Doctors Remove 5-Inch Worm From Patients Eye

Doctors in Mumbai, India recently removed a five-inch-long worm from a 75-year-old mans right eye.

PK Krishnamurthy was suffering from an irritated and itchy eye for a long period of time before finally deciding to visit his local doctors office. During his first visit the patient received an incorrect diagnosis and was prescribed medication for his ailment.

After returning to his doctor’s office and complaining that the condition had worsened Krishnamurthy’s doctors took a very close look at his eye. Shortly after the new test doctors discovered a worm living behind their patients eye and planed for minor surgery which was required to remove the uninvited guest.

According to Dr V Seetharaman, eye surgeon at Fortis Hospital in Mumbai in an interview with the Daily Mail:

‘Mr Krishnamurthy was lucky the worm was found in time. His symptoms have now disappeared but it appears he was lucky the worm traveled only as far as his eye.

Dr. Settharaman continues:

‘If it had not been removed it could have entered the patient’s brain and caused major neurological problems.’

Doctors are not sure how the worm ended up behind their patients eye and they tell AFP that the worm lived for nearly 30 minutes after it was removed.

The worm has since been sent to a microbiology laboratory for further testing.

According to Dr S Narayani:

“Such cases are not unknown but they are unusual for their rarity. Somehow the worm gets into the bloodstream and grows inside the human body.”