Siberian man undergoes surgery after plant germinates in eye

Maxim Sleptsov, a 42-year-old welder from Siberia, underwent medical intervention after a seed germinated inside his eye. The incident began during a summer trip to the Abyysky district, where Sleptsov was fishing and gathering berries.

While in the forested area, Sleptsov was struck in the face by a tree branch. Although he rinsed his eye and removed a small piece of bark, a tiny seed remained lodged in his ocular tissue. Over the following four months, the seed took root approximately two centimeters deep into the white tissue of his eye.

The patient reported experiencing persistent redness, tearing, and intense daily migraines. His vision also began to deteriorate, and he experienced double vision and elevated intraocular pressure. Because he was in a remote region, the nearest ophthalmological hospital was hundreds of kilometers away. Doctors eventually identified the plant and successfully removed it to prevent irreversible damage.