Polly Bibby said her eyes “were burning and it got to the point where I was losing my vision and I couldn’t see at all”

NEED TO KNOW

A bride-to-be was shocked when she experienced an allergic reaction to her eyelash extensions just weeks before her big day.

Polly Bibby from Cambridgeshire, U.K., decided to get fake eyelashes to feel like a “princess” on her wedding day, according to Kennedy News and Media.

After getting a test patch done, the future wife decided to get the cosmetic procedure. She had the treatment done on July 5 and was pleased with the results.

However, a few hours later she began to experience an allergic reaction.

Bibby, 26, said her eyes became watery and tender, and then they started to sting and stick together with discharge. Worried, the bride-to-be contacted emergency services and was advised to go to the hospital.

After being seen at Hinchingbrooke Hospital, a nurse confirmed that she had suffered an allergic reaction to her eyelash extensions.

Bibby was given antibiotics, antihistamines and advised to get the fake lashes removed after the swelling subsided.

Photos show her with red, swollen eyelids at different stages of the allergic reaction.

“The only way I can describe [how I looked] is the man from The Goonies with the big puffy eyes called Sloth. I just didn’t look like myself, I looked like a different person,” she said, per Kennedy News and Media.

Beyond the shocking appearance, Bibby also experienced a lot of pain in her eyes. “They were burning and it got to the point where I was losing my vision and I couldn’t see at all,” she recalled.

She continued, “Every time I blinked, my eyes were sticking together as I had discharge building up on my eyes.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Getting her fake lashes removed didn’t immediately resolve the problem. She recalled the painful process, saying, “It was like pouring acid [on my face].”

The bride added, “I was screaming, crying and tensing up… My eyes are still red, scabby and very rashy. The eyelids themselves are really swollen and I’ve still got quite blurry vision.”

Bibby shared her experience to caution other brides against getting new treatments shortly before their big day.

The bride, who eventually tied the knot with Benjamin May on July 27, said, “I didn’t realize that when people joke around and say things are going to go wrong [on your wedding day], I didn’t realize it would happen to me.”

She added, “Going through that pain was not worth it. If I knew in hindsight, I’d just use mascara.”

Bibby said, “I’d hate anyone else to go through this.”

According to Medical News Today, eyelash extensions can cause allergic reactions in the eyelids and the eyes.

The allergic reaction can appear as soon as minutes after the procedure. It is typically caused when a person is allergic to the adhesive used to attach the fake lashes.