What kind of Dr should I see for Blepharitis? A dermatologist or eye dr?

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I have been to an eye specialist 3 times to have this checked out and all 3 times they have not been able to tell me what it is or how to get rid of it ... thank God for the internet!
A regular physician could be of help. I find it hard to believe an opthamologist couldn't tell you what it is, because that's fairly simple. It's an inflammation of the eyelids, usually at the margins. As to the cause, if it's not due to staph infection or seborhea (like dandruff of the eyelids, basically) then it's would be hard to nail an exact cause. Sometimes, like all sh*t, it just happens. It's also very difficult to get rid of if it's not bacterial. You can have it as a chronic condition, so it's possible you may never really get rid of it. In the meantime, try this routine- apply a warm wet compress to the eyes, using a clean washcloth, for about 2-3 minutes. That will plump up the skin. Then dilute a non-tearing type baby shampoo, about 1 part shampoo to 10 parts of water, and use that with the washcloth to gently clean away the built up gunk from your eyes. It may take some gentle scrubbing to do it, and depending on how close it is to the eyelashes, you might have better luck in the tight spots with a cotton swab. Once this is done, rinse your face well. In some cases, the doctors will prescribe an antibiotic ointment specially made for eyes to put on before bedtime to help cut down on the matting and clumping bits. Depending on what the cause is, this little routine may be one you have to follow for a long time, if not the rest of your life. If you also suffer from dandruff, sometimes getting that under control will help matters with the eyelids as well. I don't think a dermatologist would be of much help to you- they get a little squirrelish when you start talking eyelids, and would probably just send you off to see a regular doc or opthamologist, after billing you of course. But a good general practitioner should be able to help you out to start with, and they are lots cheaper than specialists. In this case, a specialist probably isn't any better bet. Sorry not to have better news or ideas for you- you just don't suffer from something easy to fix unfortunately.  (+ info)

What other options for treating blepharitis do I have?

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I currently take fishoil and flaxseed nutritional supplements, take 50mg Minocycline daily, use Restasis drops twice daily, have punctal plugs in both eyes, use Tobradex ointment at night and use Sterilid to clean my eyelashes twice daily. What other options do I have as I also use preservative free Refresh endura artificial tears about every 20-30 minutes throughout the day and still have the flaky discharge on my eyelids by the afternoon.
I also use Alrex steroid drops three times a day and even with all the above still have irritation.
Blepharitis is very difficult to get rid of -- I had it for over 6 months. I found that the best thing to do was rinse the area with cool water several times a day, carefully drying off each time (don't rub). Creams and such didn't work for me.  (+ info)

Does anyone know anything about blepharitis & how to treat it?

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I have had ongoing problems with slight swelling of my eyelids. I went to my optometrist & he told me that it was from an eye infection. I took the eye drops that he gave me & the problem went away temporarily, but came back in about a week. This kept going on for almost 2 months. I would take the drops again, it would improve & then return.
I got another opinion from an optamologist who told me that the condition was caused from wearing my contacts overnite, even though I NEVER wear contacts while I'm sleeping. He prescribed the same drops.
Frustrated, I went to another optamologist who diagnosed me with blepharitis. He gave me a pamphlet about it, & prescribed Patanol(an antihistimine eye drop) , Restasis(increases tear production), & Doxycycline(antibiotic). I also have to use eyelid scrubs twice a day. I have been on this treatment for over a month & I still have some problems with my right eye, even though it's not as bad as it was.
Does anyone have any experience with this?
The only symptoms I have are reoccurring itchyness & swelling of the eyelid(& it is mainly my right eye). Would blepharitis be the only diagnosis for this? Should I get another opinion after already consulting three doctors?
I've been reading other people's coments on this condition. Some say it's caused by dry eyes, some say it's caused by a staph infection, some say it's contagious, & others say it isn't. How do I know who's right?
The symptoms of the disease are one or any or a combination of any of the following- watery or red eyes , a gritty, burning sensation in the eye , itchy eyelids ,red, swollen eyelids , flaking of the skin around the eyes, crusted eyelashes upon awakening, sensitivity to light , frothy tears ,eyelashes that grow abnormally and loss of eyelashes .The eyelids may appear greasy and crusted with scales that cling to the lashes. This debris can cause the eyelids to stick together at night. Don't be concerned if you have to pry your eyes open in the morning because of these sticky secretions. Sometimes you may notice only the presence of dried tear secretions in the morning that feel like small grains of sand.
Blepharitis can be difficult to treat. Treatment includes good hygiene — regular cleaning of the area — to control signs and symptoms and prevent complications. If your condition doesn't improve, contact your doctor. He or she may prescribe an antibiotic cream or ointment. In severe cases, eyedrops containing antibiotics and steroids may be prescribed. If your blepharitis is linked to an underlying cause such as dandruff or rosacea, treating those conditions may alleviate the blepharitis.Blepharitis rarely disappears completely. Even with successful treatment, relapses are common. Paying extra attention to good hygiene at those times may help bring the condition back under control.
Hope this is helpful
matador89  (+ info)

I think I have blepharitis, I keep getting styes in different places around my eyes?

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The pharmacist and doctor gave me something to treat a stye, and said to stop future ones I must clean around the eye with baby shampoo

But they keep on coming, and each stye lasts for a few weeks, what can I do?
Styes and blepharitis are different - but they are related as they are caused by the same bug - staphylococcus.

The answer to treating it is lid hygiene - both a hot compress and scrubbing the lid (gently!) along the lid margin - with either diluted baby shampoo (diluted 10x with boiled water to keep it sterile) or you can buy lid scrubs. These make a big difference if done twice a day for a week and then once a day for a week. After that you can either give up until the symptoms come back or do it every few days to keep the problem away.

If it's persistent - which it sounds like it is you can get Fucithalmic ointment - which needs a prescription from your GP or a written order from your optometrist - it's on the list of things that optometrists can "prescribe". This ointment is very effective at treating this condition - keep doing the lid hygiene and then afterwards dry your lids and massage a small amount of the ointment about where your eyelashes are - you should see quite a difference in just a couple of days.  (+ info)

With proper treatment, will chronic blepharitis be noticeable?

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Will the visual symptoms go away? That is, will people be able to see there's something wrong with your eye if you treat it properly?
Yes and no. The visual symptoms should certainly subside with proper treatment, but if you stop they will often come back. Lay people will likely not be able to see anything wrong as long as proper treatment is done. Depending on the type of blepharitis (anterior vs. posterior), cause (Staph., seborrheic, etc.), and severity, treatment includes lid scrubs, warm compresses, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, etc.  (+ info)

I have a mild case of blepharitis.Dr said no mascara for 6 weeks.Losing it.Can I wear a special kind?

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I have small eyes and NEED mascara.I am doing all the stuff he said for blepharitis can I wear a bit of mascara to work?
No, definitely not. Mascara can really aggravate it and make the irritation worse.
Also IDK if your doctor told you this but blepharitis is not like a one time infection like styes or other eye problems, in a lot of people it is basically chronic meaning if you get it once its super easy for you to get it in the future. You can keep from getting it again by taking good care of your eyes and not irritating them but you're always going to be susceptible to it:(

So wait the 6 weeks, NO mascara or eye makeup until doc says it is allowed. Also you've got to get all new eye makeup, brushes, etc. If you can, get hypoallergenic/non irritating type products. Don't get like thickening mascara or waterproof because those are hard to remove and are more irritating/clogging for your eyelids. Buy plain basic washable type mascara. It kinda sucks but you don't want to get it again, that is worse than having to find new makeup brands imo.  (+ info)

What brand of mascara is safe for dry eye along with having blepharitis?

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You should definitely see an ophthalmologist, a medical doctor who specializes in eye disorders, and ask which, if any, mascara is safe for you to use. Ophthalmologists are very accustomed to this question, they hear it every day! Follow the doctor's advice to the letter too. He or she will most likely advise you to leave mascara off for a while and advise you on which brands are safest for you to use after that.  (+ info)

how does staphylococcal aureus cause blepharitis?

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i need detail , on what the bacteria does to the cells in the eye lid, i need like a mechanism .
Since the staph lives in the nasal membrane it's a s close to the eye as anything can be. If the immune system is lowered for some reason the staff can and will attack any membrane in the body. The eyelid being moist and warm is a good candidate for the staff to live in. Keeping the fingers away from the face is a good health advice. Passing the staff if it's in that stage to be spread there's nothing better then the fingers to pass this around.
If the Blepharitis isn't to heavy it may be treated at home using a mild baby shampoo and cleaning the eyelid. But, if it's to bad then antibiotics are needed.  (+ info)

Anyone suffer from an eye condition called Blepharitis? Did it ever clear up?

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My doctor says I'll probably be dealing with this the rest of my life and have to do all these time-consuming eye lid cleanings "forever." I really hate that. Anyone have this and did it go away? How do you deal with it if it didn't?
No it has not gone away. It is like dandruff of the eyelid. I just wash my eyes morning and night with Johnson's baby shampoo. It's part of my routine.   (+ info)

How to treat blepharitis?

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I have blepharitis caused by having dermatitis. What is the most effective way of treating it?
I have had problems with recurrent blepharitis in the past - I also have exzema and sebhorrhea (forms of dermatitis) that are definitely related to the blepharitis. There are prescription ointments that are very effective in treating it - they usually have an antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory. You will need to see an ophthalmologist or optometrist to prescribe this. There is an eyelid cleaner you can buy from the eye Dr., but using a very dilute solution of baby shampoo on a q-tip and gently scrubbing your eyelids daily is safe and works well to help treat blepharitis and to prevent it returning. Do not rub or pick at your eyelids, you could make it worse.  (+ info)

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