What is Blepharitis?
Blepharitis is an inflammation of your eyelids or eyelash area. Blepharitis commonly occurs when tiny oil glands near the base of the eyelashes become clogged, causing irritation and redness. Several diseases and conditions can cause blepharitis and there are two types:
- Anterior – Found on the outside of the eyelid, including the area where your eyelashes attach and is primarilty caused by bacteria, scalp dandruff, and Demodex mites.
- Posterior – Found on the inside of the eyelid, next to your eyeball, and tied to problems with oil (meibomian) glands.
Get Your Eyelids Professionally Cleaned
Having your teeth cleaned professionally every six months to remove plaque (bacteria) and tartar from your teeth is often recommended, even if you brush daily. If you have anterior blepharitis, in the same way, you should have your eyelids professionally cleaned by your eye care doctor.
With a quick in-office visit our trained professionals will target scurf and bacterial debris that are the main cause of inflammation of the lids. Keeping the eyelids healthy and removing any scurf or bacteria can prevent long-term, debilitating eye diseases and promote overall eye health.
Why should I consider Eye Exfoliation?
- Approximately 50% of all patients have some type of eyelid symptom caused by insufficient eyelid hygiene.
- Our in-office eye exfoliation procedure allows us to take an active role in cleaning your eyelid margins.
- The main cause of eyelid symptoms is excess bacteria, biofilm, and bacterial toxins, which are removed by eye exfoliation.
- Maintaining eyelid hygiene is achieved with eye exfoliation.
- A typical eye exfoliation treatment only takes a few minutes.
- Additional treatment option, when home eyelid scrubs, baby shampooing your lashes, hot compresses and medications have failed to treat your Anterior Blepharitis.
What causes Anterior Blepharitis?
The most common causes of Anterior Blepharitis are bacteria, scalp dandruff, and Demodex mite infestations. Below you can find a list of all Anterior Blepharitis causes:
- Bacterial (or sometimes viral) infection
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Staphylococcus epidermidis
- Corynebacterium spp.
- Seborrheic Blepharitis
- Poor hygiene
- Allergies
- Cosmetic makeup
- Advanced age
- Demodex mite infestations
If left untreated, Anterior Blepharitis can lead to thickened and inward-turned or outward-turned eyelids and even vision problems that can damage your cornea. Finally, ignoring Anterior Blepharitis can cause other serious vision conditions, leading to more severe symptoms, such as blurring of vision; missing or misdirected eyelashes; and inflammation of other eye tissue, particularly the cornea.
Antibiotics applied to the eyelid have been shown to provide relief of symptoms and resolve bacterial infection of the eyelids. These are available in several forms, including eyedrops, creams and ointments. If you don’t respond to topical antibiotics, your doctor might suggest an oral antibiotic.
1. Vision Source – Eye-Conditions.
2. American Opthometric Association A Glossary of eye and Vision Conditions.
