Morro Bay councilman requests time off

August 28, 2015

Morro Bay Councilman Matt Makowetski is requesting up to 90 days off as he battles what he describes as a “very persistent eye infection.”

In a letter to Mayor Jamie Irons, Makowetski said he has been battling the eye infection for about six weeks, and it is making it very difficult for him to do daily tasks, let alone serve on the council. Makowetski said he will return to the council when physically able, and if he does not recuperate, he will notify the council as soon as possible.

Makowetsi has a condition called Acanthamoeba keratitis, according to a Tribune report. The condition is caused by a bacterial invasion in the cornea of the eye in individuals who wear contact lenses.

The councilman believes he may have scratched the cornea of his eye this summer while surfing or spearfishing. Since early July, he has had a painful infection that makes it difficult to read and causes sensitivity to light, he said.

Makowetski told the Tribune he mostly sits in a dark room with an eye patch on. The pain has made it virtually impossible for him to read staff reports and prepare for a council meeting, he said.

The councilman said he is receiving weekly treatment. In the worst-case scenario, Matkowetski would have to undergo a cornea replacement surgery.

The council is expected to address Matkowetski’s requested leave of absence at its Sept. 8 meeting. It is likely the council will proceed with four members while he recovers.

Morro Bay voters elected Matkowetski in 2014, a year in which George Leage and Nancy Johnson left the council. The current council leans left and is not as divided as Morro Bay councils of recent years.