Does anyone know anything about blepharitis & how to treat it?

Question

I have had ongoing problems with slight swelling of my eyelids. I went to my optometrist & he told me that it was from an eye infection. I took the eye drops that he gave me & the problem went away temporarily, but came back in about a week. This kept going on for almost 2 months. I would take the drops again, it would improve & then return.
I got another opinion from an optamologist who told me that the condition was caused from wearing my contacts overnite, even though I NEVER wear contacts while I'm sleeping. He prescribed the same drops.
Frustrated, I went to another optamologist who diagnosed me with blepharitis. He gave me a pamphlet about it, & prescribed Patanol(an antihistimine eye drop) , Restasis(increases tear production), & Doxycycline(antibiotic). I also have to use eyelid scrubs twice a day. I have been on this treatment for over a month & I still have some problems with my right eye, even though it's not as bad as it was.
Does anyone have any experience with this?

The only symptoms I have are reoccurring itchyness & swelling of the eyelid(& it is mainly my right eye). Would blepharitis be the only diagnosis for this? Should I get another opinion after already consulting three doctors?

I've been reading other people's coments on this condition. Some say it's caused by dry eyes, some say it's caused by a staph infection, some say it's contagious, & others say it isn't. How do I know who's right?

Answer 1

The symptoms of the disease are one or any or a combination of any of the following- watery or red eyes , a gritty, burning sensation in the eye , itchy eyelids ,red, swollen eyelids , flaking of the skin around the eyes, crusted eyelashes upon awakening, sensitivity to light , frothy tears ,eyelashes that grow abnormally and loss of eyelashes .The eyelids may appear greasy and crusted with scales that cling to the lashes. This debris can cause the eyelids to stick together at night. Don't be concerned if you have to pry your eyes open in the morning because of these sticky secretions. Sometimes you may notice only the presence of dried tear secretions in the morning that feel like small grains of sand.
Blepharitis can be difficult to treat. Treatment includes good hygiene — regular cleaning of the area — to control signs and symptoms and prevent complications. If your condition doesn't improve, contact your doctor. He or she may prescribe an antibiotic cream or ointment. In severe cases, eyedrops containing antibiotics and steroids may be prescribed. If your blepharitis is linked to an underlying cause such as dandruff or rosacea, treating those conditions may alleviate the blepharitis.Blepharitis rarely disappears completely. Even with successful treatment, relapses are common. Paying extra attention to good hygiene at those times may help bring the condition back under control.
Hope this is helpful
matador89

Answer 2

I have never had this but learned about it in nursing school. First did you ask the last doctor if you can wear contacts at all? Sometimes people with this cannot and by doing so just aggrivates it more.

It is also important to know what type you have.

Blepharitis occurs in two forms:

--- Anterior blepharitis affects the outside front of the eyelid, where the eyelashes are attached. The two most common causes of anterior blepharitis are bacteria (Staphylococcus) and scalp dandruff.
--- Posterior blepharitis affects the inner eyelid (the moist part that makes contact with the eye) and is caused by problems with the oil (meibomian) glands in this part of the eyelid. Two skin disorders can cause this form of blepharitis: acne rosacea, which leads to red and inflamed skin, and scalp dandruff (seborrheic dermatitis).

Treatment for both forms of blepharitis involves keeping the lids clean and free of crusts. Warm compresses should be applied to the lid to loosen the crusts, followed by a light scrubbing of the eyelid with a cotton swab and a mixture of water and baby shampoo. Because blepharitis rarely goes away completely, most people must maintain an eyelid hygiene routine for life. If the blepharitis is severe, an eye care professional may also prescribe antibiotics or steroid eyedrops.
In addition to the warm compresses, people with posterior blepharitis will need to massage their eyelids to clean the oil accumulated in the glands.

Answer 3

You really need to read "Rosacea Free Forever" by Laura Taylor (also available in electronic format here: http://www.rosaceafreeforever.info ). It's about how to permanently cure your Rosacea naturally. I cured my Rosacea permanently in only 4 days after reading this.

Stop paying paying each month good money on creams. This is exactly what the pharmaceutical industry wants you to do! They want to milk money from you each month.

Answer 4

It sounds as even with the reality which think about blepharitis yet i'd pop alongside to the optician purely to get in shown. even if it truly is blepharitis you're affected by there are different lid hygiene ideas that can help with the crusty eyes and dryness and so on., your optician will be able to point you on which may be good for you (It sounds as even with the reality that you want to purpose the reason as adversarial to in problem-free words utilizing tear supplements to mask the project). those ideas are somewhat effortless and many times help interior of a few days so do not struggle through in silence!