An ophthalmologist in New Taipei City has urged people to practice good hygiene following the case of a 50-year-old woman who had white scales on her eyelashes that turned out to have been caused by a parasitic infection.
Demodex folliculorum are a type of mite that feeds on human skin cells and oils, said Shen Pei-yu (沈姵妤), an ophthalmologist at Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital.
People with oily skin, rosacea or weak immune systems, as well as people who are more prone to acne, are more susceptible to contracting Demodex folliculorum infections, she said.
Photo courtesy of Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital
The infection can result in blepharitis, an inflammation of the eyelids, Shen said.
Left untreated, it could lead to inflammation of the hair follicles or, in serious cases, chronic dry eye syndrome, she added.
There are many types of mites, each with a different shape, she said, adding that they lay their eggs inside the hair follicles and after one to two weeks, the eggs grow into adults.
Photo courtesy of Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital
The white scales found on eyelashes infected by Demodex folliculorum are the mites’ waste, she said, but added that patients typically exhibit no symptoms apart from waking up with dry, dandruff-like scales on their eyelashes.
Maintaining personal hygiene is important, Shen said.
To prevent the growth of the mites, people should wash towels, bedsheets and pillow cases regularly, and replace makeup supplies every three months, she said.
In related news, an ophthalmologist in Pingtung County has warned people who use colored contact lenses against using cheap lenses after a Kaohsiung woman’s lenses broke into pieces as she attempted to remove them, the Broadcasting Corp of China reported on Monday.
The tear film between the contact lens and the cornea evaporates more quickly at temperatures higher than 36.5°C, said Hung Chi-ting (洪啟庭), an ophthalmologist at Fooyin University Hospital.
Under these circumstances, colored contact lenses — especially shades of purple, blue or red — stick to the cornea like suction cups, becoming more difficult to remove, Hung said.
Trying to forcibly remove them could lead to corneal epithelial lesions, corneal abrasions, corneal ulcers or even blindness, he said.
The woman was trying to remove her colored contact lenses, which she had bought at a bargain price online, after experiencing eye pain, Hung said, but added that even after applying artificial tears, she could not remove them.
The woman applied more force and the lenses broke, he said.
He removed the pieces using a microscope and topical anesthetic eye drops, Hung said, adding that he has treated four similar cases in the past few weeks.
To save money, some people purchase generic brand colored lenses that have not been approved by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, he said.
When these poor-quality contact lenses are exposed to high temperatures, the pigments could also come off and damage the eyes, Hung added.
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