Leaches in the eyes?

[Ticklebelly]

Just had a phone report from a group who abandoned a walk in Washpool NP after one of the members had a bad reaction to a leach bite in her eye. That was the description I received but I suspect the bite site was actually on the inside of the eye lid. I am trying to make sense of this as I really cannot comprehend how someone could get a leach in their eye. Gets worse. Three other walkers also got leaches in their eyes. Appears the conditions were very wet and the walkers were pushing through brush and they think the leaches dropped on them from the bushes rather than the usual method of starting at ground level. Has anyone else had experience of getting leaches in their eye? How do you get them off? My method is to give them a good spray with a high DEET repellent but I don't think that would be a useful method if any eye is involved.

Ticklebelly

[gayet]

Yes it is possible to get a leech in the eye and it does bite the eye, not the eyelid. Been there done that.

I left the leech where it was, trying to pull it off, rub it off or remove it before it is ready is likely to cause more damage to the eye than the leech. The one that bit me dropped off after 5 - 10 mins or so. It got me in the corner of the eye, nose side. I was left with a bit of blood weeping out for a few seconds, then a very red rashy looking patch. The eye wasn't sore, slightly swollen around it but all cleared up in a few days.

I was wandering around in rain forest areas, in amongst the foliage etc. Leeches are not only found at ground level, they are good climbers. A repelent on your face, but avoiding the eye area may have some benefit in keeping them away, but once it has latched on the eye, leave it alone. It will drop off of its own accord.

[Giddy_up]

Yep...you sure can. I was on the Mapleton walk in very wet conditions and had one attach. Just left it alone like gaynet did and it dropped of after about 5 mins. You have to be in serious leech country for it to happen, I had the buggers everywhere and had to stop and treat all clothing surfaces with deet 80% (bushman) and then all exposed skin. I think I stopped counting after 60 or so leech removals. To give you some idea of the density of the leeches where I was walking, I counted roughly 90 per square metre when I stopped, all standing up dead straight "sniffing" the air for likely targets.
As for side effects, my eye looked like it had burst a blood vessel but other than that, no discomfort.

[Ticklebelly]

..... roughly 90 per square metre when I stopped, all standing up dead straight "sniffing" the air for likely targets.

Been there, done that. Edinburgh Castle just south of Woodenbong in northern NSW - When you stopped, the buggars would all start moving towards you. Keep moving and check yourself every five minutes was the only way to avoid the little devils.

But in the eyes? I would have thought they would be pretty easy to see as they came over the edge of the eye lid but the responses tell me otherwise. I will get more info on just where the girl with the bad reaction was bitten. She does have a history of reacting badly to ticks and leaches and constantly checks herself when we walk, so I'm quite surprised she got one in the eye.

Ticklebelly

[jeremy089786]

I haven't had one in the eye, but on a field trip near Barrington I got one in my mouth. I don't know how, but it attached to my gum. The funny thing is, it didn't taste like anything at all! I'm now used in the briefings to let people know about the 'leechyness' of the area, but probably more so for a bit of a ripley's moment!

[tasadam]

If you do a search on the forum for
leech eye
You will find reports of leeches in eyes in the past.
Despite that, the concept still makes me somewhat light headed / nauseous...

While you're at the searching, see if you can find my report on my leech experience at Mary Creek Plains.
Hey, the therapy worked, I can type those words without shuddering...

[Strider]

Just added some salt to my first aid kit!

[north-north-west]

If you do a search on the forum for
leech eye
You will find reports of leeches in eyes in the past.
Despite that, the concept still makes me somewhat light headed / nauseous...

Ditto.
I found one trying to crawl into my mouth on the Cuvier Valley track. Got it just in time. The one that latched onto my cheek a couple of days later managed to get a good feed, however.

[walktillyoudrop]

Just completed the World Heritage Walk through Washpool & GiBraltar Range NPs & I can confirm the very wet conditions and the abundance of leeches. Fabulous hiking though!

[Happy Pirate]

Had that problem. Luckily I had saline solution and extra salt to add.

Was in the Misty Mountains recently and it was raining leeches faster than I could pull them off! Just like a gentle black, gooey, squidgey, wriggley, carnivorous rain.
Keep eyes covered and mouth shut!

Steve

[eggs]

I guess tasadam means a post like this:
http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=2307&p=43804&hilit=leech+in+eye#p43804

That particular leech was under the lid and definitely on the white of my eye. It had actually sort of made the lid sticky so it was hard to open it properly.
I don't know what it was getting out of me, but the white of that eye turned blood red and stayed that way for a month afterwards.
I had woolen clothing back in those days - and I think they don't like wool - so I suspect the face area was a more attractive place to go.

[Davo1]

You guys scare the you know what outta me.
In the eye would have to be my biggest nightmare as I am allergic to the rotten little blighters. Doesn't matter if it's a leech from NSW or a leech from Tassie, they are all the darn same to me, bad news.
I got my first one for the year last week and the leg is just returning to norm now, still looks ugly but at least it's not throbbing.
I take all the precautions I possibly can except I have never gone down the path of womens stockings. That's not saying I wouldnt if I thought it necessary, the only thing that stopped me so far is that at least if they are on my legs, they are not between my legs, I'm sure you get my drift. Stockings may make them attach a bit too high for my liking.
Ugggh!, couldn't think of anything possibly worse than a reaction to one in the eye, hope I never get to experience it.............

On advice from my GP many years ago I always carry a little extra in the first aid kit, that is apart from Antihistamines etc.
I carry what used to be known as Betnovate and is now marketed under the name Antroquoril, it is a cream that be applied to the bite (not only leeches, but March flies and even burns as well), it takes the swelling and itchiness out, believe me it has been a godsend over the years. It is available only by pescription, ask your GP about it I'm sure he will know. Ours told us to carry a tube in the car and each pack at all times.
If you have no reaction then you don't need it but if you do I hope this helps. Of course it won't help if it's in your eye.....shudder!!

[stuey69]

Thank god they don't have leeches in New Zealand's South Island, with all that water around it would be a nightmare.

[Happy Pirate]

, the only thing that stopped me so far is that at least if they are on my legs, they are not between my legs,

Don't cut the crotch out of your stockings.

[matagi]

Thank god they don't have leeches in New Zealand's South Island, with all that water around it would be a nightmare.

No but they have black flies - evil little blighters that leave an insanely itchy bite and an ugly purple red mark that lasts for weeks. What's worse, they bite through clothing.

My leech story - albeit secondhand- hubby was walking in the Western Arthurs with a friend last year when the friend got a leech in their eye, grabbed what they thought was saline and ended up squirting alcohol in their eye.

[Strider]

My leech story - albeit secondhand- hubby was walking in the Western Arthurs with a friend last year when the friend got a leech in their eye, grabbed what they thought was saline and ended up squirting alcohol in their eye.

But did it work??

[matagi]

My leech story - albeit secondhand- hubby was walking in the Western Arthurs with a friend last year when the friend got a leech in their eye, grabbed what they thought was saline and ended up squirting alcohol in their eye.

But did it work??

I believe it did.