Tea tree oil anyone?

[PotatoCakes]

FYI for those with a Trader Joe's in their area... TJ's carries a whole line of tea tree oil products including face wash, cleansing pads (for face), shampoo & conditioner and body wash as well as bottles of tea tree oil.

[spmcc]

The website for Ocusoft Lid Scrub says:

A recent study has also demonstrated that OCuSOFT Lid Scrub PLUS kills Demodex mites, a common inhabitant of eyelashes, and is also ideal to be used in any pre-surgical eyelid regimen (see http://www.ocusoft.com/products/#original)

Also Sterilid Lid Scrub's website says it contains linalool which is found in tea tree oil (see http://www.theratears.com/sterilid.aspx)

My ophthalmologist has recommended both lid scrubs to me in the past.

[NeedMyEyes]

I think Occusoft has something like 2% tea tree oil in it and I have heard Dr. Safran say you need more like 50% strength.

[PotatoCakes]

I asked my eye specialist about tea tree oil and mites yesterday while I was in his office. I don't know if anyone else is like me but every time I hear of something new (to me), I wonder if it might "cure" me. Anyway, I've dabbled a bit with tea tree oil since reading about it here and figured I should ask one of my specialists about it, particularly since last time i dabbled, I managed to get it into my eye (OUCH). Anyway, he told me that it wouldn't help me because I don't really have that kind of blepharitis where mites become a problem. This was good information for me since he barely tells me anything -- all I knew was that I had bleph. but could only guess what mine was like based on what I could and couldn't see.

At any rate, while people with dry eye are prone to blepharitis, they generally don't have the kind that is caused by mites (according to him). It is one of the reasons you want to maintain lid cleanliness (he is opposed to any kind of scrub and prescribes warm compresses followed by lid cleaning with sterile saline for this purpose; my new specialist said that once a week I can do something like Ocusoft -- both are anti-baby shampoo).

Like a previous poster, I did like the way the diluted tea tree oil felt when I used it on my lashes so I'm not sure I'm ready to give up on it entirely, despite my 1st specialist telling me it is extremely toxic. But as far as mites, I'm putting that one aside for me personally. If you do choose to use tea tree oil on your lids, make sure you really dilute it and I'd keep sterile saline or drops nearby in case you do get it in your eye and you need to immediately and thoroughly rinse your eye to get it out (you'll want to because it REALLY hurts). If I do use it in the future, I'll dilute it heavily and use it rarely, not regularly since it sounds like it's kind of like using Lysol on your lids, particularly if you don't have a mite issue.

[Emmsy555]

Sorry to divert from the tea tree oil route- I wanted to comment on the earlier discussions.

I know that Mass Eye and Ear uses confocal microscopes as they use them on me for every appointment to check on the regeneration of my corneal nerves. Like Rebecca said, they are probably more common in large hospital centers. etc. as opposed to smaller ophthalmology places. Just a quick bump: I can't promote Mass Eye and Ear enough for their help. While I'm still in immense constant pain, they have been nothing but helpful, caring and dedicated. Considering how most dr.s can be about our problems, they are worth the trek for.

Also, I think the pain treatment for neuropathy that was discussed is the calmare pain treatment, sometimes referred to as the "scrambler." I might be confused so let me know if I'm wildly off. I'm hoping to look into this myself. The website (http://www.calmarett.com/locations.html) does give locations for it's use... but I'm not sure how many places would be willing to use it on the eyes beyond the Boston Foundation for Sight.

[NeedMyEyes]

Here is how one of the very prominent Demodex doctors does his tea trea scrub. I was his patient and he told me:

How to make the tea tree oil scrub yourself:

Go to The Vitamin Shoppe and buy the 3 or 4 ounce 100% tea tree oil.

Go to www.macnutoil.com and buy the 16 ounce ( the only size they have ) 100% Australian Macadamia nut oil.

That's all! Now just mix them together - half macadamia nut and half tea tree oil. Put them in a clean container (like a bottle with a dropper).

Take a clean (sterile?) qtip and dip in the oil mixture. Now rub both eye brows to take the excess off the qtip. Now close your eyes and rub the qtip at the base of your upper lid lashes. Now open and rub at the base of the lower lid lashes.

Repeat every 5 minutes for a total of 3 times. Once a week for 4 weeks and you will be rid of Demodex!

I have heard you should only do this under the supervision of a doctor... So, please get a doctor to do this scrub for you.

[Hopeful2]

. . . Following this 'older' thread about demodex treatment.

I was wondering how many people have been diagnosed with demodex induced blepharitis? . . . seems tricky to diagnose.

If you have been treated for demodex, do you mind sharing your story here?