Insect wing case: unusual foreign body.

PURPOSE: To report five cases of insect wing case foreign body.

METHODS

Clinical presentation, investigations, management, and outcome of these cases are discussed.

RESULTS

Five patients, four males and one female, in the age group from 4 to 55 years presented with an insect wing case embedded in the cornea or peripheral limbus. All patients were relatively asymptomatic, and the foreign body was associated with vascularization and infiltration. Culture of the foreign body after removal showed Staphylococcus epidermidis in two cases and Corynebacterium species and Mycobacterium fortuitum in one case each. All patients responded to removal of the wing case foreign body and treatment with topical ciprofloxacin (0.3%).

CONCLUSION

Insect wing case is an unusual foreign body and produces minimal symptoms and may be associated with infective agents in some patients.