By Leo Black

A woman says she was left blind in one eye after contracting a flesh-eating parasite – from the tap or swimming pool.

Shereen-Fay Griffin from Crayford, near Dartford, lost sight in her left eye just under a year ago.

The 38-year-old believes she contracted the infection – acanthamoeba keratitis – two days after she had a swim.

At first, Shereen's symptoms were just itchiness, soreness and fatigue.

The learning support assistant said: "My eye was sore, itchy and scratchy.

"My eyelid was heavy and I was feeling fatigued.

"I had been swimming. I used the swimming pool and shower there.

"I had also washed my face at home in the morning and night."

After trying over-the-counter treatment, Shereen went to her GP who prescribed her a week's antibiotics, which did nothing.

Her GP advised her to visit an optician, who gave her an urgent referral to Queen Mary's Hospital in Sidcup on September 1.

There she was diagnosed with herpes simplex eye infection and given steroids and antibacterial eye drops.

But instead of improving, her symptoms continued to worsen.

Shereen said: "I’ve never in my life even had a cold sore so it was odd to me.

"The ophthalmologist sent me off with antibiotic eye drops and steroids even though I told him oral antibiotics hadn’t worked.

"I had a continuous dull pain in my eye. It didn’t seem right but was manageable with day-to-day life."

Shereen was told she would receive a call for a follow-up appointment within the week, but she says this never happened.

The following weeks Shereen says she called the hospital multiple times and even walked in herself, but received no follow-up.

She said: "I’d had no follow-up appointment. My eye was still in pain and my eye meds were running out.

"I rang the hospital a number of times for a few weeks before walking in there myself to find out what was going on."

She was given additional medication and sent home.

On November 9, Shereen woke up "in the most excruciating pain" and blind in one eye.

She said: "It was coming up to 10 weeks of no follow-up appointment and steroids four times day when I woke up in the most excruciating pain and completely blind in that eye!"

Shereen went to the hospital immediately and another doctor was able to diagnose her with acanthamoeba keratitis.

She was treated there but it was already too late.

All this time, Shereen's cornea was being eaten away by the parasite and the scarring left her blind.

Following her ordeal, Shereen decided to go to the Wellington Hospital, a private facility in St John's Wood, London.

There a doctor told Shereen that the steroids prescribed had made things worse.

She explained: "The parasite was in fact strengthened by the steroids I had been put on for 10 weeks – hence why I ended up waking up blind.

"It was explained to me by the doctors that this rare infection was very resistant [to treatment.

"They said because mine had been strengthened with steroids for 10 weeks it was now super resistant."

Shereen still lives in pain and has not recovered her vision.

Her only chance at recovery lies with a corneal transplant, which may not work, and would need to be repeated.

She said: "I have no left vision which stops me from taking part in activities like football with my students.

"I have dull ache, dryness, itches, soreness and still some light sensitivity as my pupil struggles to dilate because of the scars on the front of my eye.

"I will regain my sight only if I agree to a cornea transplant which may not work."

Moorfields Eye Hospital said: "The infection is caused by a microscopic organism called Acanthamoeba, which is common in nature and is usually found in bodies of water as well as domestic tap water, swimming pools, hot tubs, soil and air.

“[They] do not generally cause harm to humans, but they can cause a serious eye disease if they infect the cornea.”