Eyeball licking or “worming” has become a fad. – CBS News (1)

Exactly, how gross can you get?

Eyeball licking has become a fad in Japan and may spread to young lovers and Japanese anime fans in the United States. At least, it was back in 2013, according to many reports. Some newspapers subsequently said the whole Japanese fetish was a hoax, while others continued to proclaim its reality.

Regardless, the practice is dangerous since licking the eyeball of a loved one may expose the person whose eye is being licked to the herpes virus.

“If the person doing the licking has something such as the herpes virus, it too, can easily be passed onto the other person through the eyeball.” – Dr Phillip Rizzuto, American Academy of Ophthalmology (1)

What kinds of symptoms result from a herpes eye infection?

According to Patient.co.uk, symptoms include: red eye, photophobia, pain, epiphora (tearing), blurred vision, May have generalised symptoms of a viral illness (upper respiratory tract infection, mild fever, malaise), and more. (2)

“The CDC states that persistent hand-washing and avoiding eye-rubbing are the best ways for non-eyeball lickers to prevent spreading the contagion.” (1)

While some people might find this practice erotic, it can lead to bacterial infections like “pink eye” and of course, it can lead to a herpes infection.

References:

(1) CBS News – “Eyeball Licking Fetish Among Youth Worries Medical Experts” June 13, 2013.

(2) Patient.co.uk – Herpes Simplex Eye Infections – Last Checked: 27/10/2014