Doctors stunned after removing five contact lenses from woman’s eye: Issue urgent warning

In a bizarre medical twist, doctors in China were left stunned after discovering and removing five contact lenses lodged behind a woman’s eye. The 33-year-old woman had visited the hospital for an entirely unrelated reason—consulting about plastic surgery to correct facial asymmetry caused by a medical condition.

Despite wearing the lenses for years, the woman was completely unaware that they had migrated behind her left eyelid. She had initially sought cosmetic treatment to make her eyes appear more symmetrical and showed no signs of discomfort or eye irritation.

Discovery Made During Cosmetic Procedure

The woman’s doctors originally planned a fat injection procedure under sedation to plump up the area around her left eye. However, things took a dramatic turn during the pre-procedure examination.


According to a report published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, multiple transparent contact lenses began to surface from the upper eyelid’s fornix—a rare and unnerving event that immediately drew the attention of the medical team.

Upon further inspection, they found a total of five contact lenses, wedged behind the eyelid. The woman recalled losing several lenses over the years but had never experienced significant eye issues that would have prompted her to seek help sooner.

Doctors Issue a Warning to Contact Lens Wearers

The medical team noted that individuals with hemifacial atrophy—like the patient—are at increased risk of contact lenses dislodging and becoming trapped in the eye’s hidden spaces. They issued a strong warning to contact lens wearers, emphasizing the importance of removing lenses daily and seeking medical attention at the first sign of discomfort.

While the discovery in China was alarming, it’s not the only case of its kind. In the United States, ophthalmologist Dr. Kurteeva went viral on social media after sharing a similarly grim story. She recounted a patient who had 23 contact lenses removed from one eye after forgetting to take them out before bed and applying new lenses every morning.

Dr. Kurteeva’s video, titled “Don’t Sleep in Your Contact Lenses,” served as a cautionary tale for contact lens users worldwide.

Preventative Measures for Contact Lens Safety

Eye care professionals recommend regular eye check-ups, strict hygiene, and a daily lens removal routine to avoid such medical emergencies. While these stories may seem extreme, they highlight the potential risks of overlooking simple but crucial eye care practices.

For this patient, what began as a simple consultation led to a life-saving discovery—one that serves as a stark reminder for contact lens wearers everywhere.