Countless tiny maggots found in the eyes of unlucky gardener following severe infestation - Part II

Oestrus ovis's hosts  

If we take Oestrus ovis, which is found worldwide, these flies deposit their larvae in the lamb's nostrils, although hosts can also include wild ruminants, such as deer or goats. According to the University of Florida, the fly cannot complete its life cycle without being deposited into the sheep's nose, even though the larvae have been found in other animals.

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The flies target the nose  

The eggs hatch while still taking place inside the female fly, and she will deposit a droplet containing the live larvae on a sheep's nose. While the target of these flies is the nose, in a few cases, the larvae can fortuitously enter the eye socket of the animal.

People live near livestock  

On rare occasions, sheep bot fly larvae can enter the eye sockets of humans, as was the case with the 53-year old Frenchman, most likely in areas where people live near livestock.According to a study published in the BMC Ophthalmology journal, Oestrus ovis infecting humans is rare, with only 295 cases reported across the globe between 1918 and 2017.

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Ophthalmomyiasis  

If the larvae are found in and around the eyeball of humans, medics call this infection ophthalmomyiasis.The larvae, which have tiny spike-like structures called spicules on their bodies and hooks in their mouths, can cause discomfort and irritation to the eye. Usually, this is treated by administering a local anesthetic and removing the larvae. Patients are also often given antiseptic drops or antibiotics following the removal of the larvae.

Topical antibiotics  

In this case of the 53-year-old Frenchman, medics treated him with topical antibiotics, and at a 10-day follow-up, his symptoms had disappeared. Patients with ophthalmomyiasis generally find that their symptoms improve quickly after removing the larvae. However, in rare cases, the larvae can burrow into the inner structures of the eyeball. This can result in blindness.