Your contacts could be putting you at risk for a parasite infection

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report indicates that more than 30 million Americans who wear contact lenses are likely putting themselves at greater risk for infection by a parasite that feeds on eyeballs.

The issue isn't necessarily with the contacts, but how carelessly we handle them. Showering, swimming or sleeping in your lenses helps attract a micro organism that eats eyeballs. A man from Georgia spoke with FOX25 just days before losing his eye for good.

"I'm 57 years old, you know, and I never thought I'd end up at a point where I would have to lose an eye," said Oze McCallum, of Cobb County.

McCallum’s right eye was frosted and deformed, even after three previous surgeries. He’s a victim of a tiny organism seen only with a powerful microscope. It's called an acanthameoba.

"It's alive. It's a parasite that's actually feeding on my eye," McCallum said. "I've cried over it and I've been angry over it. I've shaken my fist and said, 'Why is this happening to me?'"

McCallum is suffering from an infection called acanthamoeba keratitis. Doctors are convinced his contact lens was the parasite's welcome mat.

Eye surgeon Barry Lee says he's seeing an alarming increase is the number of acanthamoeba infections. He suspects too many patients are spending too much time wearing their lenses.

"Eyes were not made to have foreign bodies in them all the time,” Lee said.

CDC researcher Dr. Jennifer Cope published a stunning report in August which documents contact lens wearers' risky behavior.

Fifty percent of those surveyed said they'd slept overnight in their contacts. In addition, 85 percent have showered in them and 35 percent actually rinsed their lenses in common tap water.

"Even household tap water, although treated to be safe for drinking, is not sterile and contains microorganisms that can contaminate lens cases and contact lenses and cause eye infections," reads the report.

The CDC recommends proper contact lens handling practices, including "keeping all water away from contact lenses, discarding used disinfecting solution from the case and cleaning with fresh solution each day, and replacing their contact lens case every three months."

----------

Jim Strickland of WSBTV contributed to this report.

Cox Media Group