What is Blepharitis?

Many people are familiar with the experience of having

, with the rims swelling up and turning red.

Although considered a minor disease, blepharitis can still cause great inconvenience to you.

Types of Blepharitis

Blepharitis is usually caused by a local infection with Staphylococcus bacteria. The infection usually begins in the root of the eyelashes, giving rise to a mass of dry, scaly skin. Your eyelid tissues may be hypersensitive to toxic compounds coming from the staph bacteria, The staph bacteria secrete toxins that may irritate hypersensitive eyelid tissues, causing the inner lining to become inflamed.

The skin problem called seborrhoea, or seborrheic dermatitis, can also cause blepharitis (thus the term seborrheic blepharitis). Seborrheic blepharitis is usually less severe than staphylococcal blepharitis. Seborrheic dermatitis is suspected to induce an over-production of lipids, which convert into fatty acids that irritate the skin. An eyelid irritated by seborrhoea on its skin can develop blepharitis.

Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) can also cause blepharitis. These glands produce fatty substances that comprise the outer layer of your tear film. The fatty layer inhibits tear evaporation. The glands can suffer blockage or otherwise fail to release the essential lipids. Sometimes, this develops into an inflammation and, as a result, blepharitis. Individuals with a history of eye problems are usually older with longer records of eye problems.

Treatment

All forms of blepharitis are chronic, with no known cure. Your best approach is to manage the disease together with your eye doctor.

Frequent cleansing of the eyelid is necessary. You can mix warm water with some baby shampoo and apply it in gentle strokes with a clean cloth. It may be necessary to scrub the lid a bit to remove accumulated secretions and crusted debris. You remove breeding ground for bacteria when you scrub away the debris. Scrubbing provides further benefit by encouraging, improving tear quality and relieving dry eye symptoms as tear evaporation slows down. For good measure, you can apply gentle but firm circular strokes to massage the eyelids for further stimulation of the affected glands.

When a blepharitis outbreak is still raging, frequent washing of the eyelids must be done until the symptoms get better. This process can take months.

In staphylococcal blepharitis, For mild cases of staphylococcal blepharitis, antibiotic creams may be prescribed for spreading on the eyelid rims. In severe cases, the doctor may recommend topical steroids but will caution you about the dangers of long-term steroid use in terms of higher risk of glaucoma and cataract formation.

If you wish to try alternative treatment, you can look at folk medicine which has traditionally recommended castor oil to suppress inflammatory symptoms associated with blepharitis.

Castor oil is able to suppress inflammation because of its significant ricinoleic acid content. For this reason, several medical preparations utilise castor oil in emulsion or in combination with cyclosporine. More consumption of omega-3 fatty acids can also help manage the inflammation.

What is Blepharitis?

By: Owen B Nelson

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