Abstract

Study Design: Descriptive
Purpose: To highlight the clinical signs and symptoms in external ophthalmomyiasis caused by larvae of Oestrus ovis.
Methods: A descriptive study was conducted from January 2022 to March 2023 at a tertiary eye care centre in central India. Data was collected regarding common presenting features of patients with external ophthalmomyiasis.
Results: 59 cases of established ophthalmomyiasis with a similar organism were recorded. Presenting complaints were redness, pain, swelling of eye, foreign body sensation and watering. Cause was found to be first instar of Oestrus ovis larvae. A whooping 46 cases were reported in the months of March-April (harvest season.
Conclusion:Every acute red eye is different. It can be caused by a wide spectrum of pathologies, some being as uncommon as a fly larva. It is thus important to perform a thorough ophthalmic examination (including lid eversion and double eversion) in patients presenting with inflamed red eye of unknown cause.