Title Conjunctival Attachment of a Tick: Clinicopathologic Report of a Case.
Author(s) Willen C, Mullen GR, Yee J, Read RW
Institution Department of Ophthalmology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.
Source J Emerg Med 2008 May 29.
Abstract Attachment by ticks to ocular surfaces is uncommon, but has been reported. The objective of this article is to describe a case of conjunctival tick attachment and a method for removal by conjunctival excision. A 39-year-old man presented to the Emergency Department with a complaint of foreign-body sensation in his right eye. He was found to have a live tick embedded in his conjunctiva. The tick was removed en bloc with surrounding conjunctiva by an ophthalmologist. The arthropod was identified as the larval stage of the Lone Star tick (Amblyomma americanum).
The patient did not experience any systemic illnesses or adverse sequelae. Attachment of ticks to the conjunctiva is unlikely to result in disease transmission when the larval stage is involved. However, removal by excision of a surrounding block of conjunctiva is recommended to ensure complete removal of all tick body parts.
Posted by UnexpectedIlls (Member # 15144) on :
HOLY %$@#
Melanie, you always come on here with great and interesting information!!
Posted by Melanie Reber (Member # 3707) on :
Haha...
I know those Lone Star ticks are So aggressive, but this one really had the 'oh my Goodness!' factor.
M Posted by Sojourner (Member # 9424) on :
Gross!
This also helps to dispell the myth of a big tick crawling around and the famous, "Oh if you had a tick on you, you sure would know it" understatment. These suckers are small and often unrecognizable.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
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It would have been nice if the patient had received abx treatment just in case . . . and instructions for the timing of the TBI tests.
they could have tested that tick, too.
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Posted by UnexpectedIlls (Member # 15144) on :
Melanie
I read this and of course was like.. Crazy!! So I go to my dad's yesterday and I am petting their cute dog....and guess what....
He has a TICK on his EYELID..... I Couldn't beleive it.
It was taken off and she is fine, but it reminded me of this story! Weird huh!!
Posted by Melanie Reber (Member # 3707) on :
Poor pooch. Just remember...where there is one, there may be others. I hope your father is aware of what symptoms to look for in animals?
Always be cautious when removing ticks. Many TBDs are transmitted transdermally.
Posted by UnexpectedIlls (Member # 15144) on :
Hi Melanie
yes I made sure to tell them about what to look for! I was worried for Minnie... She is like family.
They live in an area that I know is tick central. I get nervous about my brothers walking around in the woods and such. I tell them to PLEASE check themselves.
With everything going on with me, they are being more careful.
Posted by EyeBob (Member # 12572) on :
That's nothing, there is a Poster presented by one of the optometry residents at the VA that I work at (rarely) that has 3 different pictures of ticks attached to the conjunctiva and lids.
Good stuff.
bt
Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
i have seen cats with so many ticks attached around the eyes you can't count them.
Posted by proudtoserve (Member # 14811) on :
aaaaahhh! "Right in the fricken eye!!!"
Cant remember which movie that is from but that was the first thing that came to mind. lol
Proud
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
Scary stories, witches and ticks in your eyes?
OH MY!
You sound like a really fun person to hang out with!
I shared this with others. No sense in just ME being icky icky. Might as well spread the joy, eh?
Posted by Melanie Reber (Member # 3707) on :
Sorry, I think the pain might be clouding my disposition just a tad.
(either that or the morphine)
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
NOT funny!!!
I was so ouuuueeee oooouuuueeee after thinking how creepy it would be to have ticks in my eyes that I decided to take a quick break and grab some dinner to take my mind off that one.
Of course I had JUST mentioned witches and other scary things... so I was a bit on edge.. just a little bit.
I got a plate and reached IN the fridge... and as I was taking out the ketsup a little lizzard jumped out of nowhere on my hand and ran up my arm!
HOLY COW!!!! I jumped a country mile!
NOT FUNNY MELANIE REBER!!!
NOT funny at all! STOP your laughing!!!
I'll get you my little pretty! And your little dog too!
ah hah hah hah hah hah...
Posted by Melanie Reber (Member # 3707) on :
(poor lizard)
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
Gross! ![[cussing]](graemlins/cussing.gif)
![[lol]](graemlins/lol.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)