blepharitis

Question 1

what is blepharitis?

Answer 1

inflammation of the eyelid margins

Question 2

what causes it?

Answer 2

due to either meibomian gland dysfunction (common, posterior blepharitis) or seborrhoeic dermatitis/staphylococcal infection (less common, anterior blepharitis)

Question 3

who is it common in?

Answer 3

patients with rosacea

Question 4

what do meibomian glands do?

Answer 4

secrete oil on to the eye surface to prevent rapid evaporation of the tear film. Any problem affecting the meibomian glands (as in blepharitis) can hence cause drying of the eyes which in turns leads to irritation

Question 5

what are the features?

Answer 5

symptoms are usually bilateral
grittiness and discomfort, particularly around the eyelid margins
eyes may be sticky in the morning
eyelid margins may be red. Swollen eyelids may be seen in staphylococcal blepharitis
styes and chalazions are more common in patients with blepharitis
secondary conjunctivitis may occur

Question 6

how do you mx?

Answer 6

softening of the lid margin using hot compresses twice a day
‘lid hygiene’ - mechanical removal of the debris from lid margins
cotton wool buds dipped in a mixture of cooled boiled water and baby shampoo is often used
an alternative is sodium bicarbonate, a teaspoonful in a cup of cooled water that has recently been boiled
artificial tears may be given for symptom relief in people with dry eyes or an abnormal tear film