Abstract
Purpose :
Demodex blepharitis remains an under-diagnosed condition, lacking universally-accepted diagnostic and management protocols. The primary aim of this study was to compare how eye care professionals in different regions of the world diagnose and manage Demodex blepharitis.
Methods :
Ophthalmologists and optometrists in India and Australia/New Zealand were invited to complete an online survey on Demodex blepharitis. Practitioner demographics and views on eyelid health in general, as well as details of diagnostic and management practices from those reporting that they treat Demodex blepharitis in clinical practice, were collected. Mann-Whitney U, and Fisher’s exact tests were used for statistical analysis.
Results :
A total of 261 eyecare professionals completed the survey, 207 from India (84% optometrists); 54 from Australia and New Zealand (91% optometrists). Almost 70% of practitioners across the 3 countries considered Demodex blepharitis to be a cause of ocular discomfort, yet only 45% reported attempting to identify Demodex in their patients. There were significant differences in practice patterns between practitioners in Australasia and India. Practitioners’ views differed in terms of perceived prevalence of Demodex blepharitis (60% in Australasia vs 27% in India; p<0.001), choice of slit lamp magnification used to detect the mites (25x in Australasia vs 16x in India; p = 0.002), preferred treatment option to manage Demodex blepharitis (tea tree oil in Australasia vs Standard lid hygiene in India; p = 0.001), treatment duration (3-4 weeks to more than 12 weeks in Australasia vs 3-4 weeks in India; p = 0.002) and frequency of treatment (once a day in Australasia vs twice a day in India; p = 0.001).
Conclusions :
This study highlights differences in clinical evaluation and treatment practices between practitioners in India and Australasia. Overall, practitioners in Australia and New Zealand were more rigorous in their investigation and management. However, in both regions interprofessional differences in perceived optimal treatment duration and frequency were reported, highlighting a need for standardised treatment protocols to be developed for Demodex blepharitis.
This abstract was presented at the 2022 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Denver, CO, May 1-4, 2022, and virtually.