Understanding Blepharitis
Blepharitis is a common inflammatory condition that affects the eyelids and base of the eyelashes. It causes red, swollen, itchy eyelids and flaking around the eyes. Blepharitis can occur in acute episodes or become a chronic, ongoing condition if left untreated.
What Causes Blepharitis?
Blepharitis often develops when oil glands near the base of the eyelashes become clogged, leading to irritation and inflammation. Several factors can contribute to clogged eyelid oil glands, including:
- Buildup of bacteria, such as staphylococcus
- Skin conditions like dandruff, eczema or rosacea
- Allergies or reactions to makeup, skin care products or pollution
- Clogged meibomian glands, which are tiny oil glands along the rims of the eyelids
Is Blepharitis Contagious?
In most cases, blepharitis itself is not contagious. You generally cannot catch blepharitis from another person. However, one type of blepharitis -- bacterial blepharitis -- can potentially spread between people in close contact.
Bacterial blepharitis occurs when bacteria start to overgrow around the base of the eyelashes. Staphylococcus bacteria are often the culprit. Although these bacteria naturally live on the skin, overgrowth can lead to clogged oil glands and inflammation.
Since staphylococcus bacteria live on the skin and eyelashes, direct contact with someone with bacterial blepharitis can potentially spread the bacteria to another person. Sharing eye makeup, towels or pillowcases could enable transmission of bacteria between people in the same household.
Preventing Transmission of Bacterial Blepharitis
If you or someone you live with has bacterial blepharitis, you can reduce the risk of spreading it by:
- Not sharing eye makeup, eye drops, contact lenses or eye care liquids
- Using your own clean washcloths and towels
- Changing pillowcases frequently
- Disinfecting phones, glasses and other items that touch your face
- Practicing good hygiene and handwashing
Symptoms of Blepharitis
Symptoms of blepharitis often involve irritation, redness, burning and stinging of the eyelids. Typical signs and symptoms include:
- Red, swollen, greasy eyelids
- Crusting or scaling on the eyelids
- Flaking of skin around eyelashes
- Greasy debris collected at the base of lashes
- Itching or burning eyes
- Eye redness
- Eye irritation or pain
- Gritty feeling like something is in your eye
- Blurred vision
- Increased sensitivity to light
Acute vs Chronic Blepharitis
Blepharitis can develop into an acute, temporary flare up with severe inflammation and symptoms. Or in other cases, it becomes an ongoing, chronic condition characterized by persistent low-levels of inflammation and less severe but recurring symptoms.
Chronic blepharitis tends to cause flaky skin and debris around the lashes in between intermittent flares of stinging and eye irritation. Symptoms may improve at times, then suddenly worsen for no clear reason.
Diagnosing Blepharitis
An eye doctor can diagnose blepharitis by examining your eyelids and eye area. They may use magnification and lighting to check for redness, swelling, broken blood vessels, scaling, and crusting on your eyelids and eyelashes.
To help determine the type and cause of blepharitis you have, the eye specialist may:
- Take samples of oil secretions along the eyelid margin
- Use a swab to collect bacteria from the base of eyelashes
- Have you use antibiotic eye drops for 1-2 weeks to see if symptoms improve with treatment for bacterial forms of blepharitis
Sometimes allergy testing or blood tests are needed to diagnose underlying conditions contributing to blepharitis, such as autoimmune disorders, dermatitis or rosacea.
When to See Your Doctor
It's a good idea to make an appointment with your eye doctor or ophthalmologist if you have persistent red, irritated eyes or eyelid symptoms. Blepharitis requires prescription treatment and follow-up care in most cases.
Getting a prompt blepharitis diagnosis can help prevent permanent damage to your eyelids and lashes over time, as well as vision loss from corneal damage or infection in severe cases.
Treatment for Blepharitis
Blepharitis treatment aims to clear blockages from eyelid oil glands, reduce inflammation and prevent overgrowth of bacteria. Prescription medications, antibiotics and eyelid hygiene form the basis of most treatment plans.
Medications
Eyelid scrubs, topical antibiotic ointments and steroid eye drops may be prescribed initially to clear oil blockages, reduce swelling and fight infection. Oral antibiotics or anti-inflammatory medications are sometimes needed for severe blepharitis.
Eyelid Hygiene and Warm Compresses
Keeping eyelids clean is crucial for blepharitis control and prevention of flare ups. A daily eyelid hygiene routine can significantly reduce symptoms over time. This involves:
- Applying warm, wet compresses to eyelids to loosen debris in oil glands
- Gently massaging eyelids to express blocked oils
- Using medicated eyelid scrubs or cleansers to wash rims of eyelids
- Rinsing all makeup and cleansing products from eyelids with water to prevent irritation
Follow-up Exams
Expect to visit your eye doctor frequently when beginning treatment to monitor improvement and make adjustments as needed. Blepharitis often requires months of ongoing management.
Let your eye doctor know if medications become less effective over time or if sudden flare ups occur. This helps determine if antibiotic resistance has developed or if switching treatment approaches is warranted.
Complications of Blepharitis
For the majority of patients, blepharitis symptoms are a nuisance but the condition does not cause any lasting harm. However, without proper treatment blepharitis can sometimes escalate and lead to worrisome complications such as:
- Bacterial eye infections - Potentially serious if infection spreads to tissues below conjunctiva
- Inflammation and ulcers on the cornea (front surface of eye)
- Vision changes like light sensitivity and blurred vision
- Eyelid scarring or misdirected lashes from chronic inflammation
- Pterygium - Benign tissue growth on conjunctiva
- Dry eyes or meibomian gland dysfunction
The risk of significant complications highlights the importance of controlling inflammation and managing blepharitis properly long-term.
Prevention Tips for Blepharitis
While blepharitis cannot always be prevented fully, you can reduce irritation to eyelids and likelihood of flare ups. Helpful blepharitis prevention tips include:
- Establish a daily eyelid hygiene routine
- Use unscented, sensitive skin eye care products
- Take skin allergy or sensitivity into account in skin/makeup choices
- Consider prescription medications to manage underlying conditions like rosacea
- Limit use of
FAQs
Can you spread blepharitis to other people?
In most cases, blepharitis itself is not contagious and cannot spread between people. However, the bacterial form of blepharitis can potentially transmit staphylococcus bacteria to others through direct contact or sharing items like makeup brushes. Practicing good hygiene helps prevent transmission.
Will warm compresses cure my blepharitis?
Warm compresses alone will not cure blepharitis entirely. But applying moist heat helps soften and loosen debris to clean eyelids more effectively. Compresses should be combined with eyelid scrubs or cleansers and possibly antibiotics for the best results.
Can blepharitis cause permanent damage or vision loss?
Typically no permanent damage occurs with proper blepharitis treatment. But without treatment, complications like eye infections, corneal damage and scarring can sometimes develop and cause vision changes or loss.
How long does it take for blepharitis treatments to work?
It often takes weeks or months for blepharitis symptoms to fully clear up after starting treatment. Consistently following daily eyelid hygiene routines and taking medications as directed helps control inflammation long-term.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.
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