Blepharitis refers to ophthalmic intractable diseases, since in most cases allergic pathologies and viral infections become the cause of its occurrence. This ailment manifests itself most often with itching and inflammation of the eyelids.
To get rid of this disease, it is necessary to combine folk remedies with medical methods. After all, only an integrated approach will help eliminate blepharitis. Treatment at home, among other things, will facilitate the patient's condition in a neglected case.
Types of blepharitis in the eyes
Such a disease is divided into several types:
- Rosacea blepharitis. With this pathology, reddish-gray nodules covered with ulcers form on the eyelids. In some cases, common acne appears.
- Ulcerative. This type of disease is very difficult. Most often, this pathology occurs in young people. She is characterized by severe pain in the region of the eyelid, and small sores form under the edges, under which inflammation occurs.
- Demodectic blepharitis. The treatment at home for such an ailment is very long, therefore it requires a lot of patience from the patient. A special type of ciliary mite provokes the development of this eye pathology . It is present in almost every person in a normal state.
- Scaly. It is considered the most common type of blepharitis, which has another name - seborrhea.
- Allergic blepharitis. Home treatment of this form of the disease involves eliminating contact with the allergen.
The main causes of the development of pathology
There are many triggering factors that contribute to blepharitis. However, Staphylococcus aureus is considered the most common cause, the reproduction of which on the eyelids often leads to the appearance of this disease in children.
The Demodex microscopic tick is also capable of causing blepharitis. It is present in many people on the eyelashes. The immune system of a healthy person copes well with such a neighborhood when the number of these parasites is safe and small.
When the protective functions of the body are weakened, ticks begin to multiply. As a result, the waste products and larvae of adults enter the mucous membrane of the eyelids and the surface of the skin, causing an inflammatory process and allergies. You can see these parasites only through a microscope.
Other predisposing factors
Eye blepharitis may occur due to the following problems:
- vitamin deficiency;
- deep caries;
- diabetes mellitus;
- inflammation in the paranasal sinuses;
- chronic overwork;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
All of these ailments inhibit the activity of the immune system, and some may even be the foci from where pathogens penetrate the eyelids.
There are other reasons that lead to the development of this pathology, for example, diseases of the lacrimal passages and glands, chronic conjunctivitis, hyperopia, myopia, irritation of the eyes with aggressive substances, dust or wind. Treatment of blepharitis of the eyelids at home is effective only if the exact cause of its occurrence is known. And, of course, in combination with medical methods.
Blepharitis: symptoms and treatment
The photo allows you to see how the inflamed eyelid looks. With the development of this disease, a person feels itching and severe irritation of the eyelids. In some cases, patients are disturbed by the feeling of a foreign object inside the eye.
The signs of blepharitis can also include the occurrence of burning and dryness. Moreover, with prolonged use of contact lenses, eye irritation appears.
Such a disease can be accompanied by reddening of the eyelids, and the formation of ulceration sites on them, which after a while begin to bleed, not wanting to heal. In this case, a tear film appears, leading to a slight blurring of the image, but the visual acuity does not change. In addition, the disease can cause an increase in temperature, and it often becomes the cause of swelling and redness of the eyes.
When inflammation is triggered by an allergic reaction, the eyelids may become darker. Doctors call this darkening an allergic bruise.
In patients suffering from blepharitis, peeling of the surface skin balls is often observed, moreover, eyelash adhesion often occurs, and a plaque forms on the eyelids. Infectious eye damage leads to the formation of a yellowish or greenish discharge.
If blepharitis of seborrheic type is disturbing, then peeled skin particles are formed on the eyelids, which most often appear on the head or eyebrows. This pathology can take on a chronic form, which will lead to damage to visual functions and poorly affect vision.
Diagnostic measures
If you experience discomfort in the eye area, you should contact an ophthalmologist. Only a doctor can recognize the disease when examining the eyelids. For these purposes, a slit lamp is used, which allows you to find out the exact cause of the disease. With its help, a specialist can see smaller details, for example, a microscopic demodex tick.
In addition, a smear from the edge of the eye is taken from the patient to obtain sebum samples or purulent crusts at the base of the eyelashes. They are carefully studied in the laboratory to detect ticks, bacteria, or signs of an allergic reaction. Another smear allows you to determine the sensitivity of pathogens to drugs.
Blepharitis: treatment
The photo below allows you to see the severity of this disease. Inflammation of the eyelids will have to be eliminated for a long time, since treatment requires an integrated approach and the consideration of etiological factors.
To get rid of this ailment, you will need consultations of different doctors: dentist, otolaryngologist, dermatologist, gastroenterologist, allergist. In addition, it is necessary to normalize nutrition, improve the sanitary and hygienic conditions at work and at home, and work on increasing immunity. If violations of refraction of the eyes are detected, laser or spectacle correction is performed.
Medicines to eliminate bilateral inflammation of the edges of the eyelids
Topical treatment of blepharitis requires mandatory consideration of the form of pathology. During therapy, it is necessary to carefully monitor the hygiene of the eyelids, treat the edges with a solution of brilliant green, massage them regularly. Moreover, it is necessary to clean the scales and crusts of the eyes with a wet swab, after applying a sulfacyl or penicillin ointment on them.
Treatment of blepharitis of the eyelids with ulcerative course of the disease involves the use of various ointments containing an antibiotic and corticosteroid hormone. With marginal keratitis and conjunctivitis, it is better to supplement the treatment with similar eye drops. If ulceration of the cornea is observed, then it is worth using a gel with dexpantheol or solcoseryl.
Seborrheic blepharitis is treated with hydrocortisone ophthalmic ointment, which is used to lubricate the eyelids, as well as instillations of an “artificial tear”. In the treatment of inflammation of the eyelids affected by Demodex mite, in addition to hygiene, alkaline drops and antiparasitic agents such as zinc-ichthyol and metronidazole ointments are used. In this case, the doctor can still prescribe Trichopolum therapy.
In case of allergic blepharitis, it is recommended to eliminate all contacts with the detected allergen. Patients are prescribed instillations with anti-allergic drops, taking antihistamines, eye treatment with corticosteroids. Meibomian and acne blepharitis are treated with doxycycline or tetracycline, course of 2-4 weeks.
Therapeutic procedures for blepharitis
With such inflammation of the eyelids, autohemotherapy, vitamin therapy are carried out and immunomodulators are prescribed. It is still effective to combine drugs with physiotherapy:
- darsonvalization;
- electrophoresis;
- UHF;
- magnetotherapy and ultraviolet radiation.
If blepharitis has a complicated shape, then most likely you will need surgical intervention: correcting the eversion or inversion of the eyelid, removing its plastic with trichiasis.
Traditional medicine recipes
To obtain a quick and effective result, ophthalmologists advise combining drug therapy with the use of medicinal herbs. For example, in order to eliminate blepharitis as soon as possible, treatment with folk remedies should be supplemented with eyelid massage.
A decoction made from immortelle flowers, bitter wormwood, peppermint and the fruits of ordinary fennel helps get rid of this ailment. The resulting mixture is poured with boiling water and put in a water bath for 15 minutes. Then the healing drink is infused for 35 minutes, after which it is filtered. It is recommended to use it from blepharitis to 150 ml half an hour before meals several times a day.
Fresh basil leaves, which have an anti-inflammatory effect, have proven themselves well in the treatment of blepharitis. They need only to be slightly kneaded and applied to the diseased eyelids daily in the morning and evening. This herb will eliminate burning, swelling and severe itching.
But ulcerative blepharitis is usually treated with celandine. To do this, pour a spoonful of dry or fresh grass with 200 ml of hot water and leave to infuse for about 40 minutes. In the resulting solution, cotton swabs are moistened, which are applied to the eyelids for 10 minutes. Repeat this procedure at least 5 times a day.
Aloe juice will help eliminate this ailment. The mucus of this plant must be instilled into the eyes, or make lotions on it forever several times a day.
For the treatment of squamous blepharitis, burdock oil can be used. It is enough to apply it every evening with a hygienic stick to sore places.
If blepharitis of the eye, the treatment of which is allergic, worries all the time, then it should be eliminated with fresh meadow clover. But first of all, the plant should be washed well, and then twisted in a meat grinder and squeeze all the juice. It is this fluid that needs to be instilled into the eyes, and it is desirable to carry out such a procedure in the evening. The remaining mixture is also used, it can be applied to the affected areas of the eyelids several times a day to relieve inflammation.
In the treatment of this eye disease with folk remedies, calendula is often used, since it has not only anti-inflammatory, but also antiseptic properties. In addition, the plant perfectly dries out sores and wounds in the eyes. To prepare a medicinal infusion, you need 1 tablespoon of this herb. Calendula flowers are poured with boiling water and insisted for about 30 minutes, then filtered. Ready broth wash well inflamed eyelids.
How to eliminate blepharitis with household soap?
Home treatment, which reviews are usually positive, helps to get rid of this pathology as soon as possible. In the case when Demodex became the cause of the inflammation, you can apply foam from laundry soap to the affected areas. After this, the eyes should be rinsed well, and the eyelids are best lubricated with petroleum jelly.
How to massage the eyelids with inflammation?
Eye massage also helps eliminate blepharitis. Home treatment in this case becomes more effective. Before proceeding to the procedure, you need to treat the eyelids with tincture of calendula or eucalyptus, and valocordin or corvalol is also suitable for these purposes. After the applied product has dried, you can proceed to the massage. First we close our eyes, and then rub them with light movements.
By the way, when demodecotic blepharitis is disturbing, treatment at home should also be supplemented by massaging the inflamed eyelids.