Blephadex Eyelid Foam Cleanser

✔ Stock on hand — ships NZ-wide from Rose Optometry, Hamilton.

Tea tree and coconut oil, formulated for eyelids

Blephadex is a foaming eyelid cleanser built around tea tree oil, blended with coconut oil to take the edge off the sting. It is used along the lid margin as part of a daily lid hygiene routine, most often where demodex is involved.

Two things are worth saying before you buy. The first is to get a diagnosis. Demodex blepharitis, seborrhoeic blepharitis, meibomian gland dysfunction and plain dry eye all look similar from the outside, feel similar to the person who has them, and are managed quite differently. Buying the wrong product is the single most common reason people conclude that nothing works for their eyes. We can tell the difference in a few minutes on the slit lamp — book a dry eye assessment with us in Hamilton and we will tell you what you need and, just as usefully, what you don't.

The second is patience. Demodex mites have a two-to-three-week life cycle, and treatment kills adult mites far more reliably than it kills eggs — so you are not treating the mites present today, you are treating the ones that hatch after them. Give it a minimum of six weeks of consistent daily use — two full life cycles — before judging whether it has worked. Most people stop at two weeks and decide it failed. And be realistic about what lid hygiene does: it keeps things in check rather than eradicating them, which is why persistent cases need a plan rather than a different bottle.

Who it's for

• People diagnosed with demodex or anterior blepharitis
• Anyone with crusting, flaking or debris at the base of the lashes
• Contact lens wearers whose lids need managing alongside lens wear
• Maintenance once an initial treatment phase is under control

Questions we get asked

How long before I know whether it is working?
Six weeks minimum, used daily — two full mite life cycles. The two-to-three-week life cycle is the reason, along with the fact that treatment kills adult mites far more reliably than eggs: a fortnight of use only deals with one generation. Judging it earlier than that is not a fair test.

Can I just buy tea tree oil from the supermarket instead?
No. Neat tea tree oil must never go near an eye — it can cause serious surface damage. Blephadex is an ocular-formulated product, made at a concentration intended for use on the lid margin, which is exactly why you should not improvise your own.

Where do I actually put it?
On the lid margin at the base of the lashes, with the eyes closed — not on the eye itself and not just on the eyelid skin. Missing the lash line is the most common reason people see no change. Follow the directions on the bottle for how to rinse off.

Will it sting?
It can be mildly stinging or tingly for the first few days for some people, and that usually settles. If it stings sharply, keeps stinging, or the lids become red and swollen, stop and talk to us — tea tree does not suit everyone.

Can I use it if I wear contact lenses or makeup?
Take lenses out and remove eye makeup first, cleanse, rinse, then reinsert lenses. Some eye makeup, particularly along the lash line, makes blepharitis noticeably harder to control.

Do I have to keep using it forever?
Most people move from daily use in the treatment phase to a maintenance routine every second or third day. Blepharitis is a managed condition rather than a cured one — that is the nature of it, not a failure of the product. If it keeps returning despite good technique, there are prescription options we can discuss in the practice. More detail is in our blepharitis guide, and the alternatives sit in our lid hygiene range.

What if lid hygiene on its own isn't enough?
Where demodex has been confirmed and it is not settling with lid hygiene alone, one of the prescription options an optometrist may consider is Soolantra (topical ivermectin 1% cream). It sits alongside lid hygiene rather than replacing it, and it is not something to start on your own.

Soolantra (ivermectin 1%) is a Prescription Medicine. It is not available over the counter and cannot be bought from this website. It is prescribed only after an eye examination, because it is not appropriate for everyone and demodex needs to be confirmed rather than assumed. Prescription medicines have both benefits and risks — your optometrist will go through these with you. Book an examination with our therapeutic optometrists in Hamilton to find out whether it is right for you. Normal consultation charges apply.

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Why buy from Rose Optometry

• Independent, optometrist-owned New Zealand practice — in Hamilton since 1969.
• Free optometrist advice with every order, including whether this is the right product for you.
• Free NZ shipping on orders over $100, sent NZ-wide from Hamilton.