Opinion
Video
Diagnosis and Prevalence of Demodex Blepharitis
Neda Shamie, MD, summarizes the prevalence and clinical manifestations of Demodex Blepharitis.
This is a video synopsis/summary of an Insights involving Neda Shamie, MD.
Until recently, there were no FDA-approved therapies for Demodex blepharitis. In the past, Demodexblepharitis was quite common but often left untreated for years. Various abrasive in-office procedures, home therapies encouraging patients to abrade their own eyelashes/eyelids, and chemical cleansers were tried to lessen the Demodexload, but none treated the root cause. These approaches often irritated patients more than the actual disease.
Demodexblepharitis is highly prevalent, with a recent study finding that 56% of cataract patients had pathognomonic signs, even without symptoms. Over 90% of patients intolerant of contact lenses and 60% of those on dry eye treatment had Demodex, indicating it is an underdiagnosed condition.
Diagnosing Demodexblepharitis is simple. The eye care specialist uses a slit lamp to look at the patient’s eyelash line. When the patient looks down, the doctor examines the eyelash base for collarettes, which are mite excretions that cluster and cake on the lashes. This can cause inflammation, hair follicle loss, and other issues.
Video synopsis is AI-generated and reviewed by AJMC® editorial staff.
