GoKawiilDoctors in South Korea remove 11 live Thelazia eye worms from farmer's eyes
A 71-year-old crop farmer in South Korea sought treatment after two months of eye irritation, redness and blurred vision. Ophthalmologists found and removed 11 living Thelazia callipaeda roundworms, some pregnant with larvae, using forceps after numbing his eyes with a topical anesthetic. The case was documented in the New England Journal of Medicine.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The case illustrates how Thelazia callipaeda, a parasite typically found in cats and dogs, can occasionally infect humans who work closely with animals or outdoors, as reported by the treating doctors. Its documented spread across Asia and into parts of Europe suggests clinicians in new regions may need to consider it when diagnosing persistent eye irritation of unclear origin.
- 11 live Thelazia callipaeda roundworms were extracted from a man's eyes in South Korea.
- Some of the worms were pregnant, meaning larvae could have been released directly into his eyes.
- The parasite normally infects cats and dogs but has spread to humans across Asia and parts of Europe.
Source: arstechnica.com, 2026-10-26
Published there as: “Worms mate in man's eyes, get plucked out right before larvae burst out”
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