When writer Whitney Fleming from Grand Rapids, Michigan, woke up one morning with a sore, irritated eye, she assumed it was a minor issue. After all, she had worn soft contact lenses since her teens and followed all the recommended hygiene practices—regular cleaning, timely replacement, and never sleeping in them. But within days, the irritation turned into excruciating pain.
As the discomfort worsened, Fleming could no longer drive, and even light exposure became unbearable. “I was really just starting to detach from life because I was in such a lot of pain,” she said. Three weeks later, a corneal specialist diagnosed her with Acanthamoeba keratitis, a rare but severe eye infection caused by a microscopic parasite found in tap water, soil, and natural water sources.
Doctors believe Fleming likely contracted the infection by doing something many contact lens users do without realizing the risk—wearing her lenses while showering.
“We tell people contact lenses and water just don’t mix,” said Dr. Thomas Steinemann, spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and professor at Case Western Reserve University. “It’s one of the most preventable causes of serious eye infections we see.”
According to Dr. Saba Al-Hashimi, assistant professor at UCLA’s Stein Eye Institute, around 90% of Acanthamoeba keratitis cases occur in contact lens wearers. While the amoeba poses little danger if swallowed, it can become a devastating infection when trapped under a contact lens. Micro-abrasions on the cornea provide a gateway for the organism to invade deeper eye tissue.
“Once it’s in there, it’s extremely difficult to eradicate,” Steinemann explained.
Despite decades of wearing contacts, Fleming said she had never been warned about the risks of showering, swimming, or using hot tubs with lenses in. Many others are similarly unaware. “A lot of people don’t understand that any water contact is a hazard,” Steinemann said.
Though considered rare—with roughly 1,500 reported cases each year in the U.S.—doctors believe Acanthamoeba infections may be underdiagnosed, often mistaken for herpes or other eye conditions. Misdiagnosis can delay effective treatment and worsen the infection.
Treatment is lengthy and challenging, often lasting several months. Some patients, like Fleming, experience lasting vision loss.
Fleming now urges other contact lens users to be vigilant. “If you’re in pain or light-sensitive, don’t dismiss it. Advocate for yourself,” she said.
