Do you know that parasites called demodex may underlie complaints such as itching, watery eyes and eyelash loss?

Our eyes, like our skin, deserve to be nourished from the inside, not the outside. Because no matter how healthy you stay, there are some important eye problems that you may encounter during the aging process, and these are not the natural consequences of aging, but diseases related to the care you show to your eyes.
Prof. Dr. Göktuğ Demirci said, “These parasites called demodex, which consist of a mouth, tail and 8 legs, are too small to be seen with the naked eye. These parasites damage our eyes and skin with the germs they carry. Demodexes are thought to be one of the causes of diseases such as recurrent stye, eye inflammation, eyelash loss, contact lens intolerance, dry eye.” Prof. Dr. Göktuğ Demirci pointed out that the incidence of demodex has increased recently. Prof. Dr. Demirci stated that demodexes, known as demodex in Latin but in Turkish as ‘oil-eating worm’, live on the skin and eyes, especially where there are sebaceous glands and hair follicles, and said, “Recently, the number of patients coming with complaints of itching, watering in the eyes and loss of eyelashes has increased. At first, these complaints were thought to be allergic or a skin disease such as eczema. Thanks to the progress in our imaging technology, when we examined in detail, interesting parasites hiding in the eyelash bases and skin of the patients were discovered. These parasites, which consist of 3 parts called demodex, have a mouth like a pincer, 8 digging legs and a tail. Too small to be seen with the naked eye, demodexes are 200-400 microns in size and can only be seen with special microscopes. These parasites lay their eggs at the base of our eyelashes and eat fat and skin particles. They damage our eyes and skin with the germs they carry. It is thought to be a factor that increases complaints especially in rosacea, and is thought to be one of the causes of diseases such as recurrent stye, eye inflammation, eyelash loss, contact lens intolerance, dry eye.”
Beware of Tea Tree Oil
First of all, the underlying cause must be identified. The disease that causes these parasites to increase, which lowers the immune system, should be treated, and measures should be taken to reduce the number of parasites, slow down their reproduction and prevent their numbers from increasing again. Systemic or local treatments should be applied. These include antibiotics prescribed by ophthalmologists and dermatologists specifically for this parasite and specially prepared creams, laser treatments, eyelash cleaners. Especially those who search for demodex treatment on the internet come across tea tree oil. According to internet information, instead of tea tree oil taken from herbalists, original products with a certain ratio of terpinen-4-ol in it work better. Otherwise allergic reactions may occur. Again, eyelash hygiene, weight control, hypertension control are very helpful in reducing the number of parasites. It is also very important for those who use make-up not to share these materials with others to prevent the spread of parasites. It is of great importance for patients with symptoms such as recurrent stye, eye inflammation, eyelash loss, dry eye to consult a physician for correct diagnosis and treatment.

April 2024