Woman, 21, loses sight in one eye after rare eye parasite

A 21-year-old woman says she lost vision in her right eye after contracting a rare infection called acanthamoeba keratitis linked to contact lens use; she is receiving hourly eye drops and antibiotics as treatment.

A 21-year-old woman, Vivian Nosovitsky, has lost vision in her right eye after a rare eye infection. The reported diagnosis is acanthamoeba keratitis, an infection associated with contact lens use and contaminated water. She developed severe pain, light sensitivity and swelling while traveling in Sayulita, Mexico and sought urgent care there. She later returned to Miami for ongoing treatment. Known details: - She reported losing vision in her right eye and can see only slight shadows and changes in light. - Medical staff performed corneal scraping and the diagnosis of acanthamoeba keratitis was reported from that testing. - Treatment began with multiple hourly eye drops and antibiotics, and she is now using two types of eye drops hourly plus an oral antibiotic. - She has been sharing her experience online and received a large public response to her posts. Summary: The reported infection has resulted in significant vision loss in the right eye while she continues intensive treatment. Prognosis and a recovery timeline were not stated. Undetermined at this time.