Caterpillar Hair-Induced Ophthalmitis Causing Exudative Retinal Detachment
July 2022
in “
BMJ Case Reports
”
Studysummary In this study, researchers identified and characterized three specific enzymes in root hair cells that play crucial roles in controlling root hair growth by affecting cell wall properties during expansion. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
A woman in her 50s developed caterpillar hair-induced ophthalmitis, resulting in exudative retinal detachment after a caterpillar fell into her eye. She experienced severe swelling, pain, and vision loss in her left eye. Treatment included topical and systemic antibiotics, corticosteroids, and removal of the caterpillar hairs, leading to improvement and resolution of the scleral abscess and retinal detachment over a month. This case underscores the necessity of early and aggressive treatment to avert severe complications from caterpillar hair penetration in ocular tissues.
