Eyelid Invaders: What You Need To Know About Demodex, Mites, and Blepharitis

Hi Friends,

I want to let you know that I will be speaking along with 80 other speakers at The Real Truth About Health Free 17-Day Live Online Conference April 5 – April 21, 2024. I will be speaking at the following times and taking live questions. I look forward to speaking with you.

Individual Lecture (live online presentation) – Sam Berne O.D. – The Eyes Never Lie: What Your Vision Reveals About Your Health

Wednesday, Apr 09, 2025, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM EDT

Panel 63 – Natural Vision: Unveiling Holistic Strategies for Lifelong Eye Health – Saturday, Apr 12, 2025, 8:15 PM – 9:30 PM EDT

Sam Berne O.D. – Vital Vision: Clear Vision Naturally

Please sign up to watch these free lectures.

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Strategies For Chronic Eye Symptoms: Demodex

Step 1: Rule Out and Reassess

Ask:

– **Unilateral or bilateral?** (One eye vs. both)

– **Morning vs. all-day redness?**

– **Discharge? Itching? Burning?**

– **Contact lens wearer?**

– **Recent meds (antihistamines, SSRIs, sleep aids)?**

– **Screen use, blue light exposure, or recent stress spikes?**

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Step 2: Consider Root Causes

1. Meibomian Gland Dysfunction / Evaporative Dry Eye

– Redness + inflammation + lack of response to silver = possibly oil glands clogged.

– Use:

– Warm compresses (5–10 min, twice daily)

– Lid massage with hypochlorous acid spray (e.g., Avenova or Heyedrate)

– Omega-3 supplementation (2–3g/day of EPA/DHA from Nordic Naturals or similar)

2. Demodex Mite Overgrowth (esp. if itching or worse in the morning)

– Classic in chronic blepharitis and redness.

– Use:

– Tea tree oil wipes (like Cliradex 1–2x/day)

– Castor oil on lids at night (anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial)

🌬️ 3. Allergy or Environmental Irritant

– Wind, smoke, mold, and pollen can all cause long-term inflammation.

– Try:

– Homeopathic eye drops** (Similasan Allergy Relief)

– **Cold compresses during flare-ups*

– Consider nettle leaf or quercetin supplements for systemic histamine balance.

4. Autoimmune or Inflammatory Response

– Consider the gut-immune-eye connection if this is part of broader inflammatory issues.

– Explore:

– Low-histamine diet trial for 7–10 days

– Support with **turmeric/curcumin or Boswellia

– If gluten-sensitive, remove gluten as it can trigger ocular inflammation.

5. Topical Support

If redness is not due to infection but inflammation:

– Use **preservative-free lubricating drops like *Refresh Mega-3or *Systane Complete 4x/day

– Avoid Visine or “get-the-red-out” drops—they rebound.

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Functional Vision Add-ons (Your Toolbox)

– Red-light therapy near-infrared (650–850 nm), 2–3 min per eye daily.

– Essential oil lymph drainage protocol (frankincense, helichrysum, copaiba around eyes—not in).

– Vagus nerve reset with somatic vision exercises to drop inflammation systemically.

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Referral Warning Signs (If Any Present)

– Severe light sensitivity

– Reduced vision

– Eye pain

– Clouding or corneal haze

Chronic Inflammatory Blepharoconjunctivitis, likely from:

1. Meibomian gland dysfunction + Demodex overgrowth

2. Environmental irritation or low-grade allergy

3. Possibly gut-liver overload (systemic inflammation contributing)

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## 🌿 Refined 7-Day Protocol to Calm, Clear, and Reset

Step 1: Cleanse the Lids + Calm the Microbiome

– Morning & Night:

– Wipe lids with a hypochlorous acid spray* (Avenova, Heyedrate, or Biotech).

– Follow with Cliradex wipes (or dilute tea tree oil in jojoba 5:1 if cost is a factor) to target Demodex.

– After 3 mins, apply castor oil or organic manuka honey salve on lids (not in eyes).

Step 2: Reduce Local Inflammation

– Apply a cold compress for 5–7 minutes mid-day (or chilled chamomile tea bags).

– Use preservative-free lubricating drops 3–4x/day: *Refresh Mega-3* or Systane Complete*

– Optional: Apply diluted frankincense or copaiba around eyes (temples, cheekbone, brow bone).

Step 3: Internal Anti-inflammatory + Eye-Lipid Support

– Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): 2–3g/day from fish oil (Nordic Naturals, Carlson Labs).

– Turmeric/Curcumin**: 500–1000mg/day (Meriva or BCM-95 form).

– Quercetin/Nettle Leaf capsules* If mild seasonal allergy is suspected.

Step 4: Environmental Clean-Up

– Check for bedroom irritants (dust, mold, old pillowcases, down comforters).

– Sleep with a humidifier if in a dry climate (Tesuque qualifies).

– Try **changing pillowcase daily for 3 days**, see if symptom intensity drops.

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Bonus: Functional Eye Reset

– Begin or resume your **Vagus nerve reset/lymph eye drainage protocol daily.

– Short craniosacral eye holds or temporal lifts can also reduce fluid stagnation.

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Optional Soothing Eye Rinse (Daily or PRN)

– Mix:

– ½ tsp organic calendula tincture

– ½ tsp salt

– 1 cup sterile warm water

– Use an eyecup to gently flush or soak for 2 minutes (beneficial after outdoor exposure).

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Re-Evaluate After 7 Days:

If there’s a 50–70% improvement, stay on protocol for another week, then taper.

If there is no change, escalate to MD/OD referral to rule out rare forms of conjunctivitis, episcleritis, or ocular rosacea.

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