As part of its latest eye care campaign, Tarsus Pharmaceuticals has a simple message for patients with demodex blepharitis: Don’t Freak Out, Get Checked Out.

Since May is Health Vision Month, the company’s disease education effort looks to encourage patients who may have demodex blepharitis to visit their eye care provider for a checkup.  

Demodex blephartis is a discomforting eye condition caused by demodex mites and results in eyelid inflammation, redness and ocular irritation. The condition, which can cause additional worry and self-esteem issues for patients, is often undiagnosed and affects an estimated 25 million Americans.

“This targeted campaign is designed to reach patients who may be suffering from Demodex blepharitis to provide them with the necessary resources to help them more effectively understand the disease and arm them with useful information they can discuss with their eye care providers,” Tarsus chief commercial officer Aziz Mottiwala said in a statement. “We are hopeful that this campaign will finally provide patients with answers and support them on their journey to manage their disease and overall eyelid health.”

Don’t Freak Out, Get Checked Out is supported by the website EyelidCheck.com, which has a litany of educational resources to prompt a dialogue between patients and providers. Additionally, the site features a quiz about the effects of the condition, patient testimonials, information about joining a patient community as well as social media channels.

Demodex blepharitis is diagnosed by the presence of collarettes, a waxy debris composed of discarded mite waste and eggs, which Tarsus tackled in a previous campaign.

In October, the company launched the Look at the Lids effort to urge providers to screen for the condition through a routine slit lamp exam in all patients in order to diagnose and treat it sooner. 

Tarsus CEO Bobak Azamian, MD, PhD told MM+M in an interview last year that the company wants to change the behavior of doctors so they can identify the root causes of the disease.

Tarsus has been focused on demodex blepharitis for a while, having submitted a New Drug Application to the Food and Drug Administration for TP-03, a novel, investigational therapy, in September.

Tarsus also launched the campaign two weeks after tapping Jeff Farrow to serve as chief financial officer and chief strategy officer.

For a March 2024 article on Tarsus Pharmaceuticals throwing a Mite Party to combat demodex blepharitis, click here.