Archive · 25 Aug 2026
Contact Lens Wearer Contracts Rare Acanthamoeba Eye Infection in Bali
Matt Flack got a rare eye infection after swimming while wearing contact lenses.
The infection was caused by a tiny organism called Acanthamoeba.
It can live in places such as swimming pools, lakes and tap water.
His eye became painful, red and very sensitive to light.
He also had trouble opening it and his eye kept watering.
Doctors diagnosed the problem after testing a small piece of his cornea.
The infection can harm eyesight if it becomes worse.
Flack is worried that he could need more treatment or even lose vision in that eye.
The main warning is to remove contact lenses before swimming.
Matt Flack, 38, developed Acanthamoeba keratitis after swimming in Bali while wearing contact lenses.
He experienced severe eye pain, light sensitivity, redness, watering and difficulty opening his left eye.
Flack first treated the symptoms with antiseptic drops before seeing a doctor after returning to the United Kingdom.
Doctors diagnosed the infection after he underwent a corneal scraping procedure.
Experts warn that contact lenses can trap waterborne Acanthamoeba against the cornea, potentially damaging vision.
- Who
- Matt Flack, a 38-year-old man from Colchester, Essex, in the United Kingdom.
- What
- He contracted Acanthamoeba keratitis, a rare and serious eye infection.
- When
- The infection began after a swimming incident during a trip in May; he returned to the United Kingdom on July 10.
- Where
- The exposure occurred in Bali, Indonesia, and he was later evaluated in the United Kingdom.
- Why
- Wearing contact lenses in water may have trapped the Acanthamoeba organism against his cornea.
- Patient
- Matt Flack, 38
- Diagnosis
- Acanthamoeba keratitis
- Exposure
- Swimming in Bali while wearing contact lenses
- Symptoms
- Severe pain, light sensitivity, redness, constant watering and difficulty opening the eye
- Testing
- A corneal scraping procedure was performed
- Potential complications
- Worsening vision, corneal transplants and repeated operations
- Prevention
- Contact lens wearers are advised not to swim while wearing their lenses