A young woman aged 19 is facing the alarming prospect of losing her eyesight due to a rare parasite that invaded her eye after she showered with contact lenses on. Grace Jamison, who recently recounted her ordeal on social media, received a diagnosis of acanthamoeba keratitis in August. This condition is triggered by tiny amoebas that lodge themselves in the cornea and are commonly found in water sources like lakes, wells, shower water, as well as in dust and dirt.
Although anyone can contract this infection, individuals who wear contact lenses face a higher risk if they do not adhere to proper hygiene practices. Grace shared in a viral TikTok video that during her stay in the Dominican Republic, she showered with her contact lenses, unknowingly exposing herself to the contaminated water containing acanthamoeba.
The treatment for this infection is rigorous and painful. Grace now needs to apply medicated eye drops every thirty minutes to an hour, some of which include pool disinfectant and other chemicals to eliminate the parasite. The treatment process is anticipated to last between six months to a year, with additional interventions necessary to address the scarring and damage caused by the parasite.
Describing the symptoms of acanthamoeba as severe, Grace highlighted the excruciating eye and head pain, along with potential blindness and vision cloudiness. Despite the hardships, Grace is using her experience to advocate for contact lens safety and raise awareness. She emphasized the importance of simple precautions like washing hands before handling contacts, regularly changing contact lens solution, avoiding sleeping or swimming with lenses, and refraining from showering with them.
Grace’s motive for sharing her story is to emphasize how easily vision can be compromised and to remind people, including herself, to appreciate the gift of sight.