subject: Latest Blepharitis Treatment [print this page] Many people have known what its like to have inflamed eyelids, with the rims all swollen and red.
Although considered a minor disease, blepharitis can still cause great inconvenience to you. Its most common symptoms include burning or stinging sensation in your eye, itchiness in the eyelids and crusty formations on your eyelashes. Foreign body sensation and high sensitivity to light may also be experienced, as in dry eye syndrome. Blepharitis symptoms feel much worse in the morning.
Types of Blepharitis
An infection of the eyelids by Staphylococcus bacteria can lead to blepharitis. The problem usually begins in the base of the eyelashes, leading to the formation of dry, scaly coalesced tissue. Your eyelid tissues may be hypersensitive to toxic compounds coming from the staph bacteria, The staph bacteria secrete toxins that may irritate hypersensitive eyelid tissues, causing the inner lining to become inflamed.
Seborrheic blepharitis, another form of blepharitis, is caused by the skin problem seborrheic dermatitis (or simply seborrhoea). This is usually somewhat milder than staphylococcal blepharitis. Seborrhoea appears to produce excess lipids, which convert into fatty acids that irritate the skin. Seborrhoea located on the eyelids can subsequently become blepharitis.
Another form of blepharitis derives from meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). The meibomian glands are responsible for producing the lipids that form the a part of your tear film. The fatty layer inhibits tear evaporation. The glands be clogged or otherwise cannot release the required lipids. In some cases, this leads to inflammation and, as a result, blepharitis. Elderly people, who have a long history of eye conditions, have a higher risk for developing blepharitis caused by MGD and seborrhoea.
Treatment
All forms of blepharitis are chronic, with no known cure. Management of the disease, under your doctors guidance, is the most you can do to gain relief.
You must take pains to cleanse the eyelid frequently. A clean cloth dipped in baby shampoo combined with warm water (as warm as is tolerable) is a simple way to do this. Scrub the lid with the cloth to loosen encrusted discharge and dried up debris. Elimination of debris prevents bacteria from breeding in the eyelid. Scrubbing provides further benefit by inducing the secretions from the meibomian glands, improving tear quality and relieving dry eye symptoms as tear evaporation slows down. For good measure, you may want to gently (but firmly) massage the eyelids for further stimulation of the affected glands.
During an ongoing blepharitis outbreak, you will need to cleanse the eyelid at least twice daily until the symptoms get better. This process can take months.
In staphylococcal blepharitis, your doctor may prescribe topical antibiotics to be applied to the eyelids and lid margins. In severe cases, the doctor may recommend steroid-based creams but will remind you about the dangers of long-term steroid use in terms of higher risk of glaucoma and cataract formation.
If you are interested to try alternative treatment, you can check out folk techniques that use castor oil to suppress inflammatory symptoms associated with blepharitis.
Castor oil contains substantial quantities of ricinoleic acid, which helps to control the inflammation. For this reason, several medical preparations utilise castor oil in emulsion or in combination with cyclosporine. More intake of omega-3 fatty acids can also reduce inflammation.
by: Mitchel Homchick
welcome to Insurances.net (https://www.insurances.net)
