A horrible story out of Taiwan is driving home just how important it is to take care of your contact lenses.
23-year-old student, Lian Kao lost her eyesight after leaving her contacts in her eyes around the clock for six months, although the contacts were supposed to be worn for just one month!
A single-celled organism formed inside of her corneas and then began burrowing into Kao’s eyeballs, causing her to eventually go blind.
Kao allegedly left the one pair of contacts in even while she was swimming and sleeping!
Wu Jian-Liang, a director of ophthalmology, says a shortage of oxygen can destroy the surface of the epithelial tissue, creating tiny wounds into which the bacteria can easily infect, spreading to the rest of the eye and providing a perfect breeding ground.