Gripping a sharp pointed tool — possibly an awl — Louis inadvertently plunged it into his eye. The damage was irreversible. Worse still, the infection soon spread to his other eye.
Acs vairs nebija glābjama, vēl ļaunāk — infekcija drīz izplatījās uz otru aci, un trīs gadu vecumā Luijs kļuva pilnīgi akls.