A Winnipeg woman is talking with CTV News about a sudden and violent encounter in the hopes information will help police find the suspect.

The attack happened Sunday afternoon around 2 p.m. in the Exchange District.

"It feels like someone took a handful of sand and put it in your eye and shut it and said go to sleep, so it's not the most comfortable thing ever,“ said Brittney Thomas-Ljungberg from her hospital room at Misericordia Health Centre.

The 28-year-old said a man punched her in the face near the corner of Rupert Avenue and Princess Street out of nowhere, and for no reason.

Thomas-Ljungberg and her partner, Mike Fox, were about to go for lunch, when she said a man threw a punch knocking her to the ground.

"At that point I ran towards him. He kinda paused, looked a little bewildered and then took off and I returned to my partner who was screaming and bleeding everywhere,” said Fox.

They drove to the hospital where doctors operated to stitch up Thomas-Ljungberg's cornea and eye-lid.

Winnipeg police are investigating and say the attack appears to be random.

“I wouldn't wish this on anyone in any situation no wants to be randomly attacked anywhere,” said Thomas-Ljungberg. “The eye is fairly delicate and can be slightly gross, scary place to have damaged.”

Thomas-Ljungberg is staying positive, surrounded by family and friends, hoping for a speedy recovery.

“It’s stalled her completely for school and work and everything else but we'll take it one day and one moment at a time,”said her mom, Janice Thomas.

Thomas-Ljungberg said the assault has left her pupil off centre, but she will keep her eye. Still, the fate of her vision is unclear.

Thomas-Ljungberg said she's meeting with a retina specialist on Friday to learn more about her eye.

Winnipeg police said Monday there weren't any security cameras pointing in the exact direction of where the attack took place.

Thomas-Ljungberg said there was a man nearby who was helpful and another couple in the area who may have seen something.

Winnipeg police say the suspect is described as a man, indigenous in appearance, between 18 and 25 years old, with short brown hair, between 5’6” and 5'8” tall.