the patient: A 67-year-old woman in the United Kingdom
Symptoms: The woman is scheduled for the routine Cataracts Surgery on her right eye. Although her vision in her right eye was weaker than in her left eye, she had historically “had no previous visual complaints.” Before the procedure, She told the doctors She had some slight eye discomfort, which she assumed was due to dry eyes and aging.
What happened next: While doctors were injecting the anesthetic into the woman’s eye, they saw a large bluish mass under her upper eyelid. It turned out to be a collection of 17 disposable contact lenses, held together by mucus. The surgeon then retrieved 10 more lenses during careful examination under a microscope.
Diagnosis: Together, these 27 lenses will be what doctors call “retained foreign bodies.”
Treatment: Most contact lenses fell out on their own when doctors numbed the eye socket. After removing what was left, doctors postponed the woman’s cataract surgery for two weeks because of the possibility of bacteria accumulating in her eye that could cause infection.
What makes the case unique: Failure to remove contact lenses from the eye may result in: Serious infections -But in this case, the patient had no history of major problems with her vision or excessive eye irritation.
The woman wore monthly contact lenses for 35 years, but rarely went to the eye doctor during that time. (Monthly contact lenses can be worn for approximately 30 days but are supposed to be removed before bed each night.)
The women’s doctors reported on the case in the journal BMJShe suspected that her “deep-set eyes” might have made her more likely to hold so many lenses. They also said the case highlights the importance of properly monitoring contact lens users to ensure they are using their lenses correctly. The report’s authors suggested that doctors flip a patient’s eyelids and apply fluorescein dye — a fluorescent dye that changes color when viewed under special light — to help detect contact lenses hiding in and around the eye.
News reports Regarding the case, he noted that it is unclear how long the lumpy contacts remained under the patient’s eyelid. The woman said that she sometimes tries to remove a lens from her right eye but fails to find it. I simply assumed she dropped the lens somewhere.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice.
Have you ever wondered why Some people build muscle more easily than others or Why do freckles appear in the sun?? Send us your questions about how the human body works Community@livescience.com With the subject line “Health Desk Q,” and you may see the answer to your question on the website!
