Russian man suffers headaches for 4 months, doctors find sprouted seed inside his eye

A Russian man endured months of headaches before doctors removed a germinated seed from his eye.

A 42-year-old Russian man who suffered from severe headaches and double vision for four months was shocked to discover that a plant seed had sprouted inside his eye, with its root growing into the delicate tissue.

A Russian man was shocked after doctors discovered a plant seed had sprouted inside his eye, causing severe headaches. (Representational image generated using AI)

The man, identified as Maxim Sleptsov from Siberia, had been experiencing persistent eye inflammation and deteriorating eyesight before doctors discovered the unusual cause of his symptoms.

According to a report by The Sun, the seed had remained lodged in his eye for months after an encounter with a tree branch during a summer trip.

How did the seed enter his eye?

The incident began when Sleptsov, a welder and plumber, travelled to the remote Abyysky district to visit a friend for fishing and berry picking.

Recounting the incident, he said, “A branch caught me in the eye. It whipped across my face.”

“My eye was itchy and painful, as if I’d bruised or scratched it. It was watering and red.”

Sleptsov rinsed his eye and removed what appeared to be a small piece of bark. Believing the problem had been resolved, he initially dismissed the injury.

However, a tiny seed had remained trapped inside his eye.

Over the following months, his condition worsened, with persistent headaches, inflammation and difficulty seeing clearly.

“I was suffering from constant migraines,” he said.

“I woke in the mornings with a terrible headache.”

According to Russian newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda, Sleptsov initially struggled to seek specialist treatment because he was staying in a remote area.

Doctors discover sprouted seed inside eye

After reaching Yakutsk, Sleptsov visited an emergency ophthalmology centre, where doctors discovered that the seed had germinated.

Its root had grown approximately 3mm into the conjunctiva, the thin membrane covering the white part of the eye.

Ivan Lutskan, the hospital's chief physician, said, “Most surprisingly, it had sprouted, and its root had actually penetrated the conjunctival tissue.”

Ophthalmologist Elizaveta Karpova removed the seed using an injection needle under local anaesthetic.

“I had never encountered a case like this in my practice before,” she said.

“The seed’s root had reached approximately 3mm in length.”

According to Yakutsk-based news agency YSIA, doctors said the condition could have caused serious complications, including vision loss.

Following the procedure, Sleptsov reported immediate relief from his headaches.

“They removed a seed that had already begun to put down roots,” he said.

“I was so relieved that nothing else mattered.”