Featured Image Credit: Instagram/@justinbieber / Getty Stock Image
Topics: Lyme disease, Justin Timberlake, Health, Celebrity
Madison Burgess
Topics: Lyme disease, Justin Timberlake, Health, Celebrity
A particular bacterial disease has been seemingly becoming more and more common among A-listers - and there's a warning sign to do with your eyes that could indicate you have it.
The 'silent' condition is difficult to get a diagnosis for as the symptoms often fly under the radar, meaning many people don't realise they have it for years.
However, recent times have seen a number of celebrities go public with their struggles in an attempt to raise awareness of the tick-borne illness.
The long list includes Justin Bieber, Bella Hadid, Amy Schumer and Ben Stiller, as well as Miranda Hart, Kelly Osbourne, and Avril Lavigne.
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The illness in question is Lyme disease - an infection which is transmitted when a person is bitten by a tick.
According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, its estimated that around 476,000 people are diagnosed with the bacterial infection each year in the US alone.
Most recently joining the group is Justin Timberlake, who penned a lengthy message on Instagram on July 31, revealing that he too had been diagnosed.
Describing the health ordeal, he wrote: "If you’ve experienced this disease or know someone who has - then you’re aware: living with this can be relentlessly debilitating, both mentally and physically. When I first got the diagnosis I was shocked for sure."
Timberlake added: "But, at least I could understand why I would be onstage and in a massive amount of nerve pain or, just feeling crazy fatigue or sickness."
The main symptom of Lyme disease is a 'bullseye' looking rash that can appear anytime from up to three days after you're bitten to three months later.
As well as this, Lyme disease is often associated with flu-like symptoms, including a fever, headache and fatigue.
And in more severe cases, it can also cause a facial droop and nerve pains - as experienced by Timberlake - as well as numbness or tingling in the hands or feet.
Less well known, however, is the impact that Lyme disease can have on the eyes.
According to Medical News Today, if the bacteria that causes Lyme disease moves into the body's central nervous system, it can cause sensory issues to your eyes.
In some cases, you may suffer from a sensitivity to light as well as other visual disturbances.
This is because Lyme disease can sometimes result in sensory overloading, which causes patients to develop a sensitivity to both light and sound.
An article in Global Lyme Alliance, written by someone who noticed these symptoms, described it as 'bright flashing lights, fast-moving images on a screen, or even fluorescent lighting in a store', making them want to turn away and close their eyes.
The disease can also cause hearing issues, and there have been many reported cases of sudden onset or progressive hearing loss as the primary or sole symptom.