Blepharitis is when you have inflammation of your eyelids. Sometimes the cause is from skin conditions
such as dandruff or rosacea while other times the cause could be from overpopulation of bacteria or
even parasitic mites called demodex.
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Some signs or symptoms you may be experiencing include:
- Red, swollen eyes
- A gritty or burning sensation in your eyes
- Excessive tearing or itching
- Dry eyes or crusted eyelashes
- Increased sensitivity to light
- Dandruff-like scales on the eyelashes
- Blocked eyelid glands
- Eyelashes may fall out of be misdirected inwards causing damage to the cornea
- Increased risk of infection
So what can you do?
With so many varying signs and possible causes it is important to have a comprehensive eye exam in
order to determine the type of blepharitis you may have. Once determined a specified treatment plan
can be made to manage the condition. Luckily, in many cases taking care of your eyelid hygiene,
whether in office or at home, is a simple enough method in keeping the symptoms of blepharitis at bay
and from affecting your daily life. It is important to remember that this will likely be a long term plan.
Treatments in office or at home may help jump start your recovery, but proper hygiene must be
maintained overtime, or the symptoms of blepharitis may return.
At-home ocular hygiene tips:
- Frequently wash your the scalp and face
- Warm compresses to help soften crust and help unclog oil glands present in eyelids
- Use artificial tears (often helpful when placed in the fridge to bring down inflammation)
- Limit or stop using eye makeup during treatment, as it makes lid hygiene more difficult.
- Nutrition changes/supplements such as omega-3s
More severe cases may warrant in-office treatments:
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- Intense Pulsed Light therapy, involving the application of bright red light pulses to your eyelids
- BlephEx®, which involves cleaning your eyelid margins with microblepharoexfoliation.
- Lipiflow or other dry eye focused treatments may be used concurrently
- Depending on your case antibiotics or steroids or tea tree oil products may be prescribed
- Products may be available in office to complement treatment, such as BIHOCL or eyelid scrubs