self help in the management and prevention of a blepharitis flare up

Eye care
1

I ahve been diagnosed with blepharistis the past 2 years. I am posting to find out how others came to be diagnosed-what were your symptoms etc? Who diagnosed-dr, eye hospital? etc And how to you manage it, and prevent it reoccuring-or minimise reoccurence? I like to read and have noticed it can flare up a few weeks into reading. I find it really irritating and there's no pain killer to relieve it. I just take the eye frops. I can get sticky eyes at night, and i think i have nticed if I have a cold/sinus playing up, my eyes start to ache. Other than that I don't have swollen eyes etc. I don't wear eye make up.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks,Denise.

2

Hello, 

I have had blepharitis for many years.  I wonder what advice have you been given for treatment other than eye drops.  Mine was diagnosed by eye hospital when I was there at the glaucoma clinic.  You will get a lot of good advice on this forum.  Some people swear by wet wipes.  Look for their posts.  Normally you have to have some sort of cleaning routine to keep in under control. I do the hot flannal compresses to loosen any oil in blocked glands followed by massage to spread the oil into the eye and thorough cleaning with a solution of boiled cooled water with bicarbonate of soda which I find much better than the baby shampoo.  Like you I don't wear make up.  Hope this helps.

3

Welcome godblessed!

As libralady13 said, you might want to start by reading everyone's journey with this nuisance condition!

For myself, I have just been trying "the contact dermatitis on my eye lids from allergies route" on the advice of my physician.  She is looking for "a cause" and bless her as no one else is that I've seen medically.  Still twice a day, I wash my eyes with bicarbonate of soda in warm water, about 1/2 a tsp no more in about a 1/2 cup of warm water ( thank you libralady13 for this suggestion as I found the baby shampoo too drying and it may have been axascerbating the problem), I use warm compresses (I just use a warm face cloth followed by light massage in the morning and evening), and  use Systane Balance Eye Drops at least 4 times a day (and rub the excess through my eye lashes to clean them of debris during the day too).  This helps control the itching from the tiny flakes.  For watery eyes, I use allergy eye drops as needed.  This also takes away the redness in my eyes.  My dr. prescribed an antibiotic allergy drop called Pataday, and you would use only 1 drop per day in each eye.  I am about to switch over to over the counter drops to see if it makes a difference now.  Alcon has allergy drops as do most eye companies.

Re: the allergy side.  I cannot use baby shampoo as mentioned, or eye wipes or lotions as they are too strong and make my lids red.  I changed my laundry soap and fabric softener to dye and fragrance fee (it's possible just rubbing your eyes on a pillow case is enough to bring on dermatits, if that's what this is).  I changed over ALL of my hair products, soaps, face and body lotions, cosmetics to chemical and fragrance free.  I am trying  new products.  After one week of  the washing routine, the allergy eye drops and the change over of personal care products, my eyes are white and clear.  My lids are almost totally  cleared up except for a small portion on the right eye in the corner.  I am wearing for the first time today, concealer, eye liner and shadow and HOPING for no new reoccurences, but who knows!  As I am totally nervous that I will have another set back, at night I put on  a homeopathic eye drop for conjunctivitis on a cosmetic pad and wipe down my eye lids (especially in the crusty corner) in hopes of preventing bacteria from causing an infection.  I am careful to use a different pad for each eye to avoid cross contamination. These drops do not make my lids red so I guess their OK.  My dr. does not know that I have added these drops to my preventative routine.

I had eye makeup on for 3 hrs now and yes, my eye lids are now getting a little itchy.  I am at home now for the day so will clean them as per above and put in some eye drops, and before I go out tonight, I will try some eye makeup again.  Maybe for  short spurts I'll be OK.  But I will let everyone know as we're all following each other's journey here.

Hope this helps and good luck!

P.S.  For swollen eye lids or red eye lids, I like putting on my eye lids,  a thin slice of cucumbers, cool to room temperature.  I liked the cucumbers better than the wet tea bags, finding the cucumbers more soothing. But that's just me!

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very  helpful. Thanks.

5

Denise

If you look back through the discussions you will see lots of suggestions you could try.  I too am struggling to find the solution for me.  One of my eyes is sore most of the time, which others don't seem to mention.  Also reading seems to bother them which you have mentioned.  Do look back at the chat, you might the remedy for you.   Carol

6

Hi Carol,  I find that although my eyes are much more stable these days if they do play up it is often only 1 eye but it does vary between left and right.  Yes you are right reading,computer work and lack of sleep all seem to make them worse.  As you say there is a lot of advice on this forum it is finding what works for you and for me it was changing over from baby shampoo to bicarbonate of soda for cleaning.

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Hi Lori

I am pleased that you think the bicarbonate of soda is working for you along with the other changes you have made.  With regard to eye makeup I have not worn it was years.  When my blepharitis was mild I used only to wear eye makeup when going out, so as you say for short periods you may get away with it.   I am 67 with other health problems and don't go out in the evening a lot but would like to use just some eyeshadow and mascara not sure if I could risk eyeliner or pencil. I have heard disposable mascara wands are good. Oh to be 20 again slimmer no problems with makeup and any shoes in your size fitting you fine.  My particular grouse at the moment finding comfortable shoes/boots.  I don't suppose I am alone on this one.  All the best

Carol

 

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I am going to try the bicarbonate of soda - I would imagine that it is the stuff you buy in the baking department at the supermarket or is a special kind?

Thank you for sharing.

Carol

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Hello,  Yes just the ordinary bicarbonate of soda you buy at the supermarket or chemist.  I use about 1/2 teaspoon dissolved in 1/2 beaker of cooled boiled water use cotton buds to clean rims and afterwards I use a cotton wool makeup pad soaked in the solution and wipe allover the lids.  Don't know if this last bit helps but it feel quite nice.  Hope it works for you of course everyone is different.  I would give it about 4 weeks to see if it's for you.  Good luck and let me know how it goes.

Carol