Indian man complains of blurry vision, doctors find live worm in his eye: Report

Doctors said the patient was fortunate the parasite hadn’t burrowed into his brain, a known risk with gnathostomiasis. (Representational image: Unsplash)

A 35-year-old man in India who had been experiencing blurry vision and a bloodshot eye for months was shocked to learn that the cause wasn’t a lens issue — it was a live worm wriggling inside his eyeball.

The case, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, details how doctors discovered the parasite lodged in the vitreous humor — the gel-like substance between the lens and retina — of the man’s left eye. His pupil was blown wide open and unresponsive, and his vision had deteriorated to 20/80.

Doctors performed a pars plana vitrectomy, a procedure typically reserved for retinal repairs. Small incisions were made in the sclera, and a suction tool was used to extract the parasite — alive and still moving, Vice reported.

Under a microscope, the worm was identified as Gnathostoma spinigerum, a parasitic species native to India. The infection, known as gnathostomiasis, is typically contracted through eating of undercooked meat. Once inside the human body, the larvae travel through the stomach and intestines, often mimicking other illnesses before migrating to organs — including the eyes.

Doctors said the patient was fortunate the parasite hadn’t burrowed into his brain, a known risk with gnathostomiasis. Post-surgery, he was treated with anti-parasitic medication and steroids. Eight weeks later, the inflammation had subsided, but his vision had not returned. He developed a cataract — a known complication following vitrectomy.

Similar incident

In May, a Mumbai-based eye specialist removed a 10-cm-long live worm from the eye of a 60-year-old man who had complained of pricking pain. According to Dr Devanshi Shah, if the worm was not removed, it could have proven life-threatening, the doctor said.

If the worm had travelled to his heart, the man could have had cardio-vascular problems. It could even prove deadly if the worm had reached his brain, Dr Shah told India Today.

After the surgery, the man reportedly regained his vision and his eye did not hurt anymore.

Read more: 8-year-old girl vomits live worms for a month, doctors discover it was caused by drain flies