What You Need to Know About Blepharitis

Blepharitis is an inflammatory condition that affects your eyelids and can lead to meibomian gland disorder and dry eye syndrome. In today’s post, your trusted eye doctor from Vienna Eyecare Center explains everything you need to know about blepharitis.

What Causes Blepharitis?

Blepharitis develops when there’s excessive bacterial or fungal growth along your eyelids or at the base of your eyelashes. This promotes exotoxin production that irritates the affected areas, causing inflammation. Parasite infestation may also result in this condition.

People with oily skin are at a greater risk of developing blepharitis. Older individuals are also more likely to develop this condition. Your expert optometrist explains that hormonal changes that happen as you age may disturb the oil and sebum balance in your skin, increasing your risk of developing blepharitis.

How Does Blepharitis Affect Visual Health?

Inflamed eyelids may cause your tear ducts to produce fewer tears, reducing the amount of natural, antibacterial enzymes in your eyes. As a result, bacteria and other harmful microorganisms may thrive and proliferate, irritating your eyes. Your eyes may swell, itch, turn red or a crusty film may develop on your eyelids.

How Is Blepharitis Treated?

We’ll perform a comprehensive eye exam to determine the underlying cause of your blepharitis. This way, we can determine the most appropriate eye care regimen to improve your visual health and comfort. Treatment may include scrubbing your inflamed eyelids using warm compresses and prescription eyelid cleansers. Doing so can help reduce the number of bacteria or mites in the affected areas.

We may also recommend applying topical medicines to destroy blepharitis-causing microbes on your eyes, especially if you’re at risk of developing pink eye or other infections. We’ll instruct you on proper eyelid hygiene tips as well. For one, you should always wash your hands thoroughly before touching your eyes and any other parts of your face. Minimizing use of cosmetics can help as well.

For more information about blepharitis, call us at (703) 938-7633. You may also complete our form to request an appointment. We serve Fairfax, VA, and nearby areas.