"I woke up one day and I couldn't see out of my left eye," Janese Walters said.
Without any warning signs or symptoms, the vision in her left eye was gone.
Walters, of Toledo, Ohio, initially thought she had a case of pink eye - a rather common irritating condition - but when she told doctors that she owned a cat, they immediately suspected that she had Cat Scratch Disease/Fever, WFLA.com reported.
CSD can affect the brain, eyes, heart and other internal organs. Although serious complications from the disease are rare, they may require intensive treatment. Cases are most common among children younger than age 5 and among people with weakened immune systems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
"Anything that is exposed to the cat's mouth- including if you have a little scratch that the cat licks- that's how you get it," University of Toledo doctor Kris Brickman told WTOL. He added that while "cat scratch" doesn't pose a health risk to felines, it can to humans.
Because 40 percent of felines carry the bacteria that cause CSD, Brickman advised pet owners to wash their hands frequently.
"Don't let [cats] lick any open wounds, and try not to get bit by any cat," he added.
Walters, who was unfamiliar with the condition before her diagnosis, hopes that her story will inform others of the harmful effects of CSD.
"You don't want to lose your eyesight," she said.
