Have you ever woken up with your eyes feeling extremely dry and itchy? There might be a surprising reason for it.

While it's quite common and usually not serious for people to experience dry eyes, an ophthalmologist and eye surgeon has highlighted a frequently overlooked cause.

Research indicates that nearly 16 million people in the US are affected by dry eye disease (DED).

This condition occurs when your eyes don't produce enough tears or the tears evaporate too quickly, resulting in symptoms such as itching and soreness.

From common factors like windy weather or prolonged screen time, to wearing contact lenses or having specific autoimmune diseases, there are numerous reasons you might suffer from dry eyes.

However, there's another cause you might wish you hadn't heard of, so apologies in advance.

An eye surgeon has disclosed why your eyes might feel dry and itchy in the morning (Getty Stock Image)

Dr. Ashley Brissette, a board-certified ophthalmologist and eye surgeon at Kelly Vision in New York City, informed The New York Post about a startling cause - microscopic pests inhabiting our lashes and brows.

Known as eyelash mites or demodex, these tiny creatures reside in our hair follicles, and in small numbers, they are actually quite normal.

They're harmless and form a common part of the human microbiome - issues, including dry eyes, arise only when their population becomes excessive.

To add to the discomfort, they measure about 0.4 millimeters in length and even mate on your face while you're asleep.

An infestation might occur if you have a compromised immune system, certain skin conditions, or poor hygiene practices like sharing cosmetics, so keep your mascara for personal use only.

Brissette explained to the publication: “While they are typically harmless and almost everyone has these, an overgrowth of these mites, which feed off of the bacteria on our lashes, can lead to conditions like blepharitis, causing eyelid inflammation, redness, dry eye, styes, itchy eyes, and irritation.”

If a mite infestation occurs, they can cause crusting on your eyelids, itching, redness, dry eyes, and even eyelash loss.

The health expert added: “The mites can cause distention of the eyelash follicle, leading to natural lash loss. This is the most distressing issue for most patients.”

Eyelash mites or demodex are tiny creatures that inhabit our hair follicles (Getty Stock Image)

They can also cause styes, which are painful red bumps that form on or inside the eyelid and may take weeks to heal.

When you have a mite infestation, your eyelids can become inflamed, which disrupts the function of the meibomian glands.

Meibomian glands produce the oily layer of your tear film and help keep your eyes lubricated, so when this function is disrupted, dry eyes can result.

So, you might be wondering how to prevent this from happening.

Well, according to Healthline, your best approach is to never share mascara or any other makeup and cosmetic tools.

You should also choose non-oily makeup and cosmetics and make sure to wash your face twice a day, gently cleansing the eye area with water only.

And if you really want to keep these pests at bay, use eyelash wipes daily or gently scrub your lashes with baby shampoo and an eyelash brush as necessary.