A total of 27 contact lenses were discovered in the eye of an elderly patient scheduled for cataract surgery.
A 'blueish mass' of 17 contact lenses were initially discovered in one of the 67-year-old's eyes, with another 10 found following further examination at Solihull Hospital.
The case was recently reported in the British Medical Journal, having happened in November last year.
Specialist trainee ophthalmologist, Rupal Morjarial, who dealt with the case at the hospital near Birmingham, told Optometry Today: "None of us have ever seen this before.
Credit: Rupal Morjaria
Credit: Rupal Morjaria
"It was such a large mass. All the 17 contact lenses were stuck together. We were really surprised that the patient didn't notice it because it would cause quite a lot of irritation while it was sitting there."
The cataract surgery was postponed following the discovery as it increased the risk of endophthalmitis.
"Because she had harboured these contact lenses in her eye for an unknown length of time, if we had operated she would have had a lot of bacteria around her conjunctiva," said Ms Morjaria.
The patient had been wearing monthly disposable contact lenses for 35 years but had not attended regular appointments.
Credit: PA Images
Ms Morjaria said that reporting the case was a matter of public awareness.
"In this day and age, when it is so easy to purchase contact lenses online, people become lax about having regular check ups," she added.
"Contact lenses are used all the time, but if they are not appropriately monitored we see people with serious eye infections that can cause them to lose their sight."
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For anybody wondering the right way to put in and take out contact lenses, there are a number of online tutorial videos. Like this one:
I guess the main take home from all of this is to have regular appointments and if you do leave your lenses in, don't forget about them.
Featured Image Credit: PA