- A serious eye ulcer caused by ‘aggressive bacteria’ was discovered just in time
- 25-year-old almost lost her eye, but experts say a cornea transplant saved her sight
A woman almost lost her sight after what she dismissed as itchy contact lenses turned out to be an ulcer in her eye.
Steph Carrasco, 25, from Cardiff, thought her itchy eye was just an irritation from her regular contact lenses.
But after a visit to the optician to inspect her eye, the recruitment consultant discovered it was actually an ulcer caused by an ‘aggressive bacteria’.
The ulcer was so severe that she needed transplant surgery for a new cornea to save her eye.
Steph Carrasco, 25, from Cardiff thought her itchy eye was just an irritation from her regular contact lenses. ‘Terrified’ and ‘barely’ able to see, Steph Carrasco was sent straight to a specialist eye hospital
‘Terrified’ and ‘barely’ able to see, Ms Carrasco was sent straight to a specialist eye hospital.
She spent a week in hospital as medical staff tried to reduce the size of the ulcer, which meant administering 72 eye drops a day.
A corneal ulcer is an open sore on your cornea, the layer over the colored part of your eye.
Most ulcers are very serious and can cause permanent vision loss due to scarring, but they can usually be treated with antibiotic eye drops or antifungals, the NHS says.
However, Ms Carrasco’s stomach ulcer would not heal, leaving doctors with no choice but to perform a corneal transplant to save her sight.
Three weeks later her eyesight has improved and it is hoped it will fully return by October.
When her vision returns, she can return to work.
People who wear contact lenses are more likely to develop corneal ulcers. That risk is ten times greater if you wear them at night, the NHS says.
It can be caused by bacteria on the lenses or in the cleaning solution that can get under the lenses.
Scratches on the edge of lenses can also damage the cornea, making it susceptible to bacterial infections.
Ms Carrasco said: ‘I was told by the hospital medical staff that the bacteria in my eye was so intense that if I had left it any longer I would have lost my eye completely.’
She now feels “incredibly happy” and says the ordeal has taught her to “never take her vision for granted.”
Optometrist Jack Brenton, who works at Specsavers Cardiff Queen Street, said: ‘This was a very aggressive bacteria that needed immediate treatment, so I’m glad we got her to hospital immediately so the infection didn’t progress.
‘During National Eye Health Week, we’re reminding everyone how important it is to have a vision test at least every two years – and to seek immediate advice from an optometrist if you have any concerns about your eyes or vision.
‘Thankfully, Steph is already on the road to recovery and we hope her vision will be back to normal within a month, but her story is a great example of why a prompt medical assessment is so crucial.’