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Maureen Larrazabal shares how sleeping with contact lenses led to 2 years of vision loss

By Bianca Geli
Published March 24, 2025 11:36 AM PHT

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Maureen Larrazabal


Maureen Larrazabal said an eye injury from wearing contact lenses while sleeping caused her temporary blindness.

Maureen Larrazabal revealed that she went blind for two years after sleeping with her contact lenses, which led to a severe corneal injury. The damage caused her cornea to tear open and become heavily infected with bacteria, ultimately requiring a corneal transplant.

The Pepito Manaloto actress recounted her eye injury on Lutong Bahay Wednesday alongside Mikee Quintos and Kuya Dudut.

Maureen shared, "Nabulag din ako. Bulag ako, two years. Natulog ako nang may contact lens, tapos tumitigas 'yun 'di ba kapag hindi ka nag-drops. Na-slit open ko 'yung cornea, pinasukan ng Pseudomonas, so pumasok siya sa mata."

"Pagpasok sa mata ko, few hours lang, that bacteria will melt your eye in 24 hours, ganun siya katindi," she added.

Maureen was in Hong Kong when the incident occurred, and she went straight to a hospital upon returning to the Philippines.

"Pagdating dito, diretso ako ng Makati Med. Pag-open nila puro pus tapos wala na, wala na siyang itim," she said.

She shared that she needed a corneal transplant for her eye to recover, mentioning that this happened while she was part of Kool Ka Lang on GMA Network, which aired from the late '90s to the early 2000s.

"Kaya very grateful ako sa GMA, alam mo kung bakit? Kasi during that time hindi nila ako tinanggalan ng show. May pinagdadaanan ako pero I have something to look forward to kasi every week pumapasok ako na naka-shades."

In December 2023, Maureen posted on Instagram, expressing gratitude for her corneal donor and her doctor, Dr. Minguita Padilla, who performed the transplant.

"Not all angels have wings, some have invisible halos, like the one who donated to me my cornea and to Dra Minguita Padilla the one responsible for my successful corneal transplant decades ago," she wrote in her post.

Watch Lutong Bahay on weekdays at 5:45 p.m. on GTV.

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