What is Blepharitis?

Blepharitis is a common and persistent inflammation of the eyelids. Symptoms include irritation, itching, and occasionally, a red eye. This condition frequently occurs in people who have a tendency toward oily skin, dandruff, or dry eyes. Blepharitis can begin in early childhood, producing granulated eyelids, and continue throughout life as a chronic condition, or develop later in life. Bacteria reside on the surface of everyone's skin, but in certain individuals they thrive in the skin at the base of the eyelashes. The resulting irritation sometimes associated with overactivity of the nearby oil glands, causes dandruff-like scales and particles to form along the lashes and the eyelid margins. Sometimes the scaling or bacteria produce only minor irritation and itching, but in some they may cause redness, stinging or burning.

Blepharitis is a condition that may not be cured, but can be controlled with a few simple daily measures:

• Twice a day, wet a washcloth with very warm water (as not to burn yourself, though) wring it out and place over the closed eyelids for two to three minutes. Rewet the cloth as it cools. This will soften and loosen scales and debris. More importantly, it helps liquefy the oily secretions from the eyelids' oil glands that help prevent the development of a chalazion, an inflamed lump in an eyelid oil gland.

• With your finger covered with a thin washcloth, cotton swab, or commercial lint-free pad, gently scrub the base of the lashes for about 15 seconds per lid.

• If an antibiotic ointment has been prescribed, apply a dab at the base of the lashes (usually at bedtime), using your fingertip or a cotton swab.

• Over-the-counter artificial tears may be used to relieve symptoms of dry eye.

• Steroid eye drops may be used short-term to decrease inflammation.

• Antibiotic ointment or antibiotic pills may be used to decrease the bacterial content of the eyelids.