Contact lens discovered in UK woman’s eye 28 years after badminton accident

A patient who presented with upper eyelid swelling was found to have a contact lens in her eye that had been dislodged during a sporting mishap more than two decades previously.

Writing in BMJ Case Reports, NHS Tayside clinicians describe how the 42-year-old woman presented to hospital after a “pea-sized” lump in her left upper eyelid became painful and began to grow larger.

Her vision was unaffected and there was no discharge from the eye. An MRI revealed a cyst with proteinaceous content.

On removal, the cyst ruptured and a hard contact lens was extracted.

Further questioning revealed that the patients mother recalled her daughter being hit in her left eye with a shuttlecock while playing badminton at the age of 14.

Although the patient was wearing a rigid gas permeable (RGP) lens at the time, it was never found. The family assumed it had been dislodged from her eye and lost.

“We can infer that the RGP lens migrated into the patient’s left upper eyelid at the time of trauma and had been in situ for the last 28 years,” the authors observed.

They highlighted that the case illustrates the importance of taking a thorough history of previous trauma as it can serve as an important tool for diagnosis.

The AOP's head of education and optometrist, Dr Ian Beasley, said: “This case highlights why visiting an optometrist regularly is so important, especially for contact lens users. Luckily in this instance the patient’s sight wasn’t damaged but it’s a reminder that if patients have any concerns about their eyes they should consult an eye health professional – optometrists are well placed to provide advice, or a referral for more serious injuries if needed.”

Last year OT reported on a case where a UK surgeon found 27 missing contact lenses in a woman's eye.

Image credit: BMJ Case Reports