In vivo evaluation of ocular demodicosis using laser scanning confocal microscopy.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the applicability of in vivo laser scanning confocal microscopy in the diagnosis and follow-up of ocular demodicosis infestation in a prospective controlled study.


METHODS
Fifteen right eyes of 15 patients with blepharitis associated with cylindrical dandruff (10 males, 5 females; mean age: 62.9 ± 9 years) and eight right eyes of eight age- and sex-matched control subjects underwent HRTII/RCM, evaluation of ocular symptom scores, tear function tests including vital stainings, Schirmer test, and tear clearance test, and evaluation of mite numbers in the eyelids.


RESULTS
In vivo confocal microscopy effectively disclosed the mites in the terminal bulbs of the eyelashes, which were not observed after treatment. Eyelids with demodicosis infestation showed marked inflammatory infiltrates around the meibomian glands and conjunctiva, which cleared with tea tree oil treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Laser scanning confocal microscopy seems to be an efficient noninvasive tool in the diagnosis and follow-up of ocular demodicosis infestation.
Kojima
Takashi
T
Johnson & Johnson Department of Ocular Surface and Visual Optics, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Ishida
Reiko
R
Sato
Enrique Adan
EA
Kawakita
Tetsuya
T
Ibrahim
Osama M A
OM
Matsumoto
Yukihiro
Y
Kaido
Minako
M
Dogru
Murat
M
Tsubota
Kazuo
K
D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001762:Blepharitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D015822:Eye Infections, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D005140:Eyelashes / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008875:Middle Aged; D008924:Mite Infestations / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D008925:Mites; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013666:Tears / Q000502:physiology