DR. ANURADHA

Prof.Rakesh Maggon, Dr.ANKUJ TINNA, Dr.Ishan Aggarwal

Abstract

External ophthalmomyasis is not an uncommon, but easily missed condition. We report a series of three cases of external ophthalmomyasis, that we encountered at our centre within a period of one week. The patients were middle aged males who developed symptoms while working outdoors. All patients gave history of feeling of something going in the eye, followed by mild irritation, which markedly increased after a few hours, along with a feeling of something moving in the eye. On examination, multiple white transparent larvae like organisms were seen in the palpebral conjunctiva and conjunctival cul-de-sac. The organisms showed aversion to light of slit lamp. However, on attempted removal many were found to be latched on to the conjunctiva. The larvae were removed from the eyes under slit lamp and microbiological analysis was done which revealed them to be instars of the Muscae fly. To our knowledge this is the first case series reported from Punjab, and also from the Indian armed forces.