Vasna Autar.
Image: Supplied
A 40-year-old banker from Sandton is back at work after a shocking Easter weekend accident that left her with a corneal injury and a temporarily sealed eye.
Vasna Autar, originally from the South Coast, described the late-night incident as a “freak accident” that unfolded in her bedroom while her family slept.
According to Autar, she intended to apply eye gel in the dark to avoid disturbing her husband and their 11-month-old baby.
Instead, she mistakenly picked up a tube of superglue from her vanity, which was only there because she planned to fix a broken hair clip.
“I decided to put some eye gel into my eye at 11pm. When I reached over, instead of picking up the eye gel, I picked up superglue. The eye gel is in a tube similar to super glue. It was dark because I did not want to put the light on and disturb my baby and my husband.”
Unaware of the mistake at first, Autar continued applying the substance.
“It was thick at first and I was confused, so I started putting more in. It was stinging and I never thought anything about it. After a few seconds, I realised this was not normal because my eye was now stuck together.”
After turning on the light and discovering what had happened, she woke her husband, and the couple rushed to an emergency room.
“We went to the Sandton Mediclinic at 11.20pm. Since it was Easter Friday. There was only one doctor on call,” she said.
The attending doctor, after consulting an ophthalmologist, attempted to remove the glue by cutting and eventually plucking Autar’s eyelashes, without the benefit of numbing medication.
“It was the most horrible feeling I have ever felt. It was excruciatingly painful. Then he decided to start shaving it with a blade. It felt like he was cutting into my eyelid. I was in so much pain I could not even breathe.”
After approximately 20 minutes, her eye was finally opened, allowing doctors to administer numbing drops. However, due to holiday closures, she was unable to immediately access prescribed medication.
“The next morning, I was able to get to the pharmacy and get the medication, but it was not working. I got hold of my ophthalmologist and he changed my meds.”
Doctors later confirmed that Autar had suffered a corneal abrasion, a painful condition often described as feeling like sand in the eye.
“It is very uncomfortable but I am lucky that I have my sight.”
Despite the ordeal, Autar says her condition is improving and she remains grateful for her recovery.
“My eye was very swollen, but I am just happy that I can see. The superglue did some damage and I was terrified that I would not be able to see again.”
Reflecting on the incident, she admitted she was initially in disbelief.
“When it happened, I was in denial. This could not happen to me but there I was, sitting in the emergency room in the middle of the night with superglue in my eye.”
Autar added that the experience had changed her perspective on everyday risks.
“My family was very shocked. I am a particular and OCD person, but freak accidents can happen at any moment. I do not ever want to see superglue again. I will not keep it in my home.”