Human ocular dirofilariasis in Israel

This is the first report of human ocular dirofilariasis in Israel. A single female worm, Dirofilaria (Nochtiella) conjunctivae, was removed from an eye of each of two male patients. In the first case the worm was dead upon removal. It had penetrated into the sclera and was lodged in a subconjunctival abscess. In the second case, the worm was alive and located superficially in a slight swelling near the inner canthus. Surgical removal of the worms under local anesthesia was followed by complete recovery in both patients, with no impairment of vision.