South Korean doctors remove 11 eye worms carrying developing larvae
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.
In short
- Doctors removed 11 worms from a farmer’s eyes.
- Some female worms were carrying developing larvae.
- His symptoms cleared after removal without medication.
Explained simply
Thelazia callipaeda is a parasitic worm most often found in the eyes of cats and dogs. It can also infect people when flies that feed on eye secretions carry the parasite from one host to another.
An infection can cause irritation, redness and blurred vision. Doctors can remove the worms from the eye, and the case is of interest because the parasites had mated and some of the females were carrying developing larvae.
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Originally published by Ars Technica as “Worms mate in man’s eyes, get plucked out right before larvae burst out”.