Parasitic Worms Found in a Woman's Eye—First Case of Its Kind

An Oregon woman’s infection marks the first time on record that an eye worm species normally found in cattle has been seen in humans.

Abby Beckley was salmon fishing in Alaska when she felt something in her left eye.

“It felt like when an eyelash is poking you,” she says. But try as she might, the 26-year-old couldn’t find a hair—or anything else—in her eye. The feeling wouldn’t go away, and after about five days, Beckley was frustrated.

“So one morning, I woke up and I was like, If it’s the last thing I do, I’m going to get whatever the heck is in my eye out of there,” Beckley says. She screwed up her courage, pulled back her eyelid, pinched the inflamed skin underneath, and gave it a yank.

When she looked down, she says, “there was a worm on my finger.”

Beckley is now the first

Unlock this story for free
Create an account to read the full story and get unlimited access to hundreds of Nat Geo articles.

Unlock this story for free

Want the full story? Sign up to keep reading and unlock hundreds of Nat Geo articles for free.
Already have an account?
SIGN IN

Read This Next

Why are these orcas killing sharks and removing their livers?
How to eat in 6 of the world’s most stunning places
Cliff art reveals the majesty of the Amazon’s aquatic realm

Go Further

Subscriber Exclusive Content

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet