Adult ocular leech infestation

Abstract

Ocular trauma accounts for a significant proportion of cases in any emergency eye outpatient department. There are very few cases reporting ocular injuries after leech exposure. Leeches are annelids belonging to the subclass Hirudinea; they dwell in fresh water and the sea and can be terrestrial. An oral sucker present anteriorly helps to attach to the host by releasing an anesthetic that prevents its recognition as a foreign body. Although many methods of leech removal have been proposed, its removal with forceps after instillation of local anesthetic remains a safe and effective method.

Keywords: Leech; forceps; ocular injuries.