- What is blepharitis?
- Two types of blepharitis
- Symptoms of blepharitis
- What causes blepharitis?
- Who is more likely to suffer from blepharitis?
- Treatment of blepharitis
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What is blepharitis?
Blepharitis is a chronic inflammation of the eyelids caused by an overgrowth of normal bacteria that live on the eyelid margin at the base of the eyelashes. Blepharitis is often a precursor to serious eyelid diseases, such as meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) and dry eye. It can affect anyone, regardless of age or gender, but is generally more common with age because tears typically contain fewer antibodies.
Two types of blepharitis
There are two types of blepharitis: anterior blepharitis and posterior blepharitis. Anterior blepharitis inflames the eyelid margins. Posterior blepharitis inflames the ducts of the sebaceous glands. This causes either more or less sebum. You may experience one type or both at the same time.
Symptoms of blepharitis
Blepharitis is often accompanied by the following complaints:
Itchy eyes
Watery eyes
Blurred vision
Irritated eyes
Burning eyes
In addition, symptoms may include a "grain of sand" feeling, mild sensitivity to light, difficulty reading, discharge, red eyes, a heavy feeling in the eyelids, excessive blinking, or fluctuating vision. Crusts and/or scales on the eyelids may also occur, and the eyelids may stick together in the morning. In advanced stages, bumps on the eyelids and ingrown eyelashes may also develop.
What causes blepharitis?
As this bacterial growth increases, a mucus layer (biofilm) forms along the eyelashes. Bacterial toxins and a parasite called Demodex are then trapped and begin to invade the eyelid, causing swelling. This potentially damages the tear glands, negatively impacting the quality and quantity of tear production. Because tear production decreases, natural antibodies decline even further, and the bacteria continue to thrive, creating a vicious cycle.
Who is more likely to suffer from blepharitis?
Blepharitis is often a precursor to serious eyelid diseases, such as meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) and dry eyes. It can affect anyone, regardless of age or gender, but is generally more common as a person ages because tears typically contain fewer antibodies as people get older.
Treatment of blepharitis
Blepharitis can be treated with a BlephEx device. The BlephEx device is similar to an electric toothbrush. The treatment is not self-administered; it is administered by an ophthalmologist. The BlephEx treatment is not (yet) covered by health insurers. This is because the treatment is still relatively new.
Short explanation
Using an electrically powered micro-sponge, the eyelids are safely and thoroughly cleaned to prevent the spread of bacteria. The treatment takes 6-8 minutes. Your eye specialist will advise you on how to keep your eyes clean at home. Since cleaning your eyes at home is only semi-effective, the BlephEx treatment is repeated every 4-8 months.
What does it do?
Thanks to BlephEx, the eye specialist can 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, by breaking down the biofilm along the eyelid margin, the eye specialist can prevent long-term damage to the tear glands and prevent other eye conditions such as MGD or dry eyes.
What results can you expect?
Results are visible immediately after treatment. The goal of the treatments is to eliminate the inflammation in the eyelid margin and thus reduce symptoms. In the vast majority of cases, the treatment results in a significant improvement. The inflammation is thoroughly addressed, and the adverse effects, such as itching, discharge, burning, irritation, watery eyes, etc., are significantly reduced. This provides a more peaceful eye.