How clean are your eyelashes?
By 41Combedale
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
Greece
June 11, 2016 3:30pm CST
How often do you wash your eyelashes? I ask the question because at the present time I am washing mine every day. I have something called Blepharitis, otherwise known by the rather unpleasant description ‘eyelash mites.’
I am not alone, 50% of us have them, and if like me, you use eye makeup then your chances are even greater.
I complained to the optician that it felt as if I had some dust or sand in my eye. He took a look through his equipment and spotted the problem. He then produced some tweezers and began to pluck. I thought all my eyelashes were coming out! Maybe some of them did but mostly he was removing these mites one by one. They are too small to see with the naked eye.
Afterwards my eye felt so much better, so I knew he really had been effective. He told me to rub Tree Tea Oil Shampoo on my lashes every day. I diluted it very slightly because it did smart. It took about a month to feel the benefit.
Every so often I know the wretched things are back but a week of applying the shampoo is effective although the optician said I should do it three times a week regularly.
12 people like this
11 responses
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
12 Jun 16
If your oil glands are normal, then warm water is all you need to keep them clean.
2 people like this
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
12 Jun 16
If you have no symptoms you are probably in the 50% who don't hyarbour any!
2 people like this
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
12 Jun 16
From what I have read they multiply quickly and I think once you have got them you have to use the Tree Oil shampoo from time to time to get rid of them.
1 person likes this
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
12 Jun 16
@ElizabethWallace Sorry to contradict you, mine were discovered by an ophthalmologist. He also said that baby shampoo was not strong enough to get rid of them.
2 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
12 Jun 16
This condition is not caused by mites. It is caused by overactive oil glands along the edge of the lid. Warm water along with a baby shampoo help.
1 person likes this
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
12 Jun 16
We have them all over our skin, at least one kind or another.
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
12 Jun 16
@ElizabethWallace there are other sites but you might be interest in reading this one.
Healthy Body DailyDr Oz - Doctor Oz Diets, Recipes & Lifestyle Advice You are here: Home / Archives for Dr. Oz Tea Tree Oil For Eyelash MitesDr. Oz: Eyelash Mites, Blepharitis | What’s In Your Eyelashes March 2, 2011 By Trish Dr. Oz: Eyelash Mites | Tea Tr
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
12 Jun 16
It would be gross, but this condition is caused by overactive oil glands, not mites. It would be very odd indeed to have mites there.
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
11 Jun 16
I've heard of this affliction, I wonder sometimes what makes my eyes so itchy. I bathe my eyelids almost daily with cooled boiled water on a clean cotton wool pad to ease the itchiness and remove the "sand" from the corners of my eyes, that gathers there after a day or overnight.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
12 Jun 16
Warm water is best to soften and eliminate the oil that is produced along the edge of the eyelid.
1 person likes this
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
12 Jun 16
pgn - I suggest you do a little research because what you describes sounds like symptoms. I was also told that some people have them but are not bothered by them, but I had an allergy to them which aggravated the situation.
2 people like this
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
12 Jun 16
@ElizabethWallace Yes. I would be wary of putting diluted tea tree oil or products containing soap near my eyes!
@1creekgirl (40516)
• United States
11 Jun 16
I guess what I have is similar. My eye lids used to itch terribly and my eye doc said to gently scrub the lash line with baby soap (it's tear-free) every day. That cleared it up, but I still do that every morning.
1 person likes this
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
12 Jun 16
I was told to use baby soap first time around but it did not work. A while later I saw a different doctor and he said the baby shampoo was not strong enough, but to rinse well after using it.
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
12 Jun 16
I hate to disagree with your doctor, but I have the same condition. It is NOT caused by mites (although you certainly could have them). This condition is an inflammation of the eyelid caused by overactive oil glands along the eyelashes.
What he removed with tweezers could have been oil plugs and not mites. I have done that myself. I soak the eyelid with warm water on a wash cloth, then run my thumbnail over the edge of an eyelid, and the chunks of oil pop out and can be removed with tweezers.
The treatment to prevent them is as you are doing, but my doctor recommended baby shampoo (does not sting). Keeping the lids clean and dry would reduce the oil and inflammation. If you had mites, you would need a prescription medication to kill them.
For more info, here's a link to the Mayo Clinic.
Search All Mayo Clinic TopicsQuality CareFind out why Mayo Clinic is the right place for your health care. Make an appointment.Meet the StaffFind a directory of doctors and departments at all Mayo Clinic campuses. Visit now.Research and Clinical TrialsSee
1 person likes this
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
12 Jun 16
states the following
Blepharitis is an inflammation of the eyelids, usually caused by an excess growth of bacteria that is ordinarily found on the skin, blockage of the eyelid's oil glands, and occasionally allergies.
So it sounds as though we both have got it right up to a point as blepharitis can be caused by bacteria or blocked oil glands. Thank you for your imput. perhaps we can agree to differ on some points.
Blepharitis is an infection of the eyelids and WebMD helps you understand how to recognize and treat it.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
12 Jun 16
@41CombedaleRoad Yes, and I hope that your eyelids feel better soon. Mine are doing pretty well lately.
@epiffanie (11326)
• Australia
21 Jun 16
I have never heard of this condition.. Thanks so much for sharing ..I wash my face twice a day and I guess that includes the eyelashes ..
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
12 Jun 16
It is better to be safe than sorry, thanks for your contribution Anna.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
12 Jun 16
wowzers! i don't reckon i'd e'ery heard 'f that 'fore?? so glad that'cher optician took the time to check 'n then advise ya'n what needed to be done. i reckon they said to do such so often to keep'em't bay? perhaps they only coz "symptoms" when such's gotten purty bad?
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
12 Jun 16
I had it for a year at least before I went to see an ophthalmologist. I had not heard of eyelash mites until then.
@lilnana1111 (2305)
• United States
11 Jul 16
I have never heard of that? How does someone know if they have those, I ask because my son was complaining that he had something in his eye, but couldn't find anything.
