Treatment of Ocular Itching Associated With Ocular Demodicosis by 5% Tea Tree Oil Ointment

Abstract

There is a strong correlation between ocular itching and Demodex infestation and between symptomatic resolution and reduction of Demodex counts by daily lid massage with 5% TTOO.

Demodex Outbreak Causing Palpebra Skin Lesions

“…Oral administration of ivermectin along with topical application of cream permethrin is another quite suitable treatment for eyelash demodicosis [1,9]. Yet, in our outbreak report, patients responded well to tea tree oil treatment (TTO), as referred in other studies [2][3][4][5]. TTO scrub treatment seems effective for ocular Demodex elimination and improvement of ocular blepharitis symptoms [2,4].…”

“…These patients continued TTO shampooing and additionally underwent daily treatment with TTO 5-10%, diluted in mineral oil [2][3][4][5], depending on the patients' endurance to TTO ocular irritation. Application of TTO 5-10% was done by a cotton tip onto eyelid and eyelashes.…”

“…Oral administration of ivermectin could be an evidence based treatment for all patients [1] but ivermectin is not practically available in Greece. Oil of Melacula tree (tea tree oil, TTO) was our final therapeutic decision due to encouraging bibliographic data [2][3][4][5] and its clinical safety [2]. In the beginning, all patients had been treated for four to six weeks by daily use of various commercial cosmetic shampoos containing TTO up to 5%.…”

“…Application of TTO 5-10% was done by a cotton tip onto eyelid and eyelashes. Five to ten minutes after TTO application, eyelids and eyelashes were scrubbed for approximately 5 minutes, according to bibliography [2][3][4][5]. Patients were advised to perform TTO eye scrubbing twice a day.…”

“…Treatment of palpebra demodicosis usually lasts a few months [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. The use of various substances such as yellow mercurial ointment, sulphur ointment, camphorated oil, crotamiton, choline esterase inhibitors, sulfacetamide, steroids, antibiotics, as well as antimycotic drugs, offers some improvement [9].…”