Lian Kao, a Taiwanese student, has gone blind after she kept her contacts in for six months without changing or cleaning them, allowing amoeba to destroy her eyes.

Woman Wears Contacts For Six Months Straight

Kao, 23, wore disposable contacts for six months without cleaning them or replacing them, creating a breeding ground for amoeba in between the contact lenses and her eyeballs.

“A shortage of oxygen can destroy the surface of the epithelial tissue, creating tiny wounds into which the bacteria can easily infect, spreading to the rest of the eye and providing a perfect breeding ground,” said Wu Jiang-liang, director of ophthalmology at Taipei’s Wan Fang Hospital.

The doctor cautioned other contact-users to be sure to use them properly, making sure to remove them, replace them and/or clean them as instructed.

Amoeba Ate Through Cornea

The amoeba reportedly damaged her cornea, essentially eating through her eyeball and blinding her. She has been diagnosed with acanthamoeba keratitis, a condition that is extremely dangerous because it can take up to several years before causing any physical pain or vision problems.

Doctors believe that Kao’s story should be used as an extreme example of the dangers of putting pressure on students, who can become so consumed with work that they forget basic hygiene.

In 2013, a Florida teen almost lost her vision due to an acanthamoeba infection after wearing dirty contact lenses, and doctors recommended that users should consider wearing disposable daily contacts.

“There is nothing safer or healthier than throwing out the lens every day and starting with a new one the next day,” said Florida optometric physician Dr. Adam Clarin.

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