An Australian MP shocked hundreds gathered at an anti-drugs summit by describing an incident where a young man gouged his own eyes out and ate them while high on methamphetamines.

Australia's Central Coast is battling growing use of the drug methamphetamine, which is also known as crystal meth or 'ice'.

Law enforcement officers, health providers and community workers gathered at the Central Coast Ice Summit to discuss ways of tackling the epidemic on Friday, which was organised by Dobell Federal Liberal MP Karen McNamara.

“We have to get these kinds of stories out to young people — this is not a recreational drug."

A spokeswoman for Ms McNamara later said the alleged incident she referred to had occurred at the John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle, according to The Australian. The spokeswoman said the story had been related to Ms McNamara by a frontline emergency services officer who asked not to be identified.

A John Hunter Hospital spokeswoman said she could not find a recent record of the incident described by the MP, but did find a record of a similar event from ten years before.