Blepharitis November 30, 2010

The name of this disease is difficult to pronounce(same is the case with most diseases). But no need to pronounce this weird word. You just need to remember that blepharitis is “dandruff on eyelashes”. This isn’t a serious problem but may become an uncomfortable and irritating problem. It is mainly of three types:-

Staphylococcal blepharitis

v  It is thought to be caused by a bacterium. This micro organism lived in low numbers on the skin with causing any harm. But in some rare cases this living organism causes an infection of the eye-lid

Seborrhoeic blepharitis

v  In this kind of blepharitis an oily fluid is secreted which comes out on the back of the eye lids next to the eye.  This may lead to eyelid inflammation.

A vicious circle may play a part

v  Blepharitis has a tendency to flare up for a time and then reduce in severity. If you rub your eye-lids when you feel some inflammation then you are probably increasing your chances of suffering from this disease. Due to rubbing, the inflammation may become worse.

You can identify the ailment from the following symptoms:-

·         Eyes may become sticky with discharge. They may stick together in the morning.

·         Tiny flakes also appear on the eye-lids. These are similar to the flakes of dandruff on scalp.

·         Eye-lids become sore.

·         Dry eye symptom.

You can obviously cure this dandruff unlike the dandruff on scalp which can only be cured. Your main aim should be to soothe the eye-lids. The ancient method is to gently press on the eyelids with a facecloth soaked in very warm water for 5-10 minutes. You must keep re-warming the face cloth if it cools after some time. Another remedy is to use the especially designed heat bag which has to be placed on the eyes for about five minutes. After you have provided the warmth to your eyes, massage the eye-lids immediately. It should neither be too gentle nor too firm. You don’t want to harm your precious asset. After the massage, the eyes have to be cleaned. For this you can use cotton wool bud that has been dipped in baby shampoo. After cleaning the eyelids with the cotton, wash them with a cloth. You can also use sodium bicarbonate for the process. It can be applied using a clean cloth. All these cures should be used atleast twice a day until the symptoms are a little less visible.

If the condition of your ailment is severe then you can go for anti-biotic treatments. But it is best to consult a doctor before starting any of the anti-biotic cures. And to prevent yourself from this irritating disease try and avoid rubbing your eye-lids. This may make inflammation worse. If you want to protect your eyes then keep this in mind forever.

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