Man loses left eye after swatting fly on his face

Sometimes, there are situations in life that call for people who wouldn't hurt a fly—literally speaking.

A man in China had his left eyeball removed after it got infected when he swatted an insect on his face.

The South China Morning Post, citing Yangcheng Evening News, reported that the man, surnamed Wu, killed the fly that was buzzing around him after it landed on him.

Wu's eyes became red, swollen, and painful an hour later.

He sought medical help and was diagnosed with seasonal conjunctivitis, an inflammation of the tissue covering the inside of the eyelids and the white part of the eyeball.

He took medication but his condition worsened and his vision deteriorated.

According to doctors, medication could no longer halt the infection. His eye and the surrounding areas were severely ulcerated.

To prevent the bacteria from infecting Wu's brain, doctors had to remove his left eyeball.

The insect was reportedly a drain fly, which lives in areas with pipes.

According to WebMD, drain flies are common household pests whose favorite spots include bathrooms, kitchens, agricultural facilities, commercial washrooms and locker rooms, and sewage plants.

Drain flies breed in areas like dirty trash cans, saucers underneath potted plants, condensate pans under fridges and freezers, septic tanks, rain barrels, moist compost piles, and toilet tanks. They are known to carry many germs.

According to the SCMP, experts advised people to stay calm if an insect flies near the eyes instead of swatting it. One should gently shoo the insect away and rinse the touched area with clean water or saline solution.

The media outlet added that in dealing with drain flies, the best practice is to keep bathrooms, kitchens, and other moist areas clean and dry. Regular cleaning and unclogging of drains and toilets are also a must.