Thelazia eye infection: The first human case in Türkiye

Thelaziasis is generally a zoonotic disease that affects the eyes of domestic and wild animals. It is transmitted by flies belonging to the Drosophilidae family. While rare in humans, there have been occasional reported cases in low-socioeconomic families living in rural areas. An 83-year-old male farmer with a history of trauma and previous loss of vision in one eye presented with complaints of itching in the affected eye. Upon examination, worm-like parasites were observed in the inferior fornix of the affected eye, leading to a referral to our center. Two worms were mechanically extracted from the right eye. The diagnosis was confirmed as Thelazia spp. through parasitological laboratory testing. This case holds significance as it represents Türkiye’s first reported human case of ocular thelaziasis.