Rachel Prochnow, a lifestyle writer from Austin, Texas, experienced a life-changing event last year when a seemingly harmless mistake with her contact lenses led to severe consequences.
It all started with a common practice: Rachel showered with her contact lenses still in. At first, she felt just a bit of irritation in her right eye, but things quickly escalated.
“The pain was so intense, it made childbirth seem like a walk in the park,” she recounted. Within two weeks, while she was 34 weeks pregnant, Rachel lost all vision in that eye.
Doctors discovered that a parasite from the water had invaded her eye during the shower, damaging the delicate tissues.
Despite being meticulous with her eye care—removing her contacts at night, cleaning them properly, and regularly replacing the cases—Rachel was unaware that showering, swimming, or using hot tubs with contacts in could lead to such a severe infection.
Rachel was diagnosed with acanthamoeba keratitis, a serious infection caused by a single-celled organism found in various environments like lakes, oceans, and tap water.
According to the CDC, about 1,500 Americans are affected each year, with 90 percent of those cases involving contact lens wearers.
The infection damages the cornea, which can lead to severe symptoms including pain, redness, and blurred vision, potentially resulting in blindness if not treated promptly.
Treatment Challenges
Rachel’s battle included several misdiagnoses from five different doctors before she found specialists who could help.
She underwent a corneal scraping procedure to remove the parasites, followed by a grueling regimen of eye drops every 30 minutes for three months, with additional support from her family.
She also had to take strong medications similar to those used in cancer treatment and undergo regular blood tests to monitor her liver function.
A Ray of Hope
After a year and 82 doctor visits, Rachel had a corneal transplant from a deceased donor. The surgery was successful, and while her vision isn’t perfect, she can now see and read the largest letters on a vision chart with the help of glasses.
She’s focusing on raising awareness about the risks of contact lens use and caring for her one-year-old son, Lachlan, born in July 2023.
Important Tips for Contact Lens Users
To avoid infections like the one Rachel suffered from, it’s crucial to remove your contacts before showering, avoid swimming with them in, never use tap water to clean your lenses or cases, and limit the time you wear them.
Rachel’s story has garnered widespread attention on Instagram, with her post receiving over 742,000 likes as she continues to share her experience and educate others.