Eye parasites are round and flat, more rarely marigolds and quilworms, fly and mosquito larvae. After entering the human body, they gradually spread through it, damaging tissues and organs. Most of them can parasitize in human eyes and provoke the development of ophthalmic helminthiasis.
Clinically, these severe pathologies manifest themselves in pain, burning, itching, visual disturbances and lacrimation. Immediately after the diagnosis is made, surgical and (or) conservative treatment is carried out.
Diseases caused by parasites in the eyes
More than 50 pathogens causing ophthalmic helminthiasis in humans are known. Some penetrate directly through the mucous membrane and damage the conjunctiva or tear ducts. Others infect the eyeball from the inside and move in with a flow of blood from the intestines or liver. Parasites actively begin to grow and multiply and lay eggs, which leads to partial or complete loss of vision.
The most commonly diagnosed ophthalmic helminthiasis:
- Onchocerciasis- helminthiasis caused by the parasitism of Onchocerca nematodes (Onchocercias) in the human body. Its specific symptom is the "opacity" of the cornea of the eye;
- Ophthalmomyasisis a parasitic disease of the eye and its limbs that occurs when the larvae of flies or gadflies enter. In severe cases of myiasis, retinal detachment or atrophy of the optic nerve is possible.
- Dirofilariasis- helminthiasis that occurs when the filamentous nematode larva enters the eyeball. The movements of the worms produce a burning sensation, severe pain and itching;
- Sparganoseis a human disease of the cestodose group caused by larvae of tapeworms of the genus Spirometra. Infection occurs primarily when eating meat from wild animals;
- Toxocariosisis a chronic infectious disease caused by the larvae of the Toxocara roundworm. The source of infection is a sick animal (usually a dog);
- Toxoplasmosisis a chronic parasitic invasion caused by intracellular protozoa (Toxoplasma). Their vital activity is accompanied by the constant release of allergens and toxins;
- Cenurosisis a predominantly chronic disease that occurs after infection with helminths from the group of cestodoses of the Taenia multiceps species. A person becomes infected through contact with dogs;
- Cysticercosis- a disease caused by a pork tapeworm larva that can lead to impaired vision and blindness;
- Gnatostomosis- The disease causes severe pain and often leads to death. The worms that cause this disease more often affect the skin, less often the central nervous system and eyes.
- Echinococcosis of the eyesis a fairly common disease. It is characterized by the formation of parasitic cysts in the orbital zone. Echinococcosis occurs when the parasite's eggs are ingested with food or water.
- Eye demodicosis, caused by the activation of mites that live in the sebum glands of the eyelashes.
- Trichinosisis a parasitic pathology that develops after the introduction of Trichinella spirali nematodes into the human body.
It is not sexually mature individuals and larvae that are dangerous to the eyes, but the toxins that they release. They cause swelling of the eyelids and reddening of the mucous membranes.
Symptoms of eye parasites
Each helminthic invasion has its own specific symptoms. But they also have many common signs of damage to the mucous membranes and deeper eye structures.
In the initial stages of the development of the pathology, typical manifestations of conjunctivitis appear:
- reddening of the outer covering of the eyeball;
- increased tear flow rate;
- photophobia;
- swelling of the upper and lower eyelids;
- pain, itching, burning;
- headache in the temples and back of the head;
- slight increase in local temperature.
Young children and weak people develop symptoms of generalized intoxication of the body. The temperature rises above the subfebrile values (37, 1-38, 0 ° C), the appetite decreases due to nausea and vomiting.
In contrast to many infections that are caused by viruses, bacteria and fungi, the course of helminthic invasions is accompanied by signs of damage to other organs. These are wandering muscle pain, dry skin, delayed hair growth, and indigestion.
How to remove parasites from your eyes
Diptera larvae, protozoa, ticks and other pathogens causing parasitic diseases can quickly destroy the eye structures. Therefore, treatment is carried out immediately after diagnosis. When choosing therapeutic tactics, doctors take into account the nature of the infectious agents, the severity of the course of the disease and the severity of symptoms.
When an infected person with advanced helminth invasion see a doctor, conservative treatment often does not work.
Parasitic worms must be surgically removed - by opening and draining abscesses according to generally accepted rules.
And then follows a long rehabilitation phase with anthelmintics.
Folk Remedies
Even long-term use of powerful modern anthelmintics is often ineffective for such diseases. Urgent surgical removal of larvae, eggs, and sexually mature individuals is required.
And traditional medicine is completely powerless when the eyes are infested with helminths. Neither tansy, nor centaury, or bitter wormwood are able to cope with an eye invasion.
The use of decoctions and infusions slightly alleviates symptoms, so the patient postpones the doctor's visit. Meanwhile, inflammatory and destructive processes intensify and spread in his eyeballs. They predispose to retinal detachment, total or partial blindness.
Medicines
Various treatment regimens have been developed for eye diseases caused by worms. Individual therapy is only carried out by specially trained parasitologists. The fact is that after the death of helminths and their decomposition, intraocular toxic-allergic reactions can develop. Only an experienced doctor can minimize the consequences.
The following drugs are used to kill parasitic worms:
- antinematodic;
- anti-cestodial;
- antitrematode;
- broad spectrum drugs.
For external agents, special solutions are used to rinse the eyes. Antihistamines must be included in therapy regimens, and if necessary antibiotics and antimycotics.
Preventive measures
Myiasis infection occurs when the lining of the eyes comes into contact with flies, mosquitoes, and gadflies. Therefore, for infectious diseases, doctors advise using repellants in the form of aerosols, gels and ointments. Smoke bombs with insecticides are quite good at deterring insects in nature.
But eggs and larvae of parasitic worms are introduced into the human body mainly with food. They are unstable to temperature effects - they die when heated and boiled. It is also necessary to wash fruits and vegetables from the market and store them well.
Parasitic eye diseases cannot be independently diagnosed and cured.
They are often disguised as bacterial, viral fungal infections. And only later do their peculiarities appear.
A timely doctor visit will help save eyesight and avoid its loss.