Blepharitis Treatment

Blepharitis is treated by clearing the inflammation on the eyelid. How that treatment proceeds depends on the following factors:

• The severity of the condition
• The cause of the inflammation
• The patient's situation

Planning is carried out around these factors and the treatment is decided. Where it has just been diagnosed, straightforward treatments that can be applied at home are generally chosen. Among them are the following:

• Warm compress: a warm compress applied to the eye with a towel that is not too hot opens the blockage at the base of the lashes, and the inflammation subsides.
• Baby shampoo: the inflamed area is cleaned with baby shampoos that do not sting the eyes, using a cotton bud or light touches.
• Hygiene: alongside baby shampoo, the area should be cleaned regularly, the solutions recommended by the doctor used and no make-up applied to the area. The risk of bacterial infection is reduced this way.

In mild blepharitis, eyelid hygiene and warm compresses are recommended, with an antibiotic ointment or eye drops added if needed. In more severe cases, however, many methods can be used, from short courses of steroid treatment to surgery. Once the reasons behind the inflammation are brought under control, the right steps can be taken towards recovery. Through eye examinations attended regularly, the patient's situation is monitored. Where the condition does not improve, different methods can be applied, and in such cases the doctor may recommend different medication or a combination of treatments. With the appropriate methods, the symptoms can be brought under control. So that the same condition does not occur again, attention must be paid to eye cleanliness and hygiene.

What is Blepharitis?

People who meet inflammation at the base of the lashes look into subjects such as what blepharitis is and how it forms. Blepharitis is the name given to inflammation occurring at the base of the lashes or at the edges of the eyelids. It generally develops alongside bacterial infection, and it can also appear in allergic conditions. It shows itself through redness or swelling of the eyelids. Blepharitis can also appear at chronic levels. During treatment the eyelid must be cleaned regularly, and warm compresses or medication containing antibiotics are used alongside. Although blepharitis does not lead to serious sight loss, it can affect quality of life where it recurs. Both the appearance and the feeling of discomfort in the area can affect daily life. With the treatments specialists recommend, it can also be treated at home. Observing the rules of hygiene matters a great deal in preventing situations of this kind. Most bacterial infections that develop in the eyelids appear through a lack of hygiene. They form as a result of actions such as sleeping in make-up, touching the eye constantly or rubbing it, and they can sometimes be seen because of allergic conditions too.

Causes of Blepharitis

The best known of the causes of blepharitis is a lack of hygiene, although it can also be seen for other reasons. Blepharitis can appear in both the upper and the lower eyelid, because these areas contain a great many oil glands. It covers a wide area, from the base of the lashes to the eyelid. When the oil glands become blocked, the oil gathers within the gland and inflammation follows. Everyone has a great many bacteria on their eyelids, in their mouth and even in their intestines. While benign bacteria work for the good of the body, harmful ones can lead to infection. Blepharitis forms as the bacteria in this area multiply, and bacteria that release toxins cause inflammation in the oil glands. In older people, different bacteria can cause inflammation of the eyelid. Attending a check-up with an ophthalmologist matters a great deal in understanding the cause of these bacteria. In appearance it can be confused with other inflammations such as a stye.

Symptoms of Blepharitis

The most common of the symptoms of blepharitis is redness and swelling occurring on the eyelid. Inflammation of the eyelid shows itself in many ways. It forms through causes such as blockage of the oil glands, a disturbance in the way they secrete, and the multiplying of bacteria. The inflammation shows itself through the following symptoms:

• Flaking and scaling at the base of the lashes
• Redness and swelling
• Watering of the eye or excessive dryness
• Itching, burning or stinging in the eye

Where the condition is left untreated, loss of lashes can also be seen because of the inflammation at their base. As soon as these symptoms are observed, a specialist should be consulted, so that the cause of the condition is understood and the appropriate treatment applied. This condition can be treated with methods such as hygiene and warm compresses applied at home. Understanding the underlying cause, and investigating whether other factors are leading to it, matters a great deal, however. If one or more of the symptoms is observed, an examination by a specialist ophthalmologist is very important.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Blepharitis

Blepharitis is diagnosed and treated through communication between the doctor and the patient. Listening to the symptoms of the condition on the eyelid, the doctor examines the eyelids and the inflamed area carefully, and the severity of the condition is thereby understood. Where necessary, samples are taken and examined so that the type of bacteria can be identified. After diagnosis, the appropriate treatment for the patient begins. Treatment varies with the patient's general condition and with the progression and severity of the disease. Although not every patient receives the same treatment, hygiene and warm compresses are recommended to all. The methods applied in treating eyelid inflammation matter in bringing the condition under control. At mild levels hygiene and warm compresses are applied, while at more advanced levels medication containing antibiotics can be used. This depends entirely on the severity of the condition, and not every doctor will consider the same treatment appropriate for every patient. Blepharitis is a condition that can recur. To prevent this, cleanliness must be taken seriously. People who wear lenses should remove and clean them regularly, and they should not sleep in make-up. People with oily skin should wash or cleanse the area regularly, and the hands should not be in constant contact with the eye through the day. The condition is prevented from returning this way.