Book an appointment
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
You can expect us to be in touch via phone or text to arrange the exact time for your appointment in the very near future!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Itchy, irritated or crusty eyelids? Demodex may be part of the problem.
Demodex are microscopic mites that can live naturally around the hair follicles and oil glands of our skin — including around the eyelashes.
That sounds a little alarming, but there is no need to panic.
Finding Demodex does not automatically mean something is wrong. Small numbers can be present without causing any problems at all.
The problem occurs when Demodex numbers become excessive and begin contributing to inflammation of the eyelid margin. This is known as Demodex Blepharitis.
At Shattky Optometrists we can examine your eyelids under magnification, identify the signs of Demodex Blepharitis and determine whether treatment is actually required.
Blepharitis simply means inflammation of the eyelids.
There are several possible causes of blepharitis, and Demodex is one of them.
Two species of Demodex are commonly associated with humans. One tends to live around the eyelash follicles, while another can live deeper around the oil-producing glands of the eyelids.
When numbers increase, Demodex may contribute to irritation and inflammation around the lashes and eyelid margin.
This can also upset the delicate environment needed to produce a healthy tear film.
That is why Blepharitis, Demodex, Meibomian Gland Dysfunction and Dry Eye frequently overlap.
One of the most useful signs we look for is something called a collarette.
Collarettes are small waxy or cylindrical deposits wrapped around the base of an eyelash.
They can look like tiny cuffs or sleeves surrounding the lash.
Collarettes are strongly associated with Demodex Blepharitis and can often be seen during a routine slit-lamp examination by your Optometrist.
[INSERT IMAGE HERE: Healthy lashes compared with Demodex collarettes]
Demodex Blepharitis does not feel exactly the same for everyone.
You may notice:
Some people have surprisingly few symptoms despite obvious signs around their eyelashes.
There is no need to guess.
At Shattky Optometrists we can examine the eyelashes and eyelid margin under the magnification of our slit-lamp microscope.
We look specifically for:
Collarettes around the lashes
Redness and inflammation of the eyelid margin
Changes to the eyelashes
Meibomian Gland Dysfunction
Signs of Dry Eye and an unstable tear film
And, when appropriate, evidence of increased Demodex activity itself.
The important point is that having Demodex and having Demodex Blepharitis are not necessarily the same thing.
Our job is to decide whether Demodex is simply present or whether it is contributing to your eye problem.
Quite a lot.
The eyelids are an important part of the tear-producing system.
Inside them are the Meibomian glands, which release the thin layer of oil that sits over your tears and helps stop them evaporating too quickly.
Inflammation around the eyelid margin can interfere with this system.
Some patients therefore have several problems occurring together:
Demodex + Blepharitis + Meibomian Gland Dysfunction + Dry Eye
Simply putting more lubricating drops into the eye may help the symptoms but may not address what is happening at the eyelid margin.
That is why we prefer to find the cause of your Dry Eye rather than simply treating every dry eye in the same way.
Treatment depends upon what we find.
For patients with clinically significant Demodex Blepharitis, our Optometrists can develop a customised treatment programme designed to reduce the Demodex population, clean the eyelid margin, control inflammation and establish a healthier environment around the lashes.
This may include professional in-practice eyelid treatment together with a specific home eyelid-care programme.
Where Demodex occurs alongside Meibomian Gland Dysfunction or Dry Eye, we can also assess whether the oil glands and tear film require treatment.
That may form part of our wider Dry Eye Assessment and treatment programme.
The aim isn't to make your eyelids sterile.
It is to restore balance and get your eyelids healthy again.
Demodex Blepharitis can recur.
That means good treatment has two parts:
1. Get the excessive Demodex population and inflammation under control.
2. Maintain a healthy eyelid environment afterwards.
We will show you what you need to do at home and how often you need to do it.
No complicated routines if they aren't necessary.
Just treatment appropriate to your eyes.
If your eyelids are repeatedly itchy, red, crusty or uncomfortable — particularly if ordinary dry-eye drops haven't solved the problem — it may be worth having your eyelids properly examined.
At Shattky Optometrists we take the time to look closely at the eyelids, Meibomian glands, tear film and surface of the eye to work out why your eyes are uncomfortable.
Book a Dry Eye Assessment
or
Call our Hastings team on 06 876 3777
Shattky Optometrists
Unequalled Eyecare. We take the time.
Kiwi's know that good things take time, so come to us, have the tests done without feeling that you have been "rushed thru", and you'll know what we mean when we say "we take the time!"
Book appointmentKiwi's know that good things take time, so come to us, have the tests done without feeling that you have been "rushed thru", and you'll know what we mean when we say "we take the time!"
Book appointment
