Do You Have Eyelid Mites?

2/1/2017

Eyelid mites, know as Demodex, are believed to inhabit the eyelids and lashes of over 40% of the people in the United States. Theses mites, which live around two weeks and like to come out to eat and breed while we sleep, can cause ocular symptoms that are often mis-diagnosed as dry eye or ocular allergy.

Demodex mites like to feed on the oily secretions of our hair follicles and oil glands, making the eyelids an ideal environment. They mites will burrow into the eyelash follicles and the meibomian glands that produce the oily layer of our tear film. For many people, there are no symptoms and the body’s natural defenses keep the mites in check. For others the infestation can lead to itching and burning eyes, redness and irritation, blurred vision and eyelid inflammation.

It’s surprisingly easy to contract a demodex infection, which may explain why so many people have them crawling along their lids and lashes. Direct contact with infected skin is one means of contracting the mite, but some have been found to travel on dust, making it hard to avoid. There is also theories that pets may act as transmitters between hosts.

Demodex infections can be easily diagnosed during an eye exam with a slit-lamp biomicroscope. The slit-lamps used in the exam rooms aren't powerful enough to view the mites directly, but an infection will show a very specific cylindrical dandruff pattern on the base of the lashes that is diagnostic for demodex mites. Demodex is also well documented to cause skin conditions, especially on the face including acne, rosacea and dermatitis.

Eliminating the mites can prove tricky because they are not susceptible to many sterilization techniques. They also avoid daylight so they stay hidden within hair follicles and glands during the day and wait to emerge as we sleep to reproduce. Luckily, tea tree oil has proven effective at removing the infestation. It should be noted that tea tree oil is toxic to humans as well as the mites so it is not recommended to apply standard tea tree oil to the face and especially the eyes. Kirkwood Eye Associates offers tea tree foams that have been specially formulated for ocular use and can be used as complete face wash to clear signs of rosacea and acne as well. The foams are to be used twice daily and most importantly just before bed when the mites are known to come out. Kirkwood Eye Associates also recommends an initial in office treatment with concentrated tea tree and cleansing to achieve maximum results.

If you experience irritation in or around the eyes, there is a good chance that the demodex mite is to blame. Call 314-394-3045 and set up an appointment today for an evaluation and treatment plan.

1 Comment

Author

Andrew Biondo, O.D., is the Primary Medical Director at Kirkwood Eye Associates in Kirkwood, MO. Serving the greater St. Louis area, Dr. Biondo has 8 years of experience as an eye care provider, health educator & consultant to the specialty contact lens industry. His special interests include contact lenses, dry eye disease, glaucoma, macular degeneration, laser eye surgery & preventive vision care.

Debbie Wagnon

11/28/2017 05:53:42 pm

I have been fighting Demodex not only on my eyes but my body and the controversial Morgellons I went in for my exam again telling him that I thought that the mites were getting in my eyes I have my own microscope I've had this for at least 6 months 6 months I've known and the Morgellons is taking over I was looking in my microscope and I could see what it look like to be a Morgellons I thought on my slide but every time I tried to focus I would move the slide and the Mite did not move so I looked with my right eye there was nothing there I looked again with my left eye and I can see my eyelashes if I look just right into the lens and that's what I was doing and what I seen was a Morgellons looks like it was across my eye and I've been having trouble seeing so I told him all of that I asked him if the split lens would be able to see that and he said well they're pretty powerful well he's seen nothing but so he said so mites on my eyelashes still I showed him pictures of what my eyes have been going through my camera blow them up bigger than the lens did but of course I can't take a picture inside the microscope of something on my eye and my camera can't blow it up enough I am from St.Louis but I live in New Mexico and nobody knows what's going on I've been to the eye doctor three times for this and I just get regular exams that's it nothing special he did put the dye in my eye said he seen nothing on my eye even I can take pictures with my camera and see little black spider looking things all over my eye please help let me know what I can do I am using tree tea oil on my eyelids I am using something he gave me for my eyes and antibiotic and also a steroid but I'm afraid to use them too much and get used to all I mean this is been going on for 6 months if you know anything about Morgellons like I said it's controversial I don't see beaming strings of light but I do see the bugs that they do show on online I try to only look at Dr exams and doctor diagnosis I keep starting to end and then I think of something else sorry it's so long please let me know if there's anything I can do or where you can send me or maybe I'll come there if you think you know about all of the Morgellons I got them all over my body just about thank you Debbie you may also call me if you need my number is 505 320-7743 I need help