Acute posterior ophthalmomyiasis interna treated with photocoagulation.

PURPOSE/

METHODS

We studied a patient with subretinal myiasis with pain and rapidly progressive visual loss and found that prompt photocoagulation resulted in marked visual improvement. A 16-year-old boy had subconjunctival hemorrhage and periocular pain associated with progressive visual loss of 6/200 over a four-day period.

RESULTS/

CONCLUSIONS

A live maggot found crawling in the subretinal space was promptly photocoagulated with an argon green laser. Within one month, the visual acuity improved to 20/50. Laser treatment of a subretinal larva does not generally induce marked inflammation and often results in good visual recovery.