Eye parasites are round and straight, fewer annelids and thorny worms, flies and mosquito larvae. It penetrates the human body and gradually spreads through it, damaging tissues and organs. Most of them have the ability to parasitize the human eye, which leads to the development of ophthalmic helminthiasis.
Clinically, these severe pathologies are manifested by pain, burning, itching, visual disturbances, lacrimation. Surgical and (or) conservative treatment is performed immediately after diagnosis.
Diseases caused by parasites in the eye
More than 50 causes of ophthalmic helminthiasis in humans are known. Some penetrate directly through the mucous membrane, damaging the conjunctiva or lacrimal ducts. Others infect the eye by moving in a blood stream 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:
- onhocerciasis- Helminthiasis caused by parasitism in the human body by Onchocerci nematodes (onchocercias). A special symptom is the "cloudiness" of the cornea;
- ophthalmomyasisis a parasitic disease of the eye and its appendages that occurs when the larvae of mosquitoes or skin beetles enter. In cases of severe myasthenia gravis, retinal detachment or optic nerve atrophy is possible;
- dirofilariasisis a helminthiasis that develops when a filamentous nematode larva invades the pupil. The movements of the worms cause a burning sensation, severe pain and itching;
- sparganosisis a human disease from the group of cestodes caused by the larvae of tapeworms of the genus Spirometra. Infection occurs mainly when eating meat from wild animals;
- toxocariasistoxocara is a chronic infectious disease caused by the larvae of the roundworm. The source of infection is a sick animal (usually a dog);
- toxoplasmosisis a chronic parasitic invasion caused by an intracellular protozoa (toxoplasmosis). Their vital activity is accompanied by the continuous release of allergens and toxins;
- coenurosisis a chronic disease that occurs mainly after infection with helminths from the group of cystodoses of Taenia multiceps species. A person becomes infected through contact with dogs;
- cysticercosis- a disease caused by the larvae of a tapeworm that can cause vision loss and blindness;
- gnatostomosis- the disease causes severe pain and often death. The worms that cause this disease affect more skin, less the central nervous system, and the 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 parasitic eggs with food or water.
- eye demodicosisis caused by the activation of ticks living in the sebaceous glands of the eyelashes.
- Trichinosisis a parasitic pathology that develops after the introduction of Trichinella spiral nematodes into the human body.
Sexually mature individuals and larvae are dangerous to the eyes, but the toxins they release. They cause swelling of the eyelids and redness of the mucous membranes.
Eye parasite symptoms
Each helminthic fever has its own symptoms. However, there are many common symptoms that damage the mucous membranes and deeper eye structures.
Typical manifestations of conjunctivitis occur in the early stages of pathology:
- redness of the outer layer of the eyeball;
- increased lacrimation;
- photophobia;
- swelling of the upper and lower eyelids;
- pain, itching, burning;
- headaches localized in the temples and back of the head;
- Slight increase in local temperature.
Young children and vulnerable people develop general signs of intoxication. The temperature rises above subfebrile values (37. 1-38. 0 ° C), appetite decreases due to nausea and vomiting attacks.
Unlike many infections caused by viruses, bacteria and fungi, the course of helminthic invasions is accompanied by signs of damage to other organs. These include migraine muscle aches, dry skin, delayed hair growth and indigestion.
How to get rid of parasites from your eyes
Pathogens of diptera larvae, protozoa, ticks and other parasitic diseases can rapidly destroy eye structures. Therefore, treatment is carried out immediately after diagnosis. When choosing therapeutic tactics, doctors take into account the type of infectious agents, the severity of the disease and the severity of symptoms.If an infected person sees a doctor with advanced helminthic invasion, then conservative treatment often does not work.
Parasitic worms should be removed surgically - by opening and emptying abscesses according to generally accepted rules.
And then comes a long rehabilitation period with the use of anthelmintic drugs.
Folk remedies
Long-term use of strong modern anthelmintic drugs is often ineffective in such diseases. Larvae, eggs and sexually mature individuals require emergency surgical removal.
And when the eyes are affected by helminths, traditional medicine becomes completely weak. Neither tansy, nor centaury, nor bitter wormwood can cope with eye invasion.
The use of mixtures and infusions relieves symptoms a little, so the patient delays a visit to the doctor. At this time, inflammatory and destructive processes intensify and spread to the pupil. They are prone to retinal detachment, complete or partial blindness.
Medications
Various treatment regimens have been developed for ophthalmic diseases caused by worms. Individual therapy is performed only by specially trained parasitologists. The fact is that after the helminths and their decomposition can develop intraocular toxic-allergic reactions. Only an experienced doctor can minimize their consequences.
The following drugs are used to kill parasitic worms:
- nematodic;
- anti-cestodial;
- antitrematod;
- broad-spectrum drugs.
Special solutions are used to rinse the eyes for foreign substances. Antihistamines should be included in therapeutic regimens and, if necessary, antibiotics and antifungals.
Preventive measures
Infection with miyazis occurs when the mucous membrane of the eye comes into contact with flies, cracks, gadflies. Therefore, infectious disease doctors recommend the use of repellents in the form of aerosols, gels, ointments. Smoke bombs with insecticides scare away insects in nature very well.
However, the eggs and larvae of parasitic worms enter the human body mainly through food. They are unstable to the effects of heat - they die when heated and boiled. Fruits and vegetables brought from the market should also be washed and stored well.
Parasitic eye diseases cannot be diagnosed and treated independently.
They are often disguised as bacterial, viral, fungal infections. And only as it progresses do different features emerge.
Timely consultation with a doctor will help to prevent vision loss.