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Man Develops Parasitic Infection in Right Eye After Showering in Contacts, Loses Sight

July 12, 2019, 3:38 PM EDT / Source: TODAY
By Meghan Holohan

For a week Nick Humphreys’ right eye felt dry and irritated. He tried treating it with over-the-counter eye drops and muting the brightness on his devices. Still, his pain increased. He finally visited a local hospital and learned that he had a parasitic infection, Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK), which he likely developed after showering while wearing his contact lenses. He lost vision in his right eye and in August he will undergo a cornea transplant to restore his sight.

“If I’d had the slightest idea that this was even a remote possibility I would never have worn contacts in the first place. It’s crucial that people out there know this is a reality and can happen because of something as simple as showering,” Humphreys, 29, of Shropshire, England shared in an article he wrote for the Shropshire Star.

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