The mum shared a video of the discovery on her toddler’s eyelid and admitted she’s never seen anything like it there before. And people urged her to seek medical attention fast
The mum found something in her toddler’s eye (stock image)(Image: Getty Images)
It’s fairly common for young children to pick up the odd bump or scrape along the way. But when it comes to health, every parent’s worst fear is discovering something alarming about their little one’s wellbeing.
Now, one woman shared a clip of the moment she noticed “something weird” on her toddler’s eyelid. The footage, which went viral at the time, prompted many viewers to urge the mother to seek urgent medical attention. The video opens with the mum zooming in on her child’s eye — before the horrifying realisation of what it might be begins to dawn on her.
In a TikTok video which racked up 99,500 likes, she said: “Noticed something weird on my toddler’s eye,” before adding: “Is that…? A tick?”.
The mum later revealed in the caption: “I’ve pulled ticks from a lot of places (And I mean A LOT) but I have never in my life seen one here.”
While discovering a tick on the eye is considered uncommon, it can still occur. It typically attaches itself to the eyelid, rather than the eyeball itself.
Tick bites can lead to a range of complications, so proper removal is essential to avoid conditions such as Lyme disease.
The mum reshared the video recently to raise awareness, though in the original post, many had already urged her to get help.
One said: “If it is [a tick] she needs to see a doctor immediately to test for Lyme disease.” While another urged: “Please please go see an eye doctor for antibiotics.” A third commented: “What a terrible spot for a tick. Omg!”
What to do if you find a tick on your eye
It’s crucial to remove the tick using fine-tipped tweezers, grasping it as close to the skin as possible before pulling it straight out. It’s important to avoid squeezing or crushing the tick which can lead to an infection.
You must also clean the bite area thoroughly with antiseptic or soap and water then monitor for symptoms or signs of an infection, like increased redness, swelling or pain. And finally, it’s important to seek medical advice.
If you’re unaware of removing the tick yourself or develop any concerning symptoms, visit your local GP or pharmacist. The NHS states infected ticks which are spread to humans could lead to Lyme disease.
People are urged to deal with it sooner rather than later as it’s easier to treat if diagnosed early. Some might experience flu-like symptoms if they were bitten by an infected tick, such as:
- A high temperature, or feeling hot and shivery
- Headache
- Muscle and joint pain
- Tiredness and loss of energy
Although not all ticks in England carry the bacteria which can cause Lyme disease, it’s still important to be aware of them. Ticks that may cause Lyme disease are found all over the UK, but high-risk places include grassy and wooded areas.
