Also known as demodex, each mite has four pairs of legs that make it easy to grip tube-shaped things – like your lashes.
You can’t see eyelash mites because they’re only about a third of a millimeter long and see-through. All they want is to eat some dead skin cells and a bit of the oil that comes along with them. By doing this, eyelash mites act as a natural cleaning system.
Causes and Risk Factors
Eyelash mites usually don’t cause trouble and you don’t even notice them. But sometimes too many live around your eyelashes and cause problems.
Since your eyes are surrounded by your nose, eyebrows, and cheeks – parts that stick out more – it might not be as easy to keep your eyelid area as clean as the rest of your face. This can let more mites live there
Having too many eyelash mites can:
- Trigger irritation around the eyelid
- Carry bacteria there
- Leave waste products you’re sensitive to
- Make lashes grow in the wrong direction or become loose
- Block oil passages around your eyelid edges
- Trigger the growth of tube-shaped dandruff around the lash base
Symptoms and Diagnosis
Many things can cause eye problems, not just having too many eyelash mites. But symptoms include:
- Itching
- Burning
- Crusty red edges on your eyelid
- Feeling like something “foreign” is in your eye
- Irritation inside your eyelid
- Blurry vision
- Eye pain
- Unexplained tearing in your eyes
If your doctor thinks eyelash mites are causing those problems, they will ask about your symptoms and look for redness or swelling around the edges of your eyelids. They will also want to rule out other conditions that can irritate your eyes.
