According to Mayo Clinic, tea tree oil, also known as melaleuca oil, is an essential oil which comes from steaming the leaves of the Australian tea tree. Tea tree oil can be highly effective in treating dry eye, if used correctly. There are several conditions such as blepharitis, demodex, and rosacea that cause dry eye, and can be calmed using tea tree oil.
To begin with, we will dive deep into blepharitis in the context of dry eye. Blepharitis gives off the symptoms of dry eye, eyelid redness, and itching. This is a common eyelid disease which can worse dry eyes. A typical cause can be an overgrowth of bacteria. Although we normally have bacteria in our eyelashes, if it grows out of control, the excess bacteria will cause itching and redness.
Next, we will discuss demodex. Demodex are tiny mites that live in eyelash follicles and glands of the eyelid. They are microscopic and not visible with the naked eye. These creatures exert their waste products on the eyelids, eyelashes, and in the meibomian glands. Demodex can cause significant inflammatory and mechanical damage. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for a person to have a demodex infestation and be completely symptom free, and therefore unaware of it. Demodex can cause dry eye and lead to irreparable damage, which is why diagnosing and properly treating this condition early on is so important.
Lastly, it is important to cover ocular rosacea, inflammation that causes redness, burning, and itching of the eyes. It often develops in people who carry the chronic skin condition, rosacea. Although there is no cure for ocular rosacea, there are remedies and treatments out there to tame it.
For all three conditions that we have explored, the right eyelid wipe will help, according to Advanced Vision Health. Eyelid wipes are pre-moistened pads that remove debris and oils released from clogged eyelid glands as well as any unwanted bacteria or hardened makeup around the eye lashes and skin. Furthermore, eye lid wipes formulated with tea tree oil are most effective at removing bacteria, debris, and dandruff, yet are not too strong to cause irritation. Additionally, wipes that contain tea tree also provide moisture and skin firming hyaluronate to tighten eye wrinkles as an added plus.