A 23-year-old woman's life took a devastating turn after a seemingly harmless swim. Brooklyn McCasland contracted a rare parasite infection, acanthamoeba keratitis (AK), while swimming with her contact lenses on. This microscopic amoeba can cause severe damage to the cornea, leading to vision loss. This infection acts like other common infections and thus Ms. McCasland was placed on steroids and a few other drops. But there was still a delay in the treatment causing her issues to get worse and the pain growing. She exclaimed that she was in the most pain she had ever experienced which eventually was followed by her losing her vision in the right eye.

Delayed Diagnosis and Worsening Conditions

Once diagnosed, McCasland was immediately started on a specialized treatment regimen. However, due to the rarity of the infection, the necessary medication had to be sourced from the UK. Despite the aggressive treatment, her recovery is uncertain. Doctors have warned her that she may require a cornea transplant to restore her vision. The doctors luckily had a few sample drops of the medicine she needed so she started on them while they imported more from the US. She had to apply these every 30 minutes and understands that this is a slow process. Ms. McCasland says that she is thankful that the doctors knew exactly what the infection was so that she got the treatment she needed, she also adds that she would’ve never gone swimming with contact lenses had she known what the consequences could’ve been.

Acanthamoeba keratitis is a serious but preventable condition. By following proper contact lens hygiene practices, individuals can significantly reduce their risk of infection. It is crucial to avoid wearing contact lenses while swimming or showering and to clean and store them correctly.

McCasland's unfortunate experience serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of these precautions. By sharing her story, she hopes to raise awareness and prevent others from suffering a similar fate.

Contact Lens Safety Measures

Eyes are really sensitive and need to be dealt with delicately especially when it comes to contact lenses. Here are some safety measures you should practice with them. In case you feel any irritation or pain in your eyes please visit the emergency health facility closest to you without delay.

Replace Your Lens Case Regularly

A common mistake among contact lens wearers is neglecting to replace their lens case regularly. Even with proper cleaning, cases can accumulate harmful germs over time. These germs can lead to serious eye infections when they come into contact with your eyes.

Avoid Sleeping or Napping in Your Contacts:

Sleeping in contact lenses significantly increases your risk of developing eye infections. This can lead to microbial keratitis, a painful condition that can cause inflammation of the cornea and, in severe cases, permanent vision loss or blindness.

Don't Swim or Shower in Your Contact Lenses:

Waterborne germs can easily attach to your contact lenses and infect your eyes. Wearing contacts while swimming or showering can put you at risk for Acanthamoeba keratitis, a serious eye infection caused by an amoeba commonly found in water. These infections can be extremely painful and difficult to treat.

Wash Your Hands Before Handling Your Contacts:

Germs on your hands can transfer to your contact lenses and lens case. To minimize the risk of infection, always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before touching your contacts.

Schedule Regular Eye Exams

Annual eye exams are essential for maintaining healthy contact lens wear. Your eye doctor can assess your eye health, identify any potential issues, and provide guidance on proper contact lens care.

As medicinal science progresses, researchers have developed an AI mechanism that uses a selfie to determine a patient's biological age and judge how well they may respond to cancer treatment. The research, which was published in the journal Lancet Digital Health and stated that because humans age at different rates, their physical appearance may offer insights into their so-called "biological age". This biological or physiological age can help estimate a cancer patient's response to chemotherapy.

How Was FaceAge AI Tool Developed?

The researchers wanted to analyse whether a person's biological age could be tested based on how a person looks. This could include whether someone could undergo intensive cancer treatment based on how frail they appear to be. Researchers said they wanted to see whether they could go beyond the subjective and manual eyeball test by creating a "deep learning" artificial intelligence, or AI, tool which could assess simple selfies. That is how they created the FaceAge AI tool. Trained using 59,000 photos, this AI tool can estimate a person's biological age, as opposed to their actual age, by scanning an image of their face.

"Our study now has shown for the first time that we can really use AI to turn a selfie into a real biomarker source of ageing," said Dr Hugo Aerts, corresponding author of the paper.

Researchers found that the biological age of patients with cancer was, on average, five years higher than their chronological age. They also found that older FaceAge AI readings were associated with worse survival outcomes, especially in people over 85 years of age.

More studies assessing FaceAge are underway, including whether it could be used for other conditions or diseases and what impact things like cosmetic surgery or Botox have on the tool’s accuracy.

"We have demonstrated that AI can turn a simple face photo into an objective measure of biological age that clinicians can use to personalise care for patients, like having another vital sign data point. It was another piece of the puzzle, like vital signs, lab results or medical imaging. We want to be clear that we view AI tools like FaceAge as assistance, [to] provide decision support and not replacements for clinician judgment," Dr Ray Mak, co-senior author of the paper, said.

In another news, President Donald Trump's latest nominee for US surgeon general, Dr Casey Means, is better known to some as a rising wellness influencer. Over the past year, she has shared her health philosophy with many on various podcast channels, which are popular for wellness content, most of them being right-wing podcast, as US News describes it. These podcasts have discussed everything from organic diets, chronic diseases, their prevention, and of course, vaccine skepticism, and spirituality.

She may use the surgeon general's platform to promote the lifestyle-based approaches that she has been talking about, which may challenge the conventional views on pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and modern medicines.

Focusing On Root Cause

Now 37, Dr Means left her residency program to focus on what she calls the "root causes" of disease. She believes that chronic illnesses such as obesity, infertility, cancer, and Alzheimer's are not being properly addressed by traditional medicines.

As per her, a combination of environmental toxins, processed food, and tech overuse is damaging the body's metabolic system, which remains the core of most chronic health problems.

Speaking to Joe Rogan in October, she said: “It’s all caused by metabolic dysfunction, a term that I never learned in medical school.” Her philosophy closely mirrors that of Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., who has called for deep investigations into environmental factors behind conditions like autism.

Dr. Means has voiced concern over the widespread use of certain drugs. On “The Tucker Carlson Show,” she criticized the overprescription of birth control pills, calling it a “disrespect of things that create life.” She also raised alarms over the use of popular weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, calling them “very dark” and suggesting they promote the false idea of a “magic pill” for health.

Rejection Of Processed Food

Much of Dr. Means’ health advice centers on diet. She advocates for organic, non-GMO foods and warns against refined sugars, pesticides, and ultra-processed meals. On Jay Shetty’s podcast, she even suggested an executive order to eliminate added sugars from school lunches.

Her concerns extend to seed oils—like canola and soybean—which she groups with harmful food additives. Although mainstream nutrition experts say such oils can be beneficial in moderation, Means believes they contribute to declining public health.

While Dr. Means often prefaces her vaccine comments by noting it's not her area of expertise, she has publicly questioned parts of the U.S. childhood vaccination schedule. On Kristin Cavallari’s podcast, she pointed to the hepatitis B vaccine for newborns as her “gateway” to questioning broader vaccine policies.

She also criticized COVID-19 vaccine mandates, saying they caused significant societal harm and sparked public distrust in health institutions. “Maybe we shouldn’t be blindly trusting the experts,” she said.

Dr. Means blends science with spirituality in her view of wellness. She’s described current public health trends as “extinction-level” and frequently says “Rome is burning” to describe the urgency. For her, healing requires not just lifestyle changes but also a deep spiritual reconnection with the body, Earth, and the divine.

“Do we want to connect with God and respect these temples we’ve been given?” she asked Rogan. “That’s the choice we have right now.”

Anyone who has ever cared for a child with painful ear infection would know how difficult those days and nights are when the child is unable to be at peace. Relief often takes time, and sometimes doe not at all come. However, ear infections in toddlers are quite a common phenomenon, and are often stubborn. Children can also develop resistance to standard antibiotics due to its constant use. This means the infection can return even after days of treatment.

So, what is the solution?

Researchers at Cornell University may have found it. There is an alternative that exist- a single-dose, topical antibiotic gel that could simplify treatment and reduce recuring infections.

What Does It Do?

While earlier, the doctors have relief on oral antibiotics, which also had side effects like upset stomachs, and year infections. This new method delivers medicines directly in the infected ear. Doctors predict this to be game changer, especially for children who struggle with oral medication.

However, the challenge is that most ear infections affect the middle ear, which sits behind the eardrum. This is the barrier that most drugs cannot cross. This is where the new approach and its innovation comes into play.

The Gel And The Science Behind It

The research is led by Rong Yang, assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, and the Cornell team have found their way around. They have packaged the antibiotic ciprofloxacin into microscopic delivery vehicles called liposomes. These are tiny, bubble-like structure which are used to carry drugs to hard-to-reach parts of the body.

These liposomes are negatively charged, which then helps them to bind better to the ear tissue. They are then incorporated into a gel-like salve, which is then applied directly to the eardrum.

What Do We Know Of The Trials?

In lab tests on chinchillas — whose ears closely resemble human ears — the results were impressive. The infections cleared up within 24 hours of a single application. Over the next week, no signs of the infection returned, and there was no inflammation in the eardrums.

The study, recently published in ACS Nano, marks a significant step toward making ear infection treatment faster, more effective, and less taxing on children and their families.

Are There Any Challenges?

Despite these promising results, researchers caution that what works in animals doesn’t always translate directly to humans. Other versions of the gel tested on chinchillas were less effective, and much more work remains before this treatment can be approved for children.

Still, the potential is real. "A single-dose treatment for middle ear infections represents a significant step forward," Yang said in a statement. "It could reduce the burden on families and improve outcomes for young children."

She added that moving from lab tests to clinical trials is the next key step: "It has the potential to improve patient compliance, reduce antibiotic resistance, and ultimately transform how children receive antibiotics."