What is blepharitis?

Blepharitis is a chronic inflammation of the eyelids caused by an overgrowth of normal bacteria that live on the edge of the eyelid at the base of the eyelashes. Blepharitis is often the precursor to serious eyelid diseases, such as meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) and dry eyes. It can affect anyone, regardless of age or gender, but it is generally more common as a person gets older because tears then usually contain fewer antibodies.

Two types of blepharitis

There are two types of blepharitis: anterior blepharitis and posterior blepharitis. With anterior, the eyelid margins are inflamed. With posterior blepharitis, the drainage ducts of the oil glands are inflamed. This results in either too little or too much sebum. It is possible to suffer from one form or both forms at the same time.

Symptoms of blepharitis

Blepharitis often goes hand in hand with the following complaints:

• Itchy eyes

• Watering eyes

• Blurry vision

• Irritated eyes

• Burning eyes

In addition, symptoms can include a 'gritty' feeling, mild light sensitivity, reading difficulties, discharge, red eyes, a heavy feeling in the eyelids, excessive blinking, or fluctuating vision. You may also suffer from crusts and/or flakes on the eyelids, and it is also possible that the eyelids stick together in the morning. In an advanced stage, there may be bumps on the eyelids and ingrown eyelashes.

What causes blepharitis?

If this bacterial growth increases, a thin layer of slime (biofilm) forms along the lashes. Bacterial toxins and a parasite called Demodex are then trapped and begin to penetrate the eyelid, causing swelling. This creates potential damage to the tear glands, which will negatively affect the quality and quantity of tear production. As tear production decreases, natural antibodies also decrease further and the bacteria continue to develop, creating a vicious circle.

Who is more prone to blepharitis?

Blepharitis is often the precursor to serious eyelid diseases, such as meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) and dry eyes. It can affect anyone, regardless of age or gender, but it is generally more common as a person gets older because tears usually contain fewer antibodies as you age.

Treating blepharitis

Blepharitis can be treated using a BlephEx device. The BlephEx device is comparable to an electric toothbrush. You cannot perform the treatment yourself; it is provided by an ophthalmic specialist. The BlephEx treatment is not (yet) covered by health insurers. This is because the treatment is still very new.

Short explanation
Using an electrically driven micro-sponge, the eyelids are safely and thoroughly cleaned to prevent the spread of bacteria. The treatment takes 6-8 minutes. The eye specialist will advise you on how to keep your eyes clean at home. Since home cleaning is semi-effective, the BlephEx treatment is repeated every 4-8 months.

What does it do?
Thanks to BlephEx, the eye specialist can very precisely and safely clean the eyelids and eyelashes and break down the biofilm that has formed. This will lead to an almost immediate improvement in symptoms. More importantly, because the biofilm along the edge of the eyelid is broken down, the eye specialist can prevent long-term damage to the tear glands and prevent you from suffering from other eye diseases such as MGD or dry eyes.

What result can you expect?
Results are already visible immediately after the treatment. The treatments aim to remove the inflammation in the edge of the eyelid and thereby reduce the symptoms. In the vast majority of cases, the treatment provides a massive improvement. The inflammation is thoroughly addressed, and the adverse effects, such as itching, discharge, burning sensation, irritation, watering eyes, etc., decrease significantly. This provides more rest for the eye.

We are here for you

Blepharitis can be treated at our boutiques. Please get in touch by phone to find out about the possibilities.

 

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-Checked by an optometrist-