In the Indian city of Surat, a 66-year-old woman had 250 lice and 85 eggs removed from her eyelashes, as reported by British media.
According to a report by the British news outlet BBC, this rare medical incident occurred in the city of Surat in Gujarat state, involving a woman named Geetaben.
The report stated that Geetaben had been suffering from severe itching and burning in her eyes for the past two months, to the extent that she could not even sleep due to the pain. Despite consulting several doctors, her condition did not improve, until she was finally diagnosed at a local hospital in Surat.
Before starting the treatment, doctors informed her son privately that “live lice were present on his mother’s eyelashes and would have to be removed.”
Dr. Mrugank Patel, along with his team, removed 250 lice and 85 eggs from Geetaben’s eyes without using any injections — only special drops. The process took about two hours, after which her eyes were declared completely healthy, according to the report.
Citing the U.S. National Center for Biotechnology Information, the report stated that this rare condition is medically known as phthiriasis palpebrarum, a parasitic infection of the eyelashes.
According to medical experts, eyelash lice are different from head lice. They move in the presence of light, which is why they hide in the shaded areas of the eyelids.
Experts said that poor hygiene at home or in bedding, or contact with forests or animals, can cause lice to travel from the body or scalp to the eyelashes.
Dr. Mrugank Patel added that there is currently no medication available to kill these lice. They cannot even be seen without a flashlight, which is why they have to be removed individually and very carefully using special instruments.
