Horror as surgeons remove 12cm WORM from a woman's eyelid after diagnosing a parasitic infection

  • Vineeta arrived at a hospital in Dubai complaining of a swelling in her eye
  • Doctors carried out a range of tests but found nothing wrong with her
  • Finally she was diagnosed with the parasitic infection dirofilariasis
  • Endured surgery to remove the worm, which is carried by mosquitoes

By Madlen Davies for MailOnline

Published: 09:19 EST, 5 August 2015 | Updated: 10:33 EST, 5 August 2015

An Indian woman endured a gruesome operation to remove a 12cm long worm from her eyelid.

The 55-year-old woman came to Aster Hospital, Dubai, complaining of pain and swelling in her eye.

Known as Vineeta, she had undergone a range of tests but they had all found there to be nothing wrong, Gulf News reports.

However, she demanded a second opinion and another consultant was called to investigate.

A 55-year-old woman, known as Vineeta, underwent surgery to have a 12cm worm removed from her eyelid

A 55-year-old woman, known as Vineeta, underwent surgery to have a 12cm worm removed from her eyelid

Dr Vikram Mohindra, an ophthalmologist at the hospital, discovered that the swelling was due to a parasitic infection dirofilariasis, in which a long, thin worm called a dirofilaria invades the body.

The worms infect a number of mammals and are normally transmitted by mosquitoes, fleas, lice, and ticks.

There have only been 800 cases of dirofilariasis worldwide since it was first documented in 1885, according to the Journal of Parasitic Diseases.

The majority of cases are reported from southern and eastern Europe, Sri Lanka, Italy, France, Greece and Spain.

Writing in the journal, doctors said they were concerned about the more frequent incidence of the disease, and said the problem of infections passing between animals and humans is increasing.

Dr Mohindra carried out surgery to extract the worm from the woman's eyelid, which was repaired.

She was able to fully recover, as the disease was caught at an early stage.

Vineeta told Gulf News: 'I am truly grateful to Dr Mohindra for his keenness in taking up my case which proves to be a good call.

'It pays to trust your instincts — mine in seeking a second opinion and Dr Mohindra for investigating my case.

'My life is back to normal now and I can see without obstruction or discomfort.'

A 17-year-old boy form Peru endured the procedure to have a worm removed from his eye. Doctors lured the worm out of his eye with basil, as it would be attracted to the smell

A 17-year-old boy form Peru endured the procedure to have a worm removed from his eye. Doctors lured the worm out of his eye with basil, as it would be attracted to the smell

After this worm was pulled out with tweezers, doctors discovered it was 3cm long and half a centimeter wide

After this worm was pulled out with tweezers, doctors discovered it was 3cm long and half a centimeter wide

The surgeon who carried out the procedure in Peru said the worm posed a serious risk to the boy's health because the swelling was near a sensitive part of the face, where infections can spread to the brain

The surgeon who carried out the procedure in Peru said the worm posed a serious risk to the boy's health because the swelling was near a sensitive part of the face, where infections can spread to the brain

Dr Mohindra added: 'Aster Hospital may be a relatively new hospital but we have already proven a high level of experience and expertise by dealing with this rare case.

'It is a good example of encouraging patients to pay attention to what their bodies are telling them and have it checked by physicians when something is not normal — it can save lives.'

The news comes after earlier this year MailOnline reported on the case of a 17-year-old boy from Pozuzo, Peru, who had to endure a horrific procedure to remove a live worm from his eye.

The boy had arrived at the Children’s Hospital in Lima with a swollen left eye.

Doctors initially prescribed antibiotics, which didn’t help, before a scan later revealed he had the larvae of a worm living in his face.

Rather than removing the worm with surgery, they opted for a more bizarre approach.

They used a bunch of basil leaves to lure the creature out of the boy's eye – as it would be attracted to the smell.