Blepharitis is a chronic eyelid condition caused when oil glands around your eyelashes become blocked up, leading to redness, swelling, styes and cysts along the lash line, as well as flaky crusts on them. It often manifests itself in conjunction with excessive dandruff or skin conditions like rosacea.

Your doctor can diagnose blepharitis by gathering your symptoms, conducting a scalp and eyebrow exam, and using a slit lamp microscope to examine your eyelids and lashes. They may suggest daily eyelid hygiene practices to open oil glands and relieve your symptoms.

Causes

Blepharitis is caused by an overgrowth of bacteria living along the margins and bases of your eyelashes, creating an accumulation of sticky biofilm which traps eyelid cells for consumption by these microbes – leading to swelling, loss of regular appearance, and eventually complete loss of eyelashes altogether. Swollen eyelashes may rub against the front surface of your eyes, leading to irritation. Symptoms may include redness of eyelids and eyebrows, itching, eye pain or discomfort and dryness of eyes. There are two primary types of blepharitis: anterior and posterior. Anterior is generally caused by dandruff in your scalp or eyebrows or bacteria on your face while posterior is associated with meibomian gland issues on eyelids (meibomian glands).

Blepharitis may not be contagious, but over time its symptoms can do serious damage to the eye. Along with unsightly flakes and crusts on your eyelashes, you could experience blurred vision, watery eyes, redness in the corneas, dryness or an infection of the corneas – not to mention loss of eyelashes, distortion to front edges of eyes and chronic tearing due to inflammation.

Your optometrist can accurately diagnose which form of blepharitis you have by conducting an eyelid exam using bright light and magnification to examine eyelid margins, eyelash bases and meibomian gland openings with magnified lens. They will also evaluate tear production as well as eyelashes/brown conditions to detect any abnormalities.

Your optometrist may recommend warm compresses and gentle eyelid scrubbing to clear away debris from the edges of your eyelids and decrease bacteria and Demodex mite populations on their lid margins – thus relieving symptoms. They may prescribe either prescription or over-the-counter medication to address the source of blepharitis, such as medicated shampoo, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory or antibiotic ointment treatments. For persistent or severe cases of blepharitis, your optometrist may suggest short-term topical steroid ointment treatment. Blepharitis is a very common eye condition and easily preventable through good hygiene such as regular washing of face and scalp; gentle eyelid scrubbing; using appropriate eyelash cleansers and using them regularly.

Symptoms

Blepharitis symptoms may seem minor at first glance, but if left untreated they could escalate to more serious problems. Therefore it’s essential that you visit an eye care professional for diagnosis and treatment – they can recommend an individualized routine to manage symptoms and prevent them from coming back.

Blepharitis is an often-suffering eyelid condition affecting adults and children alike, often manifesting itself through red, swollen and irritated eyelids and eyelashes. Some are predisposed to developing it due to skin conditions like rosacea, eczema or psoriasis; other people could simply have genetic predisposition towards it.

Symptoms of blepharitis include the sensation that there’s something foreign in your eye, itching, flaking and crusting of skin on lid margins and at the base of eyelashes, as well as itchy sensations in both eyes. Blepharitis can also lead to an infection at the base of eyelash or oil gland, known as stye which may result in pain, blurred vision and an itchy sensation within them.

Most cases of blepharitis can be attributed to multiple factors, including an excess growth of bacteria on and around the eyelid and its base, eventually producing hard crusts similar to dental plaque and providing an ideal breeding ground for parasitic mites such as Demodex mites.

Biofilm bacteria produce substances that can irritate and inflame meibomian glands on eyelids, producing oil to lubricate eyes. If these glands become inflamed they can contribute to dry eye syndrome symptoms.

Your eye care provider can identify blepharitis with a comprehensive examination of your eyelid and eyelashes, using special lights to detect an overgrowth of bacteria or infection in your tear glands, as well as tear analysis to look for other abnormalities in this fluid sample. They may suggest non-prescription or prescription cleaners for your lids that will unclog oil glands and help unblock oil glands, warm compresses, eye drops and advice regarding proper hygiene practices if applicable.

Diagnosis

Blepharitis is an increasingly prevalent eyelid condition affecting both eyelid margins and eyelash areas, often manifesting with redness, inflammation and flaky crusts along their edges. Blepharitis may cause styes, cysts or flaky skin surrounding the eyes (commonly known as “dandruff of the eyelashes”). Blepharitis can either be persistent over time or occur acutely – sometimes occurring alongside other skin conditions such as rosacea or eczema.

Your eyelid bacteria (germs) usually cause this condition. They may also be stimulated by other conditions like dandruff of the scalp and eyebrows or by wearing contact lenses, but often this problem stems from oil gland dysfunction known as meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) of your eyelids which produce oil glands called meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) where bacteria create layers of biofilm which encourage eyelash mites known as Demodex that irritate and inflame linings of eyelids causing symptoms such as styes cysts and itching of eyelid linings as well.

Doctors can diagnose blepharitis by conducting a comprehensive eye exam with a special magnifying instrument and scrutinizing your eyelashes, eyelid skin and the surrounding areas for redness, swelling and the presence of bacteria or debris. They may also perform a swab test wherein material from your eyelid is collected for examination under a microscope to look for evidence of infection such as fungi or bacteria.

Preventing blepharitis requires maintaining good eyelid hygiene, including regularly using eyelid wipes to remove debris, gentle soap and warm water washes with gentle soap, and using eyelid wipes regularly if you experience an eyelash flutter or have symptoms such as inflammation. If home care doesn’t help improve symptoms of blepharitis, seeing your doctor for antibiotics or other treatments might be necessary; pharmacists can educate patients about effective preventive and self-care measures for managing blepharitis as well as make recommendations if an eyelash flutter occurs or inflammation or infection is detected that requires further care or medication.

Treatment

Eyelid hygiene practices can help control blepharitis. This includes regular scalp and eyelid cleanings to remove loose flakes, warm compresses or scrubs to unblock oil glands and decrease inflammation and itching, artificial tear solutions or ointments to soothe eyes, or using artificial tear solutions or ointments that moisten and soothe them. West Broward Eyecare Associates optometrists will analyze your eyelids’ glands that produce oil to moisten and lubricate eyes as well as recommend products designed to keep eyelids healthy; such as prescription shampoos to remove excess dandruff or address causes of your blepharitis.

The cornea, located at the front of your eye, bends or refracts light rays so they focus on retina at the back of your eye. An ideal cornea should be clear and healthy with no eyelid reflection or other parts of body being affected by reflection off its surfaces.

When bacteria cause blepharitis, corneal health deteriorates and light cannot pass freely through. Furthermore, if left untreated for too long infections of either eyelid or cornea can develop.

Blepharitis can be a long-term disease and requires patients to practice rigorous eyelid hygiene in order to limit recurrence of symptoms. Treatment options may include over-the-counter artificial tears, topical and oral antibiotics, steroid eye drops or ointments, decongestants/anti-inflammatory agents for treating the tarsal plate decongestion as well as diet modifications to avoid allergens.

Symptoms of blepharitis include eyelid redness and swelling, dry eyes, itching or stinging sensations, gritty feeling in eyes or foreign body sensation, crusty debris build-up on eyelids, crusty debris deposits under lid margins, misdirected eyelashes and loss of normal position of lids against eyes which may result in blurred vision as well as developing ulcers or scars on eyes. Although not contagious, uncontrolled blepharitis may lead to thickened lid margins, thickened lid margins thickened lid margins dilated capillaries around eyelid margins; misdirected eyelashes; crusty debris accumulation on lid margins as well as crusty debris buildup between eyelids which could result in thickened lid margins or crusty debris accumulation causing even further complications; in severe cases it may lead to ulcers or scars on eyes as well.