There can be various approaches to blepharitis treatment depending on the type of problem. There are two kinds of blepharitis… anterior and posterior. Anterior means the outer lids or the front of the eyes where the lashes attach to the skin. The major causes of this type of blepharitis are dandruff and bacteria. The inner eyelid (the part that makes contact with the eyeball) also known as the posterior region is affected by the oil glands in the eyelid. This type can also be set off by acne rosacea or dandruff. Apart from dry eyes, allergies, infections or general irritation can also call for an effective blepharitis treatment. This is one of the most common eye diseases reported in recent times.
How you know if you need blepharitis treatment…
If the area around your eyes is red, itchy, irritated, burning/stinging, you would definitely need treatment for blepharitis. Even if there’s a feeling of a foreign body in your eyes, you should see an ophthalmologist. Loss of eyelashes and sensitivity to light are some of the other symptoms. Some people might also experience a mucous like discharge. In certain extreme cases, the eyelids may blister and bleed. Anyone who suffers from these symptoms should immediately see a general practitioner who is familiar with complaints of the eye. You should not wait till the situation worsens because in severe cases corneal damage can also occur. This of course can be repaired by the body over time, but it’s best to avoid from the beginning.
If you have these symptoms mentioned above together with dry eye, your eye area can become very uncomfortable. Someone with blepharitis would find it very difficult to use contact lenses.
How to stop it coming back…
To prevent the onset of blepharitis, it is necessary to keep the eyelids clean – that is, free from dust particles or dandruff from the persons head or any other impurities. This in effect would clear out the flakes of skin, the bacteria feed from. Lid scrubs is the best and most common blepharitis treatment but has to be followed on a regular basis with dedication. The results and benefits from this treatment are definitely worth the effort and time. Lid scrubs also clears the rims of the eye of any clogged oil (from the oil glands) or dust from the air that accumulates in that region throughout the day. An anti dandruff shampoo can be quite effective in preventing tiny flakes of dead skin from affecting your eyes.
Some facts about blepharitis:
• Dry eye and blepharitis are interconnected
• It is not infectious
• People with dandruff, dry skin, acne rosacea or sensitive to pollens or chemical irritants are more susceptible to blepharitis
• The use of make up can to some extent off set blepharitis
• European descendents are more often associated with this condition.
• One eye can be worse than the other, but typically both eyes are affected.
• Vision is generally not affected although an inferior tear film (caused by oil glands blockage) can cause blurred vision in some cases.
• People of all ages all races are affected
• The average age is 50 years.
You might find blepharitis treatment to be a bit boring and uninspiring but if your eyelids are getting some relief from the treatment procedures it is definitely a good idea to continue.
