NSW swim alert as blindness-causing organism found in water

An ocean-dwelling microorganism linked to blindness-inducing infections in one in four swimmers has been spotted lurking in coastal waters in NSW.

The microscopic life form Acanthamoeba feeds on cells in the eye, leading to iNFLammation and, in rare cases, irreversible damage.

If able to spread to the cornea, the clear outer layer at the front of the eye, the organism can cause an infection called Acanthamoeba keratitis.

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The drug-resistant organism can lead to vision loss, with one in four people affected by it ending up with less than 25 per cent of vision or becoming blind.

Researchers at the University of New South Wales said although the condition was rare, swimmers who wore contact lenses were at an increased risk.