Eye doctor begs dog parents to discontinue common sleeping habit that can cause parasitic eye infections

Most people don’t give much thought to their sleeping habits beyond getting enough rest. However, according to Dr. Dan Friederich, a certified eye doctor in the U.S., one bedtime routine could be putting people at risk for parasitic eye infections and many don’t even realize it. Dr. Friederich, who shares his expertise on social media under the handle @drdanfriederich, has been educating people about eye health, but one of his latest warnings has particularly caught attention because it targets people who sleep with their pets. In a now-viral TikTok video, he revealed how this common but overlooked habit of sleeping with pet dogs is leading to an increase in Demodex, a parasite found in human eyelashes.

"How often do I see parasites in people's eyes? More often than you might think," he shared in his video, before explaining where many of these infections come from. "And it's mainly because people sleep with their pets in the bed." He also said in his video, "The minute I see it in someone's eyes, the first question I ask is, do you sleep with your dog at night? Because that's a really common cause of having these parasites in your eyelashes. Don't sleep with your animals if you can help it." His warning has sparked a wave of reactions online and it was clear people were not ready to avoid sleeping with their pets, no matter what.

@chachi.cat said, "Demodex is common to have and doesn’t usually cause any problems. It’s also normal to have them if you don’t have pets. Learned this in school." @single_minded_movement contradicted, "But...studies have also found that sleeping with a pet reduces anxiety." @metiktok202280 joked, "My pet and my tapeworm sleep in the bed with me. Not changing either." @atheismisgoodforyou clarified, "People with dogs and cats can not not sleep with their pets in the bed. Please find another solution to the parasite problem." @eggxious added, "You could tell me that sleeping with my dog will give me mega ultra bone cancer and I'll still cuddle next to my sweet bois." @holymolyitspolly chimed in, "I'd rather go blind than stop sleeping with my pets on my bed tbh… nice seeing you all."

@lechonbaboyyy commented, "He never said anything about cats, cat parents! We're safe!" Some had questions about how dangerous the mites were. @travel_with_bismi said, "The first question I ask is, how dangerous is the mite? Are there any health risks involved?" @racing_content_46 asked, "Do they harm you?" @missysixx wanted "solutions, please!" Dr. Friederich acknowledged that everyone naturally has small amounts of these mites living on their skin, introducing additional ones from your pet can increase the risk of blepharitis, a condition that leads to eye irritation, blurred vision, and the dreaded crusty buildup, as per Lad Bible. 

While this one sleeping habit can be a bit risky for you, another habit can help you sleep better: sleeping with your socks on. Pediatrician and sports doctor Jess says, "Wearing socks makes your feet warm and this opens up the blood vessels that cool the body down," giving your body signals that it's "time for bed." However, when our bare feet get cold, the body responds by increasing its temperature to improve blood circulation. This rise in body temperature can disrupt sleep patterns, leading to restlessness and frequent tossing and turning.

You can follow Dr. Dan Friederich (@drdanfriederich) for more content on eye health.