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Legendary singer and composer Elton John has revealed that he is blind in his right eye due to an infection. The 77-year-old music icon said he had contracted an eye disease over the summer when he was holidaying in the South of France.
John shocked fans during the musical premiere of Devil Wears Prada, revealing: “I’ve lost my eyesight and cannot see the stage.” He was later guided away from the venue amid concerns by his spouse, David Furnish. This revelation comes in the wake of Elton discussing a recent infection that has left him feeling constrained.
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According to experts, an eye infection is a disease of the eye that you get because of a microorganism like a bacterium, a virus, or a fungus. The most common eye infection is pink eye or conjunctivitis. Viruses cause most cases of pink eye, but it can be caused by bacteria too.
An eye infection can happen in one or both eyes and can be very serious, as some can even cause permanent blindness if not treated well in time. Doctors say eye infections can affect nearly any part of your eye. You can have an infection on your eyelid, your conjunctiva or cornea, or the external parts of your eye.
Some of the common eye infections include:
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- Blepharitis
- Cellulitis
- Dacryocystitis or the infection of your tear sac happens when your tear ducts become blocked and cannot drain properly
- Pink eye or conjunctivitis
- Endophthalmitis
- Stye
- Uveitis
Signs and symptoms of an eye infection
Doctors say an infected eye can look and feel very different than usual. A few early signs and symptoms of an eye infection include:
- Redness in the eyes
- Itching and irritation
- Pain in the eyes
- Watery eyes
- Swelling
A few later signs of the infection, which become more serious and need urgent treatment include:
- A yellow or sticky pus discharge from your eyes
- Eyelashes that stick together because of discharge
- Sensitivity to light or photophobia
- Blurred vision
- Fever
What causes an eye infection?
You can get eye infections from bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses, which are small organisms that enter your eyes in many different ways, including injuries. According to doctors, one of the most common ways to get an eye infection is to sleep in your contact lenses.
It is also common to get an eye infection if you do not properly clean your lenses.
What bacteria commonly cause eye infections?
Both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria can cause eye infections. Gram-negative bacteria are bacteria that doctors are not able to see during a gram stain test, even though they are detectable in a bacterial culture test. However, the positive bacteria are visible in a Gram stain test. Some of the more common bacterial causes of infections in your eyes include:
- Bacillus
- Enterobacteriaceae
- Haemophilus influenza
- Moraxella spp
- Neisseria gonorrhoeae
A few viruses that cause eye infections include:
- Herpes simplex type 1
- Varicella zoster virus
- Adenovirus
The types of fungi that cause infections mostly belong to the Candida species, causing more than 66 per cent of the endophthalmitis cases that happen after corneal transplant surgery. You may also get a fungal infection after cataract surgery.
You can get an eye infection if you have an eye injury because of an item from the outdoors, such as a stick or a plant, contaminated with Fusarium. You can also get an eye infection that happens because of a fungal bloodstream infection.
Can eye infections make you blind?
Doctors say many cases of eye infections that begin with discomfort, redness, and itchiness can also lead to temporary or permanent vision loss. And so, it is important to see a doctor to determine the exact cause and find the correct treatment.
According to the CDC, improper contact lens care increases the risk of infections like keratitis, which can cause blindness. Experts say wearing lenses for too long or not cleaning and storing them correctly can increase the chance of germs getting into the cornea.