'I caught a parasite from mains water - now I'm blind in one eye'

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, 38, lost sight in her left eye just under a year ago.

She believes she contracted the infection - acanthamoeba keratitis - two days after she had a swim at a local pool.

The infection is caused by a microscopic organism called Acanthamoeba, which is common in nature and is usually found in bodies of water.

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

She consulted a GP who referred her to an optician who then referred her to an ophthalmologist.

Shereen was treated with steroids and told she would receive a call to set up a follow-up appointment

But as the weeks went on, the pain worsened and Shereen never received a call.

Almost ten weeks after her initial appointment, on November 9, she woke up blind in her left eye.

Shereen, who's from Crayford in Kent, went swimming at a local leisure center on August 19 last year.

Two days later, her left eye started to become itchy and sore.

Shereen, a Learning Support Assistant at a local secondary school, 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 1st.

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 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 was given additional meds and sent home.

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