Blepharitis solutions

Eye care
1

Had blepharitis now for over 10 years and have had flare ups every few years.

I've read a few threads on here where people have recommended using wet ones as they have an ingredient called benzethonium chloride.

I love in the UK and have bought some wet ones that contain benzalkonium chloride.

Could someone on here tell me the difference between these 2 chlorides? I've read that they are the same thing but have different names depending on wether you're in the UK or the States.

Also could someone please tell me the best way to test blepharitis using wet ones? Do I leave them on the eyelids for a few minutes or give them a quick wipe or scrub?

Thanks

2

Hello I live in the US and use the Wet Ones .  I devide them into several strips to make them last longer.  I use one for each eye. I rub the upper and lower lash line with these but I do not wash off. These work really well for me.  When I have a flare up, it is usually because I have failed to use them . I also use Lid Wipes called OcuSoft Lid Scrubs which look like the Wet Ones.  I clean my lids thouroughly with these, but WASH this off afterwards. THen I apply Sustain Balance Ultra Eye Drops several times a day as recommended by my Eye Dr. I relly do not know the difference in the UK adn US wet Ones I am sorry. Kathy

3

Thanks Kathy.

I'm going to give these wipes ago and see how I get on?

I don't have crust on my lids they're just red and water a bit.

I'm hoping this works!!

4

When mine get bad, the lower lid is very puffy and is tender to the touch. They will water and it feels like there is something in my eye and then I rub and rub which is so bad. For women , it is worse because of wearing eye make-up. cry

5

I've read other posts and they say they both work. Lynda has a really good post on how to use them. Cut them in thin strips and massage the base of the eyelash. You will have to leave it on for about 10 minutes and then rinse it off.

6

HI there Grogger,

I live in Ireland and I started using the wet ones about 2 months ago. After about 3 weeks I discovered that my wipes had only .097% of the benzethonium chloride in it. Lynda79 recommended wipes with .3%. The .3% ones dont seem to be available in UK or Ireland. I bought them on Amazon.I think i paid €30 for 5 tubs incluing posting. The result is amazing. I use them morning and last thing at night.Lynda recommends 4 times a day to begin with but I am only doing twice a day and if I have to do it for the rest of my life its no problem. Just a good rub  each eye, each morning and and last thing at night. I used Hylo forte drops 3 to 4 times a day for the dryness and I am doing really well.

I am wearing eye make up again, not every day but most days. 

Ps to answer your question the benzathonium chloride and the benzalkonium are the same thing as far as I know.

I hopee this helps you

Janet

7

Hi Grogger,

As I understand the two chlorides are different but both are antibacterial agents. This is what I found :

Benzethonium chloride is a synthetic quaternary ammonium salt. This compound is an odorless white solid; soluble in water. It has surfactant, antiseptic, and anti-infective properties, and it is used as a topical antimicrobial agent in first aid antiseptics. It is also found in cosmetics and toiletries such as mouthwashes, anti-itch ointments, and antibacterial moist towelettes. Benzethonium chloride is also used in the food industry as a hard surface disinfectant.[1]

Benzethonium chloride exhibits a broad spectrum of microbiocidal activity against bacteria, fungi, mold and viruses. Independent testing shows that benzethonium chloride is highly effective against such pathogens as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Clostridium difficile, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, herpes simplex virus (HSV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and norovirus.

Benzalkonium chloride, also known as alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride and ADBAC, is a mixture of alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chlorides of various even-numbered[2] alkyl chain lengths. This product is a nitrogenous cationic surface-acting agent belonging to the quaternary ammonium group. It has three main categories of use; as a biocide, a cationic surfactant and phase transfer agent in the chemical industry.

Benzalkonium chloride is readily soluble in ethanol and acetone. Although dissolution in water is slow, aqueous solutions are easier to handle and are preferred. Solutions should be neutral to slightly alkaline, with colour ranging from colourless to a pale yellow. Solutions foam profusely when shaken, have a bitter taste and a faint almond-like odour which is only detectable in concentrated solutions.

We in the UK can get only Wet Ones with the last . I was diagnosed last Thursday and started treatment with Wet Ones Be Gentle last night.The original has alcohol so it stings a bit, apparently.

It is amazing! Today I can see and the continuous terrible watering and itching is almost completely gone. That is after only two treatments of heat pad/ massage/ Wet Ones. I cut the wet Ones into 8 bits and wipe each eye with a fresh one several times, not too quickly. This I will do three times a day or at least two That is all.

I hope you also get well soon. Let me know please.

8

Thanks Martha!!

I'm giving them a go today. Just done it for the first time and I'll try it 2-3 times a day.

I've got the ones in the pink packet as that's the only ones the chemist near me had.

I'm hoping these work! I only get flare ups now and then but I'm sick of having to use all sorts of creams and antibiotics to keep it at bay!

Do you apply any creams or moisturisers to your eyes after you've wiped them with a wet one?

Hope you can keep it at bay. It's a horrible thing to deal with but once you find a way it's pretty easy to live with. I've managed to have a career in the Royal Navy with it and start a family which to me is great because years ago when I had it diagnosed I was in a pretty bad place physically and mentally as nothing seemed to work and I pretty much had discharge coming out of my eyes and swollen eyes for 2 straight years! I didn't want to wake up in a morning!

I'm glad this way seems to be working for you.

9

Hi Grogger

The Be Gentle are difficult to find, I got the last packet from the last chemist I visited. But Boots have them on line. All of them should work, the active ingredient is the same.

I think also the massage is important. I found a good video in a web site for heatable eye bags, I am not allowed to put a link here, but if you Google Wheaty Bags it is there.

I will treat myself to a bag soon, I am using a Wheaty Bag now that is huge!

I don't know  if you do the same treatment  my doctor gave me which is :

First put the heated pad on the eyes for 5 to 10 minutes, then massage edge o lids from nose to side several times with tip of finger, using some pressure but not hurting of course, to drain the litlte glands below the eyelashes and wash ( now I wipe and leave it to dry)

All the best

 

10

Dear Grogger,

When I looked up Benzethonium Chloride and Benzalkonium Chloride they are both Quaternary ammonium compounds. Honjon used the UK wipes and did well too.

I had the itching so I rubbed along the lash area starting from one side to the other. I used 8 small strips doing each eye lash area twice. I did it 4 times for a bout a week then dropped down as felt so much better.

There was one girl, Jill, who had Blepharitis for over 20 years and she even had her lashes grow back. This does take a little over 3 months to work. I have been free of Blepharitis  for now 2 years as when I started to post it was only gone for 6 months.

You can wear mascara and kill it too. If you need that info it is posted on this site too or let me know.

Wish you better soon,

Lynda79

11

Thanks so much everyone for all your advice!!!

I've used the wipes twice so far today and it's the first day of using them. Although I know results won't happen straight away I'm going to persist and see how I get on.

I can live with the redness around my eyes just so long as the discharge and cracked skin stops I'll be happy!

12

Lynda can you somehow show me how to do this? I've been trying to clean my eyes with these and I just cant clean the upper lash sad plz let me know.

13

Dear Lynda;

Started the third day of treatment today and I have improvied so much that I am begining to consider using mascara again, freshly bought as it may be that my present one, which is several years old, is the cause of my problems.

I have tried to find the info about mascara and cannot find it, could you please point it to me?

 

14

Does it matter what wet ones you use? So far I've got the be cute ones (pink packet) and the be fresh (light blue packet) wipes.

Trouble with my blepharitis is it can crack my upper eyelid and I get dry skin around my eyes so I'm not sure if using wet ones will be a good idea??

15

Dear Gabriela,

Tear the wipes into 8 strips. Wrap one around your fingertip. Just rub going across the lash line. For example, you are trying to get the mascara off with your fingertip.I did a rubbing back and forth and moving across.

The top lashes you can close your eyes and rub away too. I used a clean strip and did each eyelash area twice. That took the 8 strips.

Hope this helps you. If not, let me know. Perhaps, I can talk to my daughters and they can help me explain it in an easier to understand manner.

Lynda79

16

Dear Martha,

It is here somewhere. I am new at this posting. Started it only for the Blepharitis info.

Buy new makeup and mascara. Buy throw away wands from the internet. I got them by the hundreds.

Use one wand per eye. Never put a used wand into the new mascara.

I now use a throw away wand (1 for both eyes as the Bleph is gone) because I don't want it back. I never put the used wand into the mascara. I also try to buy a new mascara each month.

Makeup brushes (any that get near the eye) need to be new too. You can clean them and also use a wipe on the brushes.

I feel that my mascara was the cause of my Blepharitis. Skimping is not alway a good thing. Cost me more in the long run.

If I have not covered it all let me know.

Wish you well,

Lynda79

17

Dear Grogger I would avoid the cute and fresh and the normal ones because they have alcohol in them.The Be Gently do not have alcohol and can be bought on line from Boots in the UK , presumably somebody sells them in the states too (Amazon?). They should be better since you have cracked skin and don't want to dry it any further.

Have you been told which kind of Blepharitis you have? the papers my Dr gave me say there are three kinds, a bacterial infection, a dry condition similar to dandruf and a malfunction of the tiny glands that lubricate the eye. I assume I have either the first or the last as I have no scales or dry skin .I hope I have the infectious type which is more likely to go with the Wet Wipes.

I tend to have all kinds of allergic reactions and so far the Be Gently Wet Ones are clearing my eyes with no bad consequences.

My very best wishes.

 

18

Thanks Lynda, yes I am mean, I am afraid, and it doesn't pay. I found the disposable wands very cheap in the Internet and will do as you say, although I don't like throw-away things, poor planet. I may give up on mascara instead. I am not using any make up at all at the moment, saves time in the evening too!

I nearly forgot, I am practically rid of all symptoms but shall keep up the good work for three months as you recommend, easing it later but never giving it up completely.

19

To be honest Martha in the 10 years I've had it I've be we been told what form of blepharitis I have!!

I don't get the dandruff or scales either. It starts off getting swollen then my eyes water and go sticky I'll then get discharge and crusts round my eyelids and lashes after a few days if I don't treat it.

I'll have to try the wet ones you've mentioned as the ones I've bought have made my right eye go bad after using them for a couple of days sad

I'm at the end of my tether with it. The only thing I've not tried is honey! If that doesn't work it'll be back to 3 months of antibiotics again and hoping the summer gives me a break from it

20

Forgot to add that I've ordered a heat mat thing for my eyes.

With that and the alcohol free wet ones I'll have covered the bases for infected blepharitis and also for the blepharitis caused by blocked glands!

I use anti dandruff shampoo anyway so it can't be caused by that.

I was always told to do heat compresses and massage my eyes but it never did anything for me.

If these wet ones don't work then I'll even have to question if it's blepharitis at all and not something completely different