This recently published paper suggests that a variety of ocular symptoms might be caused by demodex infestation. Six patients all having demodex present, and suffering with recalcitrant symptoms (including 4 diagnosed with rosacea) were given tea tree oil for a weekly eyelid scrub and tea tree shampoo for a daily scrub. All patients showed a large decrease in demodex counts and relief from their symptoms.
Other recently published studies are showing that tea tree oil kills demodex. See ;
- Clinical treatment of ocular demodecosis by lid scrub with tea tree oil., Cornea. 2007 Feb;26(2):136-43. Conclusions: Demodex potentially causes ocular surface inflammation, meibomian gland dysfunction, and lash abnormalities. Lid scrub with TTO can effectively eradicate ocular Demodex and result in subjective and objective improvements. This preliminary positive result warrants future prospective investigation of Demodex pathogenicity.
- In vitro and in vivo killing of ocular Demodex by tea tree oil. [full text], Br J Ophthalmol. 2005 Nov;89(11):1468-73 Conclusions: Demodex is resistant to a wide range of antiseptic solutions. Weekly lid scrub with 50% TTO and daily lid scrub with tea tree shampoo is effective in eradicating ocular Demodex.
I have always pushed the line that demodex mites have thus far only been proven to be innocent bystanders in rosacea symptoms. In order to prove that the mites are responsible for some ocular symptoms we now need double blind studies to show 2 things – firstly that killing demodex does lead to a reduction in ocular rosacea symptoms and secondly some studies that show how tea tree oil works. We also now need larger studies that confirm that tea tree oil is a safe therapy for ocular symptoms.
Corneal Manifestations of Ocular Demodex Infestation, Kheirkhah A, Casas V, Li W, Raju VK, Tseng SC., Ocular Surface Center, Miami, Florida. Am J Ophthalmol. 2007 Mar 19
PURPOSE: To report the corneal manifestations in eyes with Demodex infestation of the eyelids.
DESIGN: Noncomparative, interventional case series.
METHODS: This retrospective review included six patients with Demodex blepharitis who also exhibited corneal abnormalities, which led to suspicion of limbal stem cell deficiency in three cases. All patients received weekly lid scrubs with 50% tea tree oil and a daily lid scrubs with tea tree shampoo for a minimum of six weeks. Improvement of symptoms and corneal and conjunctival signs were evaluated.
RESULTS: All six patients exhibited ocular irritation and conjunctival inflammation, while meibomian gland dysfunction (n = 5), rosacea (n = 4), and decreased vision (n = 3) also were noted despite prior treatments with oral tetracycline, topical steroids with antibiotics, and lid scrub with baby shampoo. These patients were proven to have Demodex folliculorum (n = 6) and Demodex brevis (n = 3) by microscopic examination of epilated lashes. Their corneal manifestation included superficial corneal vascularization (six eyes of five cases), marginal corneal infiltration (two eyes of two cases), phlyctenule-like lesion (one eye of one case), superficial corneal opacity (two eyes of two cases), and nodular corneal scar (two eyes of two cases). After treatment, the Demodex count was reduced from 6.8 +/- 2.8 to 1 +/- 0.9 (standard deviation; P = .001). All patients showed dramatic resolution of ocular irritation, conjunctival inflammation, and all inflammatory, but not scarred, corneal signs; three patients showed improved vision.
CONCLUSIONS: A variety of corneal pathologic features together with conjunctival inflammation, commonly noted in rosacea, can be found in patients with Demodex infestation of the eyelids. When conventional treatments for rosacea fail, one may consider lid scrub with tea tree oil to eradicate mites as a new treatment.
Update: For those interested in how to follow the tea tree oil treatments discussed in this paper, here are some related notes from a page titled Demodex treatment options ;
Dr. Safran said Dr. Tseng’s identification of tea tree oil to treat the Demodex is novel, and he has slightly modified the formulation. While physicians can buy tea tree oil from most health food stores, Dr. Safran has also used an ointment Dr. Tseng is working on. If using the heath food store variety, he said to cut the oil to 50% in Macadamia nut oil.
“I apply it with cotton tip applicators after one drop of tetracaine, so there’s no shield required,” he said. “I am very aggressive with trying to get the oil into the lash roots and along the lashes to kill any eggs. I also aggressively treat the eyebrows. I don’t like the applicator dripping wet, but it should be moist enough so I can see the oil getting onto the skin when it’s touched. I treat the brow first, then the lid to get rid of the excess oil where it won’t irritate as much. I’ll do three applications a visit, about 10 minutes apart, and then finish with a tea tree ointment at 20%, which I have mixed for me at a compounding pharmacy. I do this for three visits, each one week apart.”
Dr. Safran warned other physicians not to use full strength tea tree oil. “I tried that on myself, and it was not a pleasant experience,” he said.
The patient must institute hygiene at home, he said, and that includes tea tree shampoo, scrubs and face wash.
As Tea Tree Oil is a strong substance and your eye is such a sensitive organ, these sorts of therapies really are best undertaken with the supervision of a doctor.
This article also mentions that Dr. Tseng has filed a patent on the use of tea tree oil for ocular symptoms.
For further information on eradicating demodex mites I also strongly recommend that you read the related article just how do you kill demodex mites ?.
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15 comments ↓
I have mild Rosacea on my nose and slightly on my cheeks right next to my nose, which is kept under pretty good control with Metro-Gel, which I have used for about 8 years. I also have ocular rosacea, which my opthamologist has tried treating with a regimin of doxycycline, and also
Alrex ( Loteprednol Etabonate Opthalmic Suspension-0.2% )together, neither of which really helped. I suspect that I may have Demodex mites, and would like to try the 50% Tea Tree Oil weekly lid scrub and daily Tea Tree Shampoo scrubs, to see if that helps. The whites of my eyes are almost always very red. I have had this for about 10 years. I am 68 yrs. old. After the aforementioned treatments did not work, my doctor told me to just go ahead and use Visine ( although NOT daily ) whenever I wanted temporary relief from the redness.
That is just a “band-aid” though, and is not getting to the bottom of the ocular rosacea, which is why I suspect Demodex mites.
Where can I buy 50% Tea Tree Oil and the right type of Tea Tree shampoo that can be used in the eyes? I live in Thousand Oaks, CA 91360.
Thank you,
M. Ehrlich
M. Ehrlich,
You can buy tree tree oil like the one pictured above at most health food stores and definitely The Vitamin Shop. Or you can order online, I’m sure. It’s very common. Same for tea tree shampoo.
Thanks for posting this information, it’s very interesting!
Like M. Ehrlich, I’d like to try the 50% TTO treatment but how do I prepare it? The product pictured above is 100% TTO. Do I dilute it 50-50 with regular shampoo or can I buy 50% TTO? Thanks in advance.
This is a good question. Tea tree oil is not soluble in water, so it is not so easy to dilute it. It is soluble in alcohol, but I wouldn’t want to put alcohol near my eye.
Actually I just found an interesting article so I will update the article above.
davidp.
partial blindess has resulted from tea tree oil use near the eyes, and can also effect sexuality changes in men, believe it or not. there are big warnings about this recent experimental substance known as TTO. it has not been in widespread use for more than twenty five years.
“Dr. Safran said Dr. Tseng’s identification of tea tree oil to treat the Demodex is novel” – oh, dear. Novel. How about “incredibly dangerous, and not only but also, it is immunising bacteria on other parts of the body and potentially leading to staph infections and auto-immune dysfunction.”
er, i guess he wouldnt have said that, seeing as how some encouraging results have been seen in test tubes with a demodex mite and tea tree oil.
sure, it is also possible to put a mite in White King Bleach, and observe strong anti-bacterial and anti-parasitic effects.
the concern about TTO is that it’s negative and unwanted side effects can actually work via the olfactory nerve – sense of smell – and also, it is extremely aggressive toward skin cells, and will seep through many layers, very quickly.
if Dr Tseng has filed a patent … then it is obvious that part of his research is for money, and not for humankind. also, if it is for profit, then scientists paid to study the substance with him, will look for the good results, and not properly study the VERY obvious deliterious side effects.
i just hope they have a good team of lawyers for when the insurance claims start rolling in.
I don’t think you can say that because someone has filed a patent they it is only for money and not humankind. That seems a bit harsh. Patents are about protecting intellectual property. Very very very few patents get used to collect license fees. Without protection for intellectual property businesses would never invest in research or development of potential treatments.
davidp.
thankyou, yes indeed. i do get somewhat over-strenuous in my opinions. many thanks for your moderating influence, and many wise words in general.
as regards my own experience when trying diluted tea tree oil on my eyelids .. yes, there was some evidence of clearing of redness. and my ocular rosacea would affect my eyelids much more than the eyes themselves – i would have been much happier if it were the other way around.
my very red eyelids made police suspicious of me, and only my best and most long-term friends knew me and respected me just as much as they did when i was 17, and had no rosacea whatsoever.
so of course i was willing to try anything.
however, i did experience hours of blurred vision, with no guarantee it would clear (thankfully it did) after using TTO anywhere near my eyes.
anyway, if TTO was an effective treatment without side effects, i actually used it long before the doctor in the article used it, only my carrier oil was coconut oil – slightly effective on its own, actually
…
so, really, the doctor who has filed for a patent actually has disregarded the fact that others have used it already to treat ocular rosacea.
and yet, i do understand the commercial world, and how large companies need to see a patent before investing money in research.
Brolene Gel (not the ineffective brolene drops) completely cleared my eyelids of ocular rosacea, however during that time, i developed a small yellow area on the right eye, with a red small vein connecting it to the corner of the eye. I believe the Brolene Gel caused this, because i used it for longer than was recommended. Perhaps this is why Brolene Gel is now no longer available (effective from about 5 months ago). the manufacturer, 3M has given no explanation.
im not worried, as the yellow spot on the white of the eye itself is fading, the red lids are honey tan colour still, and also, the eyelashes no longer fall out from stye-affected areas.
So Jasper ! Can you use TTO diluted on the cheeks? What else has worked for you that is simple, available and effective? Both hair, eyes and face ? Thanks.
I noticed my vision had deteriorated in my left eye about 4 months ago. Rubbing some 25% Tea Tree oil over my left eyelid and over the slit between my clenched lids
a) Burned like hell and made my eye water.
b) Improved my left eye vision by about 200%.
This was an accidental discovery, and I thought, someone else must
know about this. I googled [tea tree oil vision] and found this page.
Thanks for the info.
wow, i’m just today reading about this stuff. i have RA and rosacea on my face, which i gave up on years ago, but it’s the ocular rosacea that is just simply driving me mad. i had puntal plugs put in about a year ago and it was the most relief and most comfortable i can ever remember my eyes being. it was miraculous. well, this TTO thing, mites, eye lid washes……i’d be willing to go through the whole thing. y’all send me updates when you hear anything. i’ll talk to my doctors about it. you know how they are, if it’s not a treatment in the standard of care, they just blow it off. good luck to you all. melanie
I am reading with interest about the dermodex mites. Can you not just use a tea tree cleansing bar on your face and eyes? Is it not strong enough?
i devised my own treatment for my irritated eyelids, so here it goes: started 06-08-09 i started using men’s crew brand shampoo with tea tree oil, as shampoo and face wash. i let it sit on my face and hair while i scrub the rest of me in the shower. i’ve also been using jojoba oil (antinflammatory) and castor oil on my face for cleansing. it came to my attention the other day that i put olive oil in my cat’s ears to kill mites – old time remedy and i know it works. so, the first 2 days i had notable itching to my face, eyebrows particularly. i don’t have thick eyebrows and have sparse lashes. well, it’s about day 10 and my daytime irritation around the rims of my eyelids is way less and still having itching but it’s not as big of a deal. OMG, is this stuff working??? i’m afraid to use full strength TTO right on my eyelids. i may go see my opthalmologist soon and fess up about this just to see what he says. he told me i would have to use restasis daily for the rest of my life after he put in the punctal plugs. somebody e-mail me and tell me about how you are doing this if you have different ideas on products or whatever. i’d love to compare symptoms and stuff with y’all. thanks, melanie meiel@aol.com
melanie, I am sorry but I have no real different ideas about TTO..I would just want to be really careful about my eyes… My doc told me to use a drop of baby-shampoo in a small cup of water and mix it, then clean the rims with this liquid by help of a q-tip, every morning..
However I was fascinated when reading about your ideas about cleaning your face and your eyes.
I have lots of problems with ocular inflammation, and since February a huge hordeolum (sty) on my right eye. Every now and then there are new spots of inflammations of my lid rims. What exactly are you doing to your eyes? Using olive oil on them too?
Thanks for telling us about your experiment, and your ideas and hope to hear more from you. Bye, Susanne
Hello Melanie
Just read you comments on the Rosacea support org site regarding Tea Tree oil.
I have been trying to deal with Rosacea for two years now and can highly recommend using tea tree oil.
I started getting Rosacea two years ago when I was on a trip in Europe on a small cruise boat between Split & Dubrovnik. It happened overnight, suggesting it may have been something I had come in contact with. Perhaps in the bed linen. I had this 20mm red blotch on the side of my nose. It went way after a week but has continued to return in smaller typical Rosacea inflammations since.
My dermatologist put me on Doxycycliine a year ago and this does keep it under control, 50mg twice a day. Whenever I stop the Doxy it returns with a vengeance. So back on the Doxy.
Now for the good news. I have recently, three weeks now started using Tea tree Oil after reading an article on the internet. I purchased a 50ml bottle of 15% TTO in a water soluble solution. I also brought a 100% bottle and mix the two to make a 50% solution. I have been applying this 10 times a day to my nose and eyebrows with amazing results. it does burn, just a little, not for long, 10 seconds, and it has rejuvenated my skin.
I was also having trouble with very sore eyes. I have had cataract surgery to replace the lenses in both eyes and my eyesight if terrific, but suffer from dry eyes. Sitting in an air-conditioned office in front of a computer screen does not help as I tend not to blink near as much as I should. Tea tree oils has helped this greatly as the application releases vapours that make me blink. I saw my eye surgeon last week and he said I had indication of demorex in my eye lashes, they leave marks on the eyelashes at the base where they attach themselves, but he could not find any. and he suggested I continue with the treatment. Ensure you keep the TTO out of your eyes, as it will burn a little and should be washed out with drops if you get any under your eyelids.
My current theory is that I may have contracted the Demorex on the boat trip and I may now have them under control. I have had occasional relapses, one just this weekend, but it lasted only two days and has dries up already. I wonder if I will ever get rid of Rosacea for good, as they may be other causes, eg Red wine which I am partial to. I also have an identical twin brother that does not get Rosacea (yet), we shall see. I am also using TTO soap and have stopped the Doxy completely, and I do feel much better as the Doxy has side effects and no antibiotic should be taken longer than necessary.
Good luck, please let me now how you go.
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