What is Blepharitis?

Blepharitis is an inflammation of your eyelids. It can make your eyelids and eyelashes red and crusty, and make your eyes feel irritated or itchy. It can also lead to burning, soreness or stinging in your eyes. In severe cases, your eyelashes may fall out.

Blepharitis is a chronic (long-term) condition. This means that once you have had it, it can come back even after it has cleared up. It normally affects both eyes. You can usually treat it by just taking care with your eyelid hygiene, and you may need treatment for several months.

Our optometrists are trained to spot the signs of blepharitis by looking closely at your eyelids under high magnification. If you are experiencing any symptoms of blepharitis, make an appointment to see us.

How can Blepharitis be treated?

Blepharitis is a condition which tends to come back even after treatment. It is possible to make your eyes more comfortable, but it often cannot be totally cured.

There are treatments which can help you reduce the effects; however it can often take a few months and stringent eye hygiene to be effective.

Warm compresses morning and night – these work by warming your eyelid glands and loosening the crusts on your eyelids, making them easier to remove. The best warm compress we recommend is an “Eyebag” which holds the heat much more effectively. This will help soothe your eyes and make any deposits easier to remove. We usually have some in stock, so if you require one just pop into the practice.
Lid scrubs morning and night – There are many specialist scrubs available. We recommend Blephasol lotion and Supranette wipes, as both contain active ingredients to help fight Blepharitis.
Lubricants – Using an ointment after cleaning your eyelids can help your eyes to feel more comfortable.

We have a selection of lubricating eye drops, Eyebags, lid scrubs and other treatment options for blepharitis in the practice so please pop in to see us if you would like our optometrist to advise you which would be best for your condition.