Ocular Injury Caused by the Bombardier Beetle

Abstract

We report a case of ocular injury caused by a bombardier beetle in a young boy. Ocular injuries due to this coleoptera have not previously been reported. An 11-year-old boy experienced an eye injury while trying to place a bombardier beetle inside an anthill. The boy was diagnosed with a second-degree burn on the skin of the upper right eyelid and conjunctival and corneal erosion in the right eye. The condition resolved completely after 2 weeks of appropriate treatment. Education about the dangers of playing with insects is crucial to prevent this type of lesions.

Keywords

• bombardier beetle
• corneal ulcers
• ocular trauma