Eye doctors are warning of the dangers of swooping season after a Melbourne cyclist was left needing major eye surgery after he was attacked by a magpie.
Christiaan Nyssen required major surgery after he was swooped and pecked in the eye on a ride in Yarrawonga in 2021.
Fortunately, he made a full recovery, thanks to the hard work of Epworth Freemasons’ eye surgeon Dr Elvis Ojaimi, who implanted an imported prosthetic iris and lens to fix the damaged eye.
“This is the first one in Victoria, within about four to six weeks, he was seeing very well,” Ojaimi said.
With hospital admissions common during swooping season, residents are being warned to be vigilant.
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“I think sunglasses, particularly wraparound sunglasses, are very important,” Ojaimi said.
Magpies appear to be getting smarter and even helmets with zip ties are not a safe bet anymore.
“A lot of magpies have learned not to attack the head but they attack the back and they’ll get around a helmet,” Bird veterinarian Dr Adrian Gallagher said.
Swooping season still has several weeks to go but it is expected to ease at the end of the month.
