anything but lie in a darkened room with sunglasses on. The infection then got so bad doctors had to resort to surgey. Amoeba is normally found in samples of soil or bodies of water, and it is believed that Andrew contracted the infection when washing his lenses with tap water.
This happened because he washed his contact lenses with tap water. Let me repeat that: from washing it with tap water, that simple. I’ve done that multiple times, I bet you’ve done that multiple times. All I can think about right now is that I need to go and wash my contacts immediately with solution and all will be right with the world again.
Andrew has been able to go back to work after his surgery, but if there’s one thing we’re taking from this it’s that we need to be more careful with our eyes. No more sleeping, swimming or even showering in our contacts.
This guide is really great if you’re unsure about how to care for those lenses. Be careful, guys. Keep those peepers safe.
Like this? You might also be interested in…
Turns Out, Putting Coloured Contact Lenses On Your Eyeballs Isn’t Good For Them
Here’s A Cautionary Tale To Remind You To Take Your Contact Lenses Out Every Night
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.