Man discovers tiny creatures living on his eyelashes

A man was shocked to find that mites have been living in his eyelashes and feeding off dead skin around them. The Reddit user posted the now-viral video of two tiny worm-like creatures entwined at the end of what appeared to be an eyelash. The creatures were so miniscule, he had to use a microscope to see them. According to the Redditor @gud_morning_dave, he decided to check his eyes for eyelash mites after learning about them on the platform.

Eyelash mites

Eyelash mites are very minute bugs found at the base of your eyelashes and cannot be seen with the naked eye. Caused by Demodex mites, these bugs feed on dead skin cells around your lashes as well as eyelids, acting as a natural cleaning mechanism.

The Reddit user whose post has been upvoted more than 20,000 times, told News Week, he was curious to find out he had the mites in his eyelashes after learning about them recently.

I learned about eyelash mites from a Reddit post a few days ago. Then while using a microscope at work, I wondered if I could see them on my own eyelashes, so I plucked a few out and looked at the roots. One of the roots had these two mites on it.

Dangerous mites?

Demodex mites have an important role to play in how your body functions. In fact, everyone has small amounts of these creatures in hair follicles on the face. However, they can pose a problem if they reproduce in large numbers. According to Optometrists Network, they can cause significant damage to the eye and skin including:

dry, red, and itchy skin, and/or eczema, as well as severe inflammation of the eyelids, and damage to the oil glands in the eyelid margins, meibomian glands and eyelashes.

If not detected early, symptoms can develop into blepharitis which causes crusty eyelashes, sticky eyes and frequent blinking, according to Healthline.

Sources used:

Healthline: Eyelash Mites: What to Know

News Week: Man Films Gnarly Mites Living on His Eyelashes: 'I Will Gouge My Eyes Out'

Optometrists Network: How Does the Demodex Mite Cause Blepharitis?

Web MD: Eyelash Mites: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment