Eye Worms

Ear Worms is the term for those annoying songs that get stuck in your head. Eye Worms, on the other hand, are simply worms that burrow through your eye. Their scientific name is Loa loa filaria. You get them from fly bites. All About Worms has some more info:

When the Loa Loa worm reaches the eye tissue, it can be easily seen and felt within the eyeball for up to an hour. It is usually removed under local anesthesia if the patient is within proximity of a qualified physician. When an adult worm dies, the surrounding tissue may abscess and require excision. Encephalitis can occur if the worm reaches the brain.

The video below seems to be an attempt to combine ear worms and eye worms. It shows the removal of an eye worm from a patient, set to a cover version of Top of the World by the Carpenters:

     Posted By: Alex - Thu Jan 29, 2009
     Category: Medicine





Comments
That didn't look as bad as I thought it would.
Posted by Madd Maxx on 01/29/09 at 07:51 AM
What's the doc(?) playing around with it for on the guy's eye? Maybe he thought the guy should get a closer?
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 01/29/09 at 08:22 AM
Dude, I'm EATING here!
Posted by KW in Dallas, TX on 01/29/09 at 08:34 AM
Expat - I thought that was strange too.
Posted by Madd Maxx on 01/29/09 at 08:42 AM
Nope, not gross enough - we can do better here.
Posted by Jules in Connecticut on 01/29/09 at 11:01 AM
My iris less at the doctor for playing with the worm,and more with the video designer who used that song.
Posted by kingmonkey in Athens, Ontario on 01/29/09 at 12:56 PM
"The worms crawl in,
The worms crawl out.
The worms play pinochle on your snout"

Or in your eyes. Whichever.
Posted by DownCrisis on 01/30/09 at 10:47 AM
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