A 19-year-old is facing the frightening prospect of losing her eyesight due to a rare parasite that invaded her eye while she was showering with contact lenses on.
Grace Jamison, who recounted her ordeal on social media, received a diagnosis of acanthamoeba keratitis in August. This condition is caused by tiny amoebas that burrow into the cornea and are commonly found in water sources like lakes, wells, shower water, as well as dust and dirt.
Although anyone can contract this infection, contact lens wearers are especially vulnerable if proper hygiene practices are not observed.
In a TikTok video viewed by over six million people, Grace shared that she wore her contacts while showering in the Dominican Republic, where the water was contaminated with acanthamoeba. She cautioned that the infection can also be acquired through swimming or sleeping with lenses on.
The treatment for acanthamoeba keratitis is rigorous and painful. Grace now has to administer medicated eye drops every thirty minutes to an hour, some of which contain pool disinfectant and other chemicals to eliminate the parasite.
The recovery process is anticipated to last between six months to a year, with additional treatments necessary to address the existing scarring and damage caused by the parasite.
Describing the symptoms as severe, Grace highlighted the excruciating eye and head pain, potential blindness, and vision cloudiness associated with acanthamoeba infection, making it extremely challenging to cope with.
Despite the difficulties, Grace is using her story to raise awareness about contact lens safety, emphasizing the importance of simple precautions such as washing hands before handling contacts, regularly changing solution, avoiding sleeping or swimming with lenses, and refraining from showering with them.
By sharing her experience, Grace hopes to emphasize how easily vision can be compromised and to remind people of the value and wonder of being able to see clearly.