A 23-year-old woman from the United States lost vision in one eye due to a rare parasitic infection she contracted after swimming while wearing contact lenses. Brooklyn McCasland, who was on a trip to Alabama with friends in August, became infected with acanthamoeba keratitis (AK), a parasitic amoeba that damages the cornea and can lead to severe vision impairment.

Misdiagnosis and painful progression

On a GoFundMe page set up to help cover her medical expenses, McCasland shared that her infection was initially misdiagnosed. "This infection mimics other common ones, so I was given steroids and various eye drops," she explained. The delay in accurately identifying AK allowed the infection to worsen, causing intense pain and ultimately leading to complete vision loss in her right eye.

McCasland was seeing an eye doctor every two days and consulted multiple specialists in her search for a diagnosis. Once her test results confirmed she had AK, doctors warned that without immediate treatment, she risked permanent blindness or even losing the affected eye.

Rare treatment only available in the UK

Due to the rarity of the infection, the medication required to treat AK is manufactured exclusively in the UK. Fortunately, McCasland’s Dallas doctor had a limited supply on hand, enabling her to start treatment promptly. She now administers eye drops every 30 minutes, given the infection’s notoriously slow recovery time. "I’m relieved we finally know what it is, and that I can begin proper treatment," she said. Reflecting on the ordeal, she added, "If I had known swimming with contacts could lead to this, I would never have done it."

Risks of Acanthamoeba Keratitis for contact lens wearers

The Cleveland Clinic reports that acanthamoeba keratitis infections are uncommon, with approximately 1,500 cases annually in the US. However, 90% of these cases occur in contact lens users. Risk factors include wearing lenses for prolonged periods, improper storage or cleaning, and wearing them during activities like swimming or showering.

A long road to recovery

McCasland’s recovery remains uncertain. In a recent update, she revealed that a follow-up appointment showed her infection “was not completely worse but also not improving as hoped.” Doctors suggested she may eventually need a cornea transplant once the infection clears. This process could take months, but McCasland expressed gratitude that the infection was correctly identified. “I hope my experience serves as a warning to prevent others from going through this pain," she said.

Inputs from Agencies