Parasites in the eyes are a pretty scary phenomenon that threatens a person’s life. This is a complication that occurs if the underlying disease is not cured on time. In practice, the problem affects both eyes at once. And if it has come, then you should contact a specialist as soon as possible.
How do parasites appear in the eyes of a person?
Immediately in the eyes of the parasite can not appear. He immigrates there from another part of the body. After all, it is the eyeball that is the most safe habitat for it. Eye contact is a very long process. That is why other human organs begin to be affected first.
Parasites living in the eyes cause the following disease options:
- River blindness.
- Toxocariasis.
- Telazios.
- Cysticercosis.
- Ophthalmomyasis.
- Bailisaskaridosis.
- Opisthorchiasis.
- Acanthamoebic keratitis.
Often parasites in the eyes appear due to wearing contact lenses. Therefore, before putting them on, you should carefully follow the rules of hygiene and wash your hands with antibacterial soap.
Species of parasites
Today, a huge number of eye parasites are isolated, which can occur in humans:
- Trypanosomacruzi causes Chagas disease.
- Amoeba Acanthamoeba is the causative agent of acanthamoebic keratitis.
- Loaloa leads to the appearance of loiasis.
- Dirofilariarepens, as well as Dirofilariaimmitis, are worms that cause dirofilariasis.
- Toxoplasmagondii cause toxoplasmosis.
- Baylisascarisprocyonis is considered to be the causative agent of bailisascaridosis.
- Echinococcosis appears due to worms such as Alveococcusmultilocularis and Echinococcus granulosus.
- Taenia solium, or rather their larvae, cause cysticercosis.
- River blindness appears due to Onchocercavolvulus.
- The causative agents of ophthalmomyiasis are several types of parasites. Among them: Cochliomyiahominivorax, H. Bovis, Oestrusovis, Dermatobiahominis and others.
- Toxocariasis is caused by such worms as Toxocara cati, Toxocara canis.
- Ascaris lumbricoides cause ascariasis.
Ophthalmomyiasis
Myases are many parasitic diseases caused by fly larvae. These insects become carriers of parasites, including eye worms, which can affect humans. Such a disease can lead to glaucoma, retinal detachment. In a neglected form, cases of removal of the affected eye are not uncommon.
Prevention of the disease - avoidance of any contact with flies (even ordinary domestic species), as well as their larvae. But if these parasites are wound in the eyes, the symptoms may be as follows:
- eating of soft tissues to bones (ulcers, wounds on the body);
- a reddish filiform thickening in the places of the parasite.
Loaz
For residents of Russia and the CIS, loiasis is a rather exotic and rare disease. More often it is found in Africa. The causative agent of the disease is helminth. If parasites appeared in the eyes of a person, the symptoms will be as follows:
- discomfort in the eyes;
- if the helminth is present in the anterior chamber of the eye, then a person can see it, as if in a mirror image.
Due to the fact that there is a risk of eye inflammation, you should consult a doctor at the first sign.
Bailisaskaridosis
Ascaris raccoons cause a disease such as bailisaskaridosis. Larvae enter the human organs through the circulatory system. They also get in the eyes. The result is inflammation of the optic nerve, which can lead to blindness. In addition, a person develops an allergic reaction that leads to anaphylactic shock.
You can become infected by contact with raccoons. Ascaris eggs can be found on their coat. Moreover, they survive in the heat and in the cold. The only option for prevention is no contact with these animals.
Keratitis Kantamebny
People who wear contact lenses are prone to a condition such as catnambic keratitis. The infection process is as follows:
- a person rinses contact lenses with running water;
- parasites settle on them;
- the next time you put on contact lenses, microorganisms enter the eyes.
The disease is manifested as follows:
- fever appears;
- strong pain in the muscles;
- dizziness occurs;
- suddenly there are bouts of vomiting that do not bring any relief.
A good prognosis for an infected person is possible if you consult a doctor on time. Diagnostic measures will be carried out, after which the specialist will prescribe drug therapy. If treatment is not available, then there is a chance of earning blindness in both eyes.
River blindness
Onchocerciasis, or river blindness, is rare in Russia and the CIS. According to statistics, these are 10 cases per 100,000 population. In African countries, such a disease is widespread.
The carrier of the parasites that cause this problem are black flies. They inhabit water bodies and breed near rivers. When a fly lands on a person, it introduces parasites under the skin. And if the bite of a fly fell on a place that is located in close proximity to the eyes, then the probability of the parasite migrating into the eyeball increases dramatically.
River blindness is well and quickly treated with medication. However, if you do not consult a doctor, there is a possibility:
- the appearance of inflammation of the retina;
- circulatory disorders in the eyes;
- get blindness.
In the most advanced cases, it is necessary to completely remove the affected eyeball.
Opisthorchiasis
From the liver, helminths common in humans, such as opisthorchias, can migrate to the eyes. In some cases, with a complication of the disease, irreversible loss of vision is possible. As a rule, both eyes immediately suffer. Symptoms of the problem are damage to the vessels of the eye. This can lead to hemorrhage.
With opisthorchiasis of the eyes, a five-day therapy is prescribed with the use of a drug such as Chloxicol. In parallel, choleretic drugs are prescribed.
Echinococcal lesion
Echinococcus is a parasite that is localized in the intestine. If it gets into the blood, it can get into:
- bones;
- muscle
- lungs;
- liver;
- eyes.
Due to the ingestion of a parasite in a particular area, a cyst appears, which increases in size over time. At the same time, the human eye is “pushed out”, there is eye-eye. The patient blinks with difficulty, the mucous membrane begins to dry out, the eyelids become thin, edema occurs on them. The patient himself constantly feels a foreign body.
Parasites in the human eye: treatment
Parasites in the eyes (photo confirms this) is a terrible phenomenon. That is why when discomfort occurs, you should immediately consult a doctor in order to identify the problem in time. When parasites appear in the eyes, treatment is the only way to get rid of them. Often, therapy consists in eliminating symptomatic phenomena. That is why experts prescribe the following groups of drugs:
- Anthelmintic.
- Antihistamines.
- Sulfonamide.
- Detoxification.
When choosing a specific medication for a patient, the doctor is guided by two principles:
- It reveals which worms have entered the human eye.
- He studies the characteristics of the body of his patient.
After the therapeutic course has come to an end, studies have shown the absence of parasites, and the patient's eyes look completely healthy, you can return to a full life. If concomitant symptoms or problems remain, they must be eliminated. So, it is recommended:
- Rinse eyes thoroughly for a week.
- Use "Tobramycin" - an antibiotic that should be instilled into the eyes for 1-2 drops per day. You can use any other similar drug.
- Instead of drops, there is an opportunity in the pharmacy to purchase an ointment, which is prescribed for helminthiases.
It is impossible to be treated independently if parasites appear in the eyes! Otherwise, it is likely to get complications that will be either irreversible or require close and prolonged therapy under the supervision of a specialist.
If the worms are inside the eyeball, then you will have to resort to surgical intervention. To prevent this, each person should carefully monitor their eyes, observe all hygiene rules and pay attention to the slightest changes in their condition. This will help to do without surgery and subsequent long-term rehabilitation.
All helminthic infestations develop very quickly. Therefore, only a surgical operation in some cases can save a person from blindness or even death. Today, several surgical methods are used in medicine to remove parasites from the human eye:
- Vitrectomy is a surgical procedure during which the vitreous is partially or completely removed.
- Photocoagulation - treatment using a pulsed light source.
The doctor will help determine the method of effective treatment. He will prescribe the correct therapy after surgery, and will also monitor the rehabilitation process of his patient.
Preventive measures
Parasites in the eyes are a rare occurrence, but there is no certainty that it will not occur. To avoid such an ailment in life, you should carefully follow simple rules:
- Observe general and personal hygiene.
- At the slightest concern, you should immediately consult a doctor. This is the only way to help yourself maintain vision and health.
- Constantly destroy insects, which can be potential carriers of these unpleasant problems.
- You can use special ointments that do not allow parasite larvae to penetrate the body.
Then the parasites in the eyes will not start. And a person will live a full life.