Here in this piece of article, we are going to discuss one of the most common questions that
I have been getting during my clinic time which is what do I do with my red
and crusty eyelids and what can I do from home? So I don’t have to go to the
eye doctor.
So today we are going to briefly explain the topic regarding blepharitis which is the usual culprit
and some really easy steps that you can do from home to get the eyes feeling
a whole lot better. So let’s talk about blepharitis. What is
blepharitis?
and some really easy steps that you can do from home to get the eyes feeling
a whole lot better. So let’s talk about blepharitis. What is
blepharitis?
Blepharitis is a very common eyelid condition that I see all the time
caused by an overgrowth of the bacteria that live naturally on the skin. You
know we all have bacteria living constantly on the skin and most of the time
they are just living harmoniously.
caused by an overgrowth of the bacteria that live naturally on the skin. You
know we all have bacteria living constantly on the skin and most of the time
they are just living harmoniously.
They are not causing any trouble but occasionally they will get
overpopulated and when that happens in the face that can give you acne and
when that happens around the eyelids and eyelashes that’s what we call
blepharitis.
overpopulated and when that happens in the face that can give you acne and
when that happens around the eyelids and eyelashes that’s what we call
blepharitis.
Common Symptoms of Blepharitis
So the most common symptoms of blepharitis are
- Redness
- Burning
-
Stinging the Sensation ( that something’s always in the eye ) which we
appropriately call foreign body sensation.
Then when you wake up in the morning you have got that little discharge in
the corner of the eyes. All of these things are associated with blepharitis
so two main things we see in eyelid anatomy with blepharitis.
the corner of the eyes. All of these things are associated with blepharitis
so two main things we see in eyelid anatomy with blepharitis.
So first normal healthy eyelids we have got lashes that are nice, clean,
and directly behind those eyelashes. Most of us in each or lives. We have
about 10 to 15 oil glands and the job of those oil glands is to secrete that
oil onto the surface of the cornea.
and directly behind those eyelashes. Most of us in each or lives. We have
about 10 to 15 oil glands and the job of those oil glands is to secrete that
oil onto the surface of the cornea.
So it keeps our tears film nice and stable, keeps the eye feeling
comfortable, keeps the vision nice and sharp. When those oil glands get
plugged as they often do in blepharitis. They cause a series of kind of a
cascade of effects so this is what it looks like.
comfortable, keeps the vision nice and sharp. When those oil glands get
plugged as they often do in blepharitis. They cause a series of kind of a
cascade of effects so this is what it looks like.
When they get plugged so instead of that nice clean margin you have got all
of these little plugged oil glands. The skin around the oil glands gets kind
of congested and angry and swollen. That’s what causes that soreness and
then without that oil freely flowing onto the surface of the cornea.
of these little plugged oil glands. The skin around the oil glands gets kind
of congested and angry and swollen. That’s what causes that soreness and
then without that oil freely flowing onto the surface of the cornea.
Our tears evaporate too quickly and evaporative dry eye starts to take
effect and that’s what gives you a lot of the stinging and burning.
effect and that’s what gives you a lot of the stinging and burning.
Contents
So how do we treat Blepharitis?
1. Warm Compresses
If you imagine all of these oil glands are like a bunch of teeny tiny
sticks of butter. We need to melt that butter and the easiest way to do that
is with heat so a real, simple thing you can do without having to buy a
thing is to take a wash cloth that you already have at home.
sticks of butter. We need to melt that butter and the easiest way to do that
is with heat so a real, simple thing you can do without having to buy a
thing is to take a wash cloth that you already have at home.
put it under the hot water wring it out and put it over the eyes for a few
minutes and that works ok. The problem is as you would imagine after just a
few seconds usually that washcloth is anticipating that heat you can’t get
the heat to stay for very long and so for that reason a lot of companies
have come up with some great little microwavable masks.
minutes and that works ok. The problem is as you would imagine after just a
few seconds usually that washcloth is anticipating that heat you can’t get
the heat to stay for very long and so for that reason a lot of companies
have come up with some great little microwavable masks.
You just throw this mask in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds and make
sure it’s not too hot so you don’t burn yourself. Then just put that over
the surface of the closed eyes and hold it there for about 5 to 10 minutes.
That’s gonna melt all of the oil that butter and allow that oil to freely
flow over the surface of the eye.
sure it’s not too hot so you don’t burn yourself. Then just put that over
the surface of the closed eyes and hold it there for about 5 to 10 minutes.
That’s gonna melt all of the oil that butter and allow that oil to freely
flow over the surface of the eye.
It feels really nice. So it’s a nice easy trick to do at home so that’s
going to take care of what we call “posterior blepharitis” with just all of
those plugged oil glands. But what about all these crusty guys on the front
this is called anterior blepharitis and these little crusts are called color
X and that’s what gives you that sensation that’s something in the
eye.
going to take care of what we call “posterior blepharitis” with just all of
those plugged oil glands. But what about all these crusty guys on the front
this is called anterior blepharitis and these little crusts are called color
X and that’s what gives you that sensation that’s something in the
eye.
2. Use Lid Scrubs
You are always just kind of itching and wanting to mess with the lids so to
get rid of this we use a dental analogy. So of course all of us you know
would never argue with our dentist that it’s appropriate to brush your teeth
morning and evening at the very least to make sure that the buildup of
plaque and tartar is removed mechanically.
get rid of this we use a dental analogy. So of course all of us you know
would never argue with our dentist that it’s appropriate to brush your teeth
morning and evening at the very least to make sure that the buildup of
plaque and tartar is removed mechanically.
Every single day and similarly when this kind of buildup builds up around
the lids and lashes. We can also kind of do some lid brushes lid scrubs.
This is again one of many different kinds of lid scrubs.
the lids and lashes. We can also kind of do some lid brushes lid scrubs.
This is again one of many different kinds of lid scrubs.
How to use Lid Scrub?
The gist is it’s a small little towelette that has soap that’s safe to use
around the eyes. It’s really simple to use you just open the scrub. here’s
the little towelette. It’s got a little bit of texture to it which is nice
to really pull off all of this crust.
around the eyes. It’s really simple to use you just open the scrub. here’s
the little towelette. It’s got a little bit of texture to it which is nice
to really pull off all of this crust.
I like to kind of wrap it around my index finger and then with your eye
closed. You are gonna start all the way up at your brow and go back and
forth until you kind of feel that bony portion of your orbit so from the top
all the way to the bottom of the eye. Then you will just flip it around and
do the exact same thing on the other eye and then throw it away.
closed. You are gonna start all the way up at your brow and go back and
forth until you kind of feel that bony portion of your orbit so from the top
all the way to the bottom of the eye. Then you will just flip it around and
do the exact same thing on the other eye and then throw it away.
These are meant to be done just at the same time since you brush your teeth
so morning and evening. what I typically recommend folks do this and if you
can get into that habit of doing both lids scrubs and the warm compresses
usually that takes care of blepharitis for most people in general.
so morning and evening. what I typically recommend folks do this and if you
can get into that habit of doing both lids scrubs and the warm compresses
usually that takes care of blepharitis for most people in general.
I try to encourage patients to gain think about doing lid scrubs at the
same time that they are brushing their teeth. So morning and evening you
should be doing the lid scrubs the warm compresses which are best done at
night time.
same time that they are brushing their teeth. So morning and evening you
should be doing the lid scrubs the warm compresses which are best done at
night time.
I recommend doing the warm compresses first for 5 to 10 minutes getting all
that oil coming out and then finishing cleaning the lids with the lid scrub
right before you go to bed. The reason I like to do the warm compresses at
night time is that as that oil starts to open the glands, open the oil flows
onto the front of the eye.
that oil coming out and then finishing cleaning the lids with the lid scrub
right before you go to bed. The reason I like to do the warm compresses at
night time is that as that oil starts to open the glands, open the oil flows
onto the front of the eye.
That can blur you a little bit so if you try to do that first thing in the
morning. You might be a little frustrated with me but if you do that right
before you are going to bed this will resolve your symptoms.
morning. You might be a little frustrated with me but if you do that right
before you are going to bed this will resolve your symptoms.
Sometimes blepharitis can be you know especially stubborn and patients will
say you know I’m doing all of these things regularly and it’s still not
helping and that’s when we need to call in you know some of the bigger
treatments including medications either topical or oral antibiotics.
Sometimes a little mild steroid drop or ointment.
say you know I’m doing all of these things regularly and it’s still not
helping and that’s when we need to call in you know some of the bigger
treatments including medications either topical or oral antibiotics.
Sometimes a little mild steroid drop or ointment.
There are several Clinical procedures that we have available for
blepharitis as well if needed. Those can certainly be the topic for some
other articles to come but for now, I just wanted to give you guys two
simple home remedies for blepharitis and hopefully, that will have
everyone feeling better really soon. My next post will be about eye floaters.
blepharitis as well if needed. Those can certainly be the topic for some
other articles to come but for now, I just wanted to give you guys two
simple home remedies for blepharitis and hopefully, that will have
everyone feeling better really soon. My next post will be about eye floaters.
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