According to the Huffington Post, a man named Chad Groeschen of Cincinnati, Ohio, is sharing his experience as a w-a-r-n-i-n-g after sleeping with his contact lenses in caused him to go blind in his left eye.
Chad Groeschen, 39, was wearing contact lenses that claimed they are safe for overnight wear, according to a news report by ABC Channel 9 On Your Side.
On a Friday afternoon in August, Groeschen said his left eye began to itch, but he attributed the itch to allergies.
According to the Huffington Post, by the next morning his eye was “goopy” and by Sunday morning his vision began to get worse.
Following a friend’s recommendation, Groeschen scheduled an appointment with the Cincinnati Eye Institute. At that time, a doctor told him that he had contracted a Pseudomonas bacterial infection. Doctors told him that the bacteria built up under the lens and spread to his eye, the Huffington Post reported.
While the infection is curable, Groeschen developed a corneal ulcer which left behind scar tissue. This scar tissue caused him to lose the vision in his left eye.
Groeschen told Channel 9: “For about three weeks it was almost like an 8-inch nail being driven into … my eye. The pain was pretty severe and debilitating. … It’s scary how quickly something like this can happen,”
According to Groeschen, he could get his vision back but it may require a cornea transplant and a year of recovery.
The result of a study by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed 99 percent of individuals who responded to a survey about contacts usage said they routinely participate in one or more “risky behaviors” including wearing contacts longer than recommended, wearing lenses while sleeping and not cleaning out their cases properly.
The CDC suggests contact users do the following to reduce their risk of infection:
— Wash and dry hands before touching lenses.
— Remove contacts before sleeping, swimming or showering.
— Rub and rinse contact lenses each time they are removed.
— Replace cases every three months.
