It’s news that is sure to send contact lens wearers into a squinting, squirming frenzy.
The discovery of TWENTY SEVEN individual contact lens, merrily camping out in the eye of a 67 year old UK woman has left Ophthalmologists (and anyone who has ever worn lenses) in shock.
In a short write up, published in the British Medical Journal, Ophthalmologists Rupal Morjaria and Amit Patel shared their eye-watering findings. The pair, along with consultant anaesthesiologist Richard Crombie, were prepping the woman for surgery when they made the eye-popping discovery.
The lens were stacked on top of each other and bound together by mucus. Doctors uncovered them while preparing for cataract surgery. A surgery which they immediately postponed due to the heightened risk of bacteria residing in the eye.
The contact lens smuggler, who’d been wearing monthly lens for 35 years, reported that she’d experienced some ‘mild discomfort’ in her eyes, but nothing to hint at the fact that she was carrying around 2 and a bit years worth of flexible plastic in her eye.
While ‘losing a lens’ or getting one stuck under the upper eyelid isn’t unusual, finding more than one is ‘exceedingly rare’, according to Association of Optometrists clinical and regulatory officer Henry Leonard. “Most patients would experience significant discomfort and redness, and be at risk of eye infections,” he added.
The patient, unsurprisingly, noticed a significant increase in her comfort levels once the mass was removed (funny that!).
The moral of the story?
Keep an eye on your lenses. It’s increasingly easy to buy your monthly prescription online and go on your merry way. Experts warn however that being lax with your eye care can end up with dire consequences. Make sure you have regular optical health check ups to ensure that all is a-ok with your retinas. And for the love of God, remove your lenses each night and store them properly!
