Update in Demodex Blepharitis

Authors

  • Siripong Siramon College of Medicine and Public health Ubon Ratchathani University, Warin Chamrap District, Ubon Ratchathani 34190
  • Latiporn Udomsuk College of Medicine and Public health Ubon Ratchathani University, Warin Chamrap District, Ubon Ratchathani 34190
  • Tanit Wongwibulsin Department of ophthalmology, Panyananthapikkhu Chonpratan Medical Center, Srinakharinwirot University, Pak Kret District, Nonthaburi 11120

Keywords:

Demodex; blepharitis; ocular surface disease; cylindrical dandruff; tea tree oil

Abstract

Nowadays chronic blepharitis that does not respond to conventional treatment is associated with increasing number of Demodex at eyelid. In human eye, there are two species of mites which are Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis. Due to their habitat of these 2 species are different which cause different kind of anterior and posterior blepharitis, respectively. Ocular symptoms of Demodex blepharitis are overlap to the other ocular surface disease but symptoms may worsen than the others.  This reason may be the cause of delayed diagnosis and ineffective management of Demodex blepharitis. Pathognomonic sign of this disease is the cylindrical dandruff around lash follicle. There are many methods for confirm diagnosis which the most popular method is lash sampling and exam under microscope. Mode of common treatments presently, there are many commercial eyelid cleansers that contained tea tree oil in various concentration in the market or oral ivermectin but all of these cannot get rid of Demodex mite after 4 weeks of treatment. So Demodex blepharitis is the chronic disease that challenges both diagnosis and proper treatment for the quality of chronic blepharitis patients in the future.

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Published

2020-04-08

How to Cite

1.
Siramon S, Udomsuk L, Wongwibulsin T. Update in Demodex Blepharitis. SRIMEDJ [Internet]. 2020 Apr. 8 [cited 2024 Nov. 22];35(2):230-7. Available from: https://li01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/SRIMEDJ/article/view/241492

Issue

Section

Review Articles