27 contact lenses removed from woman’s eye in Solihull

Surgeons at Solihull Hospital have removed a mass of old contact lenses from a woman’s eye after she went for a routine cataract operation. The suspected cataract was discovered to be a “hard mass” of 17 contact lenses stuck together with mucus. The surgeons’ surprise did not end there either as further examinations discovered an additional 10 lenses ‘hidden’ in her eye.

The 67 year old was reportedly “shocked” after having worn contact lenses for 35 years and not noticing anything untoward except for what she thought was a bit of ‘dry eye’ due to her age.

Are contacts worth the stress?

If this story wasn’t already distressing enough for any contact wearers, experts have added that ‘losing’ contact lenses in the eye is a common problem and that they are normally found “hiding, folded up under the lid of the eye.”

The extent of the woman’s contact lens disaster is however, thankfully, not very common; the surgeons are said to have not seen anything like this case before. It is thought that the patient’s poor vision and deep-set eyes may have been a contributing factor to her problem both occurring in the first place, and for it remaining unnoticed for so long. However, it is certainly remarkable, and rather worrying, that she did not know what had happened, and it remains uncertain how long the lenses had been there for.

If you wear contacts remember to always follow your optician’s instructions carefully, go for regular check-ups, and contact your optician immediately if you experience any discomfort, redness, or loss of vision.