# South Korean doctors remove 11 eye worms carrying developing larvae

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/worms-mate-in-mans-eyes-get-plucked-out-right-before-larvae-burst-out/
- Published: 2026-10-26T20:27:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-26T21:52:16+00:00
- Original publisher: Ars Technica
- Original article: https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/10/whats-worse-than-having-eye-worms-having-eye-worms-with-babies/
- Topics: Research, Science

## Key points

- Doctors removed 11 worms from a farmer’s eyes.
- Some female worms were carrying developing larvae.
- His symptoms cleared after removal without medication.

## Summary

Doctors in South Korea removed 11 living parasitic worms from a 71-year-old farmer’s eyes after he had two months of redness, blurred vision and irritation. The case matters because some of the female worms were carrying developing larvae, which began emerging after removal.

The worms were identified as *Thelazia callipaeda*, a species usually found in cats’ and dogs’ eyes that can reach people via flies feeding on eye secretions. The adults had mated in the man’s eyes; numbing drops and forceps were used to remove them, and no antiparasitic medicine was needed. His symptoms had resolved and no worms were seen at a check-up two months later.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.