A 25-year-old woman had a scary experience when she discovered that her itchy eye was actually a corneal ulcer caused by wearing contact lenses. Steph Carrasco, a recruitment consultant from Wales, had to undergo emergency cornea transplant surgery to save her eye. Corneal ulcers are open sores on the layer of the eye that covers the iris and pupil. People who wear contact lenses are more susceptible to these ulcers if they don’t clean their lenses properly or leave them in for too long. Other risk factors include having cold sores, shingles, chickenpox, using steroid eye drops, having dry eyes, or eyelid disorders. Symptoms of corneal ulcers include redness, pain, swelling, and a white spot on the cornea. Carrasco sought medical help when her eye became itchy, and her optometrist quickly identified the ulcer and arranged for immediate treatment. She spent a week in the hospital receiving 72 eye drops a day to reduce the size of the ulcer, but ultimately needed surgery. Most corneal ulcers heal within two to three weeks with proper treatment, but in rare cases like Carrasco’s, a corneal transplant is necessary. Carrasco’s vision has improved after the surgery, and doctors expect her to make a full recovery by October. She expressed gratitude for her optometrist and the hospital’s medical team who helped her during this difficult time. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of proper contact lens hygiene and regular eye check-ups.