Blepharitis

Blepharitis is a common eye condition that causes the eyelids to become sore and inflamed

What is blepharitis?

Blepharitis is an inflammation of your eyelids. It can make your eyelids red and eyelashes crusty, and make your eyes feel irritated or itchy.

It can also lead to burning, soreness or stinging in your eyes. You may find your eyelids become puffy. The symptoms tend to be worse in the morning and when you wake up you may find your lids are stuck together.

Many people will have a combination of blepharitis, meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eye.

Risk factors

Blepharitis is more common in people over the age of 50, but anyone can develop it. This is often because the glands that make the normal tears, particularly the oily part of the tears, tend to become less effective as you get older.

Symptoms

Blepharitis can cause crusting and white scales may stick to the roots of eyelashes. Your eyelid edges may become red and your eyes will feel gritty, burning, sore or itchy. If you experience these symptoms, make an appointment with your optometrist.

Treatment

There is a range of products designed especially for treating blepharitis, such as sterile pads with cleaning solutions or individual moist wipes.

Your optometrist will be able to advise you on where you can buy these products. Antibiotic ointment may be recommended in severe cases. Treatment of blepharitis is a long-term procedure. You may not see any improvement for several weeks.