Eye parasites are round and flat, less often annelids and spiny-headed worms, fly and mosquito larvae. Having penetrated into the human body, they gradually spread through it, damaging tissues and organs. Most of them are capable of parasitizing in human eyes, provoking the development of ophthalmic helminthiasis.
Clinically, these severe pathologies are manifested by pain, burning sensation, itching, visual disturbances, and lacrimation. Immediately after the diagnosis is made, surgical and (or) conservative treatment is performed.
Diseases caused by parasites in the eyes
More than 50 causative agents of ophthalmic helminthiasis in humans are known. Some penetrate directly through the mucous membrane, damaging the conjunctiva or lacrimal ducts. Others infect the eyeball from the inside, moving into it with a stream of blood from the intestines or liver. Parasites begin to actively grow and multiply, laying 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 "cloudiness" of the cornea of the eye;
- ophthalmomyasisis a parasitic disease of the eye and its appendages, which occurs when the larvae of flies or gadflies enter. In severe cases of myiasis, retinal detachment or optic nerve atrophy is possible;
- dirofilariasis- helminthiasis that develops when the filamentous nematode larva invades the eyeball. The movements of the worms provoke a burning sensation, severe pain and itching;
- sparganosisis a human disease from the cestodosis group caused by larvae of tapeworms from the genus Spirometra. Infection occurs mainly when eating meat from wild animals;
- toxocariasisis a chronic infectious disease provoked 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;
- coenurosisis a predominantly chronic disease that occurs after infection with helminths from the group of cestodoses of the Taenia multiceps species. A person becomes infected by contact with dogs;
- cysticercosis- a disease caused by a pork tapeworm larva that can lead to decreased 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 develops due to the ingestion of parasite eggs with food or water.
- eye demodicosis, caused by the activation of mites that live in the sebaceous 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 they release. It is they who cause puffiness of the eyelids and redness of the mucous membranes.
Eye parasite symptoms
Each helminthic invasion has its own specific symptoms. But they also have many common signs of damage to mucous membranes and deeper ocular structures.
At the initial stages of the development of pathology, typical manifestations of conjunctivitis occur:
- redness of the outer shell of the eyeball;
- increased lacrimation;
- photophobia;
- swelling of the upper and lower eyelids;
- soreness, itching, burning;
- headaches localized in the temples and back of the head;
- slight increase in local temperature.
Young children and weak people develop symptoms of general intoxication of the body. The temperature rises above subfebrile values (37. 1-38. 0 ° C), appetite decreases due to attacks of nausea and vomiting.
Unlike many infections provoked by viruses, bacteria and fungi, the course of helminthic invasions is accompanied by signs of damage to other organs. These are migratory muscle pains, dry skin, retarded hair growth, and indigestion.
How to get rid of parasites from your eyes
Diptera larvae, protozoa, ticks and other pathogens of parasitic diseases can quickly destroy the eye structures. Therefore, treatment is carried out immediately after the diagnosis. When choosing therapeutic tactics, doctors take into account the type of infectious agents, the severity of the course of the disease and the severity of symptoms.
If an infected person goes to doctors with advanced helminthic invasion, then often conservative treatment does not work.
Parasitic worms must be removed surgically - by opening and draining abscesses according to generally accepted rules.
And then a long period of rehabilitation with the use of anthelmintic drugs follows.
Folk remedies
Even long-term use of powerful modern anthelmintic drugs is often ineffective in such diseases. Urgent surgical removal of larvae, eggs and sexually mature individuals is required.
And traditional medicine is completely powerless when the eyes are affected by helminths. Neither tansy, nor centaury, nor bitter wormwood are able to cope with ocular invasion.
The use of decoctions and infusions slightly alleviates the symptoms, so the patient postpones the visit to the doctor. Meanwhile, inflammatory and destructive processes intensify and spread in his eyeballs. They predispose to retinal detachment, complete or partial blindness.
Medicines
Various treatment regimens for ophthalmic diseases caused by worms have been developed. Individual therapy is carried out only 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 their consequences.
The following drugs are used to kill parasitic worms:
- anti-nematodic;
- anti-cestodial;
- antitrematode;
- broad-spectrum drugs.
For external agents, special solutions for rinsing the eyes are used. Antihistamines must be included in therapeutic regimens, and, if necessary, antibiotics and antimycotics.
Preventive measures
Infection with miasis occurs when the mucous membrane of the eyes comes into contact with flies, midges, and gadflies. Therefore, infectious disease doctors advise to use repellents in the form of aerosols, gels, ointments. Smoke bombs with insecticides scare away insects in nature quite well.
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 brought from the market and store well.
Parasitic eye diseases cannot be diagnosed and cured on their own.
They are often disguised as bacterial, viral, fungal infections. And only as they progress, their distinctive features appear.
A timely visit to a doctor will help to save vision, to avoid its loss.