The latest season of Netflix’s Love Is Blind began with an unexpected medical emergency for contestant Elissa Finley. During the initial “pod” phase of the show, where participants date without seeing each other, Finley accidentally applied nail glue to her eye, mistaking it for eye drops. The incident required immediate medical attention and a trip to the hospital, raising concerns about potential vision loss.
According to an interview with Tudum, Finley, an ICU nurse, was midway through a series of dates when she reached for what she believed to be eye drops. “I was midway through one of the days when I’d gone on four dates, and there was a break,” she explained. “I went into the dressing room, and I just saw a little bottle on the table that looked like eye drops that we use in the hospital.” Upon application, she immediately realized her mistake, describing the substance as “thick.”
Finley’s quick thinking and the presence of contact lenses likely prevented a more severe outcome. She instinctively held her eye open, recognizing that closing it could cause the glue to pull off skin. “Luckily, I had contacts in, which ended up saving my eyeball,” she stated. Despite her desire to continue dating, medical personnel insisted on transporting her to a hospital for treatment.
Doctors diagnosed Finley with a corneal abrasion. The treatment involved flushing her eye with saline solution to remove the adhesive. She was relieved to have her vision and eyelashes intact, though her eye continued to be sore even after treatment. “I had to sit there with a bag of saline, just flushing my eye. I got the glue out, and then I saved my lashes, thankfully,” Finley recounted.
The incident occurred during the premiere episode of Season 10, which launched on . Finley returned to the experiment the following day sporting an eye patch. Despite the ordeal, she maintained a positive attitude, joking about her commitment to the show’s premise. “I had to wear an eye patch home, so that was fun,” she said. When a fellow contestant remarked on her dedication to the “blind” aspect of the show, Finley quipped, “I’m really committing.”
Chris Coelen, the creator of Love Is Blind, confirmed the incident in a statement to EW, though details beyond what Finley shared were not disclosed. The show’s producers were quick to respond, ensuring Finley received immediate medical care.
Finley, a 38-year-old nurse from Ohio, detailed the experience to her fellow contestants, describing the shock of realizing her mistake. “I go in and there’s a little bottle there, and I wanted to put eye drops in my eye. It was nail glue,” she explained. “I was scared,” she continued. “I thought I was gonna lose sight. Nail glue, what?!” She also noted that her eyesight remained blurry and “still hurts a little bit” even after receiving treatment. The hospital staff used an IV bag and tubing to continuously flush her eye with saline solution to dislodge the glue.
The incident highlights the unusual pressures and circumstances of the Love Is Blind experiment. Contestants are intentionally placed in a highly artificial environment designed to foster emotional connections without the distraction of physical appearance. The accidental application of nail glue to the eye underscores the potential for unexpected events and the importance of immediate medical response in such a setting.
Despite the frightening experience, Finley remains focused on finding a meaningful connection. She expressed her desire for a partner who wants to build a life together, sharing her hopes for simple pleasures like grocery shopping, cooking, and watching television with a loved one. “They want to take me home but not take me home to mama,” she told Netflix, indicating her desire for a serious relationship.
