It is difficult enough to stand in a dark room for a few seconds but 3 days in the dark is an unimaginative situation. An Australian woman is suffering from a peculiar problem of temporary blindness. 21 year old; Natalie Adler is unable to open her eyes continuously for three days and is not able to shut them the following three days. 

Doctors believe that she may be the only person in the world to be suffering from such a problem.

Natalie is persistently having such a problem since she was 17 years old. She reminisces one Sunday she woke up with swollen eyes before an English exam, after which her eyes started showing instability. The doctors gave her Botox injections around her eyes to enable her to see for 5to6 days a week. 

But of late the treatment has also failed .To Quote Adler ,who lives in Caulfield ” something happens overnight, I go to bed and I can open my eyes ,and then when I wake up the next day I can’t ........nobody knows why.

Prof Justin O’Day, Head neuro-opthamology of Royal Eye and Ear Hospital does talk about a condition called blepharospasm-random muscle spasms forcing the eyes to close. 

This may offer some point of reference but the doctors have no medical explanation for the strict consistency of Adler’s problem. Natalie has undergone hundreds of test with no positive diagnosis. Nevertheless,she now plans her schedule for the week in accordance with her condition. 

Adler says, “On my 18th birthday, my eyes were closed, but on my 21st they were open ,so I had a party”. Not very often do we sit back and count our blessing, its time to start now.