Blepharitis Will Not Affect Your Sight But It Will Affect Your Eyes – Find Out More

Unlike most eye conditions, Blepharitis will not affect the patient’s eyesight, though it will make the eyes itchy and very uncomfortable. Blepharitis is actually the inflammation of an individual’s eyelids, and this condition mostly affects the area where eyelashes grow. Individuals suffering with this condition complain of the gritty and sore feeling associated with the inflammation, in addition to the discomfort and the unsightly appearance of the affected area.

This condition usually affects both eyes and its presence result from malfunctioning oil glands on the eyelids where eyelashes grow. Since different conditions and diseases can cause Blepharitis, getting rid of the inflammation completely can at times prove annoying.

Types of Blepharitis

This condition can manifest itself in an individual’s eyes in three different ways, namely:

1. Meibomian Blepharitis – This form of the eye condition affects the way the meibomian gland functions. The fluid that an infected eye produces is usually a sign of problems with the meibomian glands and its fluid.
2. Staphylococcal Blepharitis – This form of the eye condition gets its name from the germ that is responsible for it, the staphylococcus bacterium. The presence of this bacterium causes Blepharitis in some people, since in others it is harmless.
3. Seborrhoeic Blepharitis – This form of the eye condition has a close relationship with seborrhoeic dermatitis, a condition that affects skin, causing it to be scaly and eventually leading to an inflammation.

The signs and symptoms of Blepharitis

Being an eye condition, the signs and symptoms will affect the eyes. Many of these symptoms can appear for a while and disappear, only to reappear again.

• Eye lashes might start to fall off
• An individual will develop sore eyelids with an appearance of inflammation or grease
• The eyes might become watery, turn red, and the eyelids begin to swell
• Both eyes will feel itchy and gritty, where most patients relate with a feeling of burning
• The eyes will produce sticky discharge, small flakes that appear like dandruff, and the base of the eyelashes may develop a crust
• A sensitivity to light can develop, and a patient will tend to blink excessively
• The small glands at the eyelids are likely to block and hold an oily fluid
• The condition can have accompanying eye conditions such as seborrhoeic dermatitis, dry eyes, and rosacea

When you discover any of the following symptoms persisting even with the normal eye care and hygiene practices, make sure to visit the doctor as soon as possible. Early detection makes it easy to treat this and most other diseases, and a patient gets to suffer less with the condition.

When people ignore the above symptoms, Blepharitis can develop a few complications. Although the complications might be rare, they can include:

1. Meibomian cyst – This is where the inside of the eyelid can develop a painless swelling that is often very unsightly. The cyst can become painful if it gets an infection.
2. Stye – This is where the outside of the eyelid begins to swell, owing to the root of the eyelash getting an infection.
3. The eyelashes can begin to fall off, lose their color or start growing towards as opposed to away from the eye.
4. The front part of the eye can develop an inflammation which will cause red eye or sores with watery discharge
5. The corneal inflammation can be accompanied by scarring and ulcerations

Possible causes of Blepharitis

Although the main cause of the condition is not very clear, there are some factors associated with its development that play a major role in its presence in the eyes. If an individual has dandruff (Seborrhoeic dermatitis), rosacea, a bacterial infection, or eye allergies then he or she has high chances of acquiring this condition. In addition, if an individual’s eyelid oil glands tend to malfunction, or if he or she has eyelash lice or mites, he or she is likely to develop the condition.

Treatment

The treatment for Blepharitis relies on long-term care and hygiene, meaning that it is a continuous process. It is common for the condition to recur even after an individual has been going through the treatment; however, with proper care every other occurrence will tend from mild to none. The treatment of this condition is geared towards controlling and managing it, since curing it is not possible at this time. Doctors will help a patient manage the condition through:

Prescription eye drops – These eye drops contain antibiotics which battle any bacterial infections in the eye. Other eye drops can contain steroids which help to keep the inflammation in the eyes in check. The antibiotics and steroids can also take the form of ointments, pills or even creams.

Treating the underlying conditions – Since Blepharitis can be caused by a number of other conditions such as rosacea, or Seborrhoeic dermatitis, treating these conditions can bring a lot of relief and ease of control.

Proper hygiene – If an individual cleans his or her eyelids every day with warm water, he or she will keep this condition under control. At times, this is the most effective form of treatment when it comes to the different types of Blepharitis.