Can a Mosquito Bite Your Eyeball or Eyelid?

Mosquito bites can be a right pain in the butt. Not only is the initial sting annoying, but the resulting accumulation of venom in the bite can even cause infection if the skin is broken when scratched.

But what about the more delicate places on your body? For example, areas of your face. 

Can a mosquito bite your eyeball, for instance? What about your eyelids?

In this article, we’ll find the answer to these questions for you.


Can a Mosquito Bite Your Eyeball?

We live in a crazy world where it seems like just about anything is possible. However, when it comes to mosquito bites, it is very highly unlikely that you will get one on your eyeball. So, you can rest assured that this is a near impossibility, especially if you’re squeamish about your eyeballs.

We live in a crazy world where it seems like just about anything is possible. However, when it comes to mosquito bites, it is very highly unlikely that you will get one on your eyeball.

However, it isn’t impossible that this could happen.

It is far more likely, though, that if a female mosquito gets near your eye before you see it, you will be bitten on your eyelid (and remember, only female mosquitoes do the biting).

Mosquitoes bite because they are attracted to the smell, heat, and signature of chemicals released on your skin. And if you happen to be sleeping, your eyelid could be what gets attacked. However, because they are after warm blood, this is unlikely. But it is still possible.

The surface of your eyeball itself doesn’t have the blood available, nor does it give off the scent of sweat, which is what mosquitoes are attracted to.

That’s not to say that no one has ever been bitten by a mosquito on their eyeball, though. It’s not a complete impossibility, but even less likely than roaches nesting in your ear (also super unlikely).

It is very highly unlikely that this will happen to you, so you shouldn’t even worry about it.


How Do Mosquitoes Bite?

Female mosquitoes are ultra-sensitive to human breath and odors. They have receptors on their antennas that can detect the carbon dioxide that we breathe out when we exhale, which acts like a trail that they follow until they find us.

And the odors that mosquitoes are attracted to from our sweat can develop on your skin from the products that we use on it, such as certain lotions or perfumes.

The biological processes in our bodies that give off a smell, and different bacteria that live on the skin can also trigger female mosquitoes to bite.

Finally, once they are attracted by your smell and/or breath, the female mosquitoes will use their heat sensors, which are around their mouths, to detect the areas of your body where blood flow is ripe for tapping into.

Finally, once they are attracted by your smell and/or breath, the female mosquitoes will use their heat sensors, which are around their mouths, to detect the areas of your body where blood flow is ripe for tapping into.

These sensors will find the best areas for getting the most blood out of you.

First they dig their mouthpiece, called a fascicle or proboscis, in to extract your blood. While they’re beginning to suck your blood, another tube will pump their saliva into your skin, which works as an anticoagulant and painkiller.

It’s the allergic reaction to the saliva that causes the itching and swelling that most people suffer from after getting bitten.

This entire process is quite unlikely to happen to your eyeballs, though! For starters, your eyes don’t sweat, and so the heat sensors won’t be able to detect any blood flow. And on top of this, if there was a female mosquito about to stick her fascicle in your eyeball, you would most likely see it and swat the annoying little beast away!

It is very possible, though, that if you are asleep, the mosquitoes can find blood to suck on around the eyelids or near your tear ducts.

If you get a bite here, then it can cause pain, swelling, and redness.

The one thing that you want to do if this unlikely event happens, is to make sure that the surrounding area doesn’t become infected. This means you’ll need to do everything that you can to not scratch on or around the bite, and take an oral antihistamine if the itching and pain become too much.

The one thing that you want to do if this unlikely event happens, is to make sure that the surrounding area doesn’t become infected. This means you’ll need to do everything that you can to not scratch on or around the bite, and take an oral antihistamine if the itching and pain become too much.


If Worst Comes To Worst

If somehow you’ve been bitten in the eye by a mosquito, apply a fabric-covered ice pack or cold compress to the area. This will help to reduce any swelling before it starts. You should also take an oral antihistamine in the first instance.

If your eye is still not right after icing it, then before the affected eye starts to swell, you may want to seek some emergency help from an optometrist, ophthalmologist, or eye specialist.

But of course, this would be a worst-case scenario and is unlikely to happen.

Conclusion

So, can a mosquito bite your eyeball? Theorecitally, yes, but it’s super rare — so rare that you should be more worried about being bonked in the head by a meteor.