She and 20 others have been treated so far this year at the University of Miami's Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, which typically sees that many sufferers in an entire year.
Twelve of those cases involved patients with contact lenses, while previously fewer than 2 percent of those infected wore them.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is watching the situation and said it has received reports of about 50 possible cases in 12 states this year so far. But because tracking of the disease is spotty, the CDC cannot say for certain whether cases are on the rise.
Singapore health officials noticed an increase in January and discovered 39 cases involving contact lens users from 2005 to February of this year. Cases have also been reported in Malaysia and Hong Kong.
The fungus, called fusarium, is commonly found in plant material and soil in tropical and subtropical areas. Without eye drop treatment, which can last two to three months, the infection can scar the cornea and blind its victims.
Symptoms can include blurry vision, pain, redness, increased sensitivity to light, and excessive discharge from the eye. It is not transmitted from person to person.
''The question is why all of the sudden contact lens users were targeted by this organism," said Dr. Eduardo Alfonso, medical director of Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. ''The fungus has been around, contact lenses have been around -- why have they formed a marriage now?"
Alfonso said the only common denominators are that most patients wore contacts and lived in a warm place where the fungus grew abundantly.
Dr. Benjamin Park, a CDC epidemiologist, would not identify the states that have reported cases, but said one was a cold-weather state.
''It's more common in Southern states, but it's still a rare infection. We're talking one in 10,000 or something," Park said. ''The fact that we've seen cases from cooler climates makes us a little suspicious."
Alfonso said contact lens wearers should wash their hands with soap and dry them with a lint-free towel before handling their lenses or touching their eyes.
Lens storage cases should be replaced every three months, and the solution should be changed daily, he said.
