I was struck by lightning and managed to survive – but my eyes changed colour
A WOMAN who was struck by lightning and lived to tell the tale has revealed how it made her eyes change colour.
Carly Electric, as she’s known, has always been fascinated with lightning, even going as far as having three tattoos dedicated to the weather phenomenon.
So when a storm took place, she immediately rushed outside to get a better view.
But then, as she was recording, the 30-year-old was struck.
“I had goosebumps travelling up and down my arms in waves,” the stand-up comedian said.
“When I went to look at myself in the mirror, I saw that my pupils were massive.
“It felt as though I’d been drugged.
“I was covered in sweat, light-headed and almost euphoric.
“Then suddenly, I lost all feeling in my limbs.
“I couldn’t move, not even an inch.”
Carly, from Queensland, Australia, asked her roommate to call an ambulance right away in December 2023.
She was rushed to hospital, terrified.
Carly said: “By the time I got into the ambulance, my feet and hands had gone completely blue.
“All I could move was my head and neck.
“Although I was awake, I was struggling to breathe.
“And soon enough, I only had the ability to swallow and gulp air.
“Doctors swarmed around me, and I felt myself drifting away.”
After a few hours of going in and out of consciousness, she had feeling back in her fingers and toes.
Doctors swarmed around me, and I felt myself drifting away
Carly Electric
Medics diagnosed her with keraunoparalysis, a rare neurological issue causing temporary paralysis, with Carly left unable to move for nine hours.
She said, “My speech was still slurred, though they could see how shocked I was.
“I showed them my tattoos and joked that I had always said how ironic it’d be if I was ever struck by lightning.
“I guess the universe already had my fate written out for me.”
After two weeks, she was almost back to her old self.
‘My previously green eyes are now dark brown’
But the lightning strike has left her permanently changed.
She added, “My previously green eyes are now dark brown.
“When I looked it up online, I discovered it wasn’t uncommon for this to happen in people who had been electrocuted.
“The top of my head is very sensitive, where I was hit – it’s hot to the touch, so I have to avoid it when brushing my hair.
“It’s also helped within my dating life, with men intrigued to hear more about my near-death experience.
“I genuinely think it was a lucky bolt, as my life has gotten so much better since.
“I’ll always get goosebumps whenever there’s a storm.
“And statistically, I’m more likely to get struck again now I’ve already been hit. “I’m certainly not going to take any chances.”
How to stay safe when there's lightning
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises things to avoid during a lightning storm:
When thunder roars, go indoors
- Find a safe, enclosed shelter when you hear thunder. Even if you see blue sky, you could still be in danger.
- Don’t resume outdoor activities for at least 30 minutes after the storm. The beginning and the end of a storm are the most dangerous times.
- If you hear thunder while you are at the beach, find a safe, enclosed shelter, such as your car. Do NOT seek shelter under beach picnic shelters.
Avoid water
- Do not bathe, shower, wash dishes, or have any other contact with water during a thunderstorm because lightning can travel through a building’s plumbing
- The risk of lightning travelling through plumbing might be less with plastic pipes than with metal pipes. However, it is best to avoid any contact with plumbing and running water during a lightning storm to reduce your risk of being struck.
Don’t touch electronic equipment
- Do not use anything connected to an electrical outlet, such as computers, laptops, game systems, washers, dryers, or stoves.
- Equip your home with whole-house surge protectors to protect your appliances.
Avoid windows, doors, porches and concrete
- Stay away from windows and doors, and stay off porches.
- Do not lie on concrete floors or lean on concrete walls during a thunderstorm. Lightning can travel through any metal wires or bars in concrete walls or flooring.
Don’t use corded phones
Corded phones are not safe to use during a thunderstorm. Do NOT use them. However, it is safe to use cordless or cellular phones during a storm.