Are Your Eyelids Itchy And Irritated? Here's What You Need To Know About Blepharitis

If the skin around your eyes is constantly red, itchy, and irritated, you may have blepharitis. Blepharitis occurs when your eyelids become inflamed, and it can be a major hassle to live with due to the constant itching. Scratching your eyelids will further irritate them and make the itchiness even worse. Thankfully, blepharitis can often be treated at home. To learn more about what causes blepharitis and how you can treat it, read on.

What Causes Blepharitis?

One cause of blepharitis is rosacea. Rosacea causes the face on your skin to become swollen and inflamed, and this can include the skin in your eyelids, resulting in blepharitis. Blepharitis can also be caused if you have extremely dry skin on your face that flakes off easily, as dried patches of skin on your forehead and around your eyes can become stuck in your eyelids and irritate them. When blepharitis is caused by rosacea or extremely dry skin on your face, it's typically a chronic condition; you'll experience periodic flareups where your eyelids become itchy and irritated.

Blepharitis can also be caused by a bacterial infection in your eyelids. As your immune system activates in order to fight off the infection, it will cause your eyelids to become itchy and inflamed. When blepharitis is caused by bacteria, it's usually not chronic; it will clear up for good once the infection has been treated.

How Do You Treat Blepharitis?

You can often treat blepharitis at home by practicing good facial hygiene. As part of your morning routine, you should dilute baby shampoo in warm water and apply the mixture to your eyelids using a clean washcloth. Keep the warm washcloth against your eye for a few minutes in order to moisten any flaked-off skin or eye crusts on your eyelids, then gently rub your eyelids with the washcloth in order to remove them. Removing all of the buildup on your eyelids will reduce irritation and help remove bacteria from around your eyes. You should do this every morning, even if you aren't currently suffering from a blepharitis flareup. Keeping your eyelids clean will help reduce the chances of blepharitis coming back.

If facial hygiene doesn't seem to be improving your blepharitis symptoms, schedule an appointment at an ophthalmology clinic in your area. Your blepharitis may be caused by bacteria, and you'll need to take antibiotics in order to cure it. You should also visit an ophthalmologist if your itching is severe and you can't stop scratching your eyes because scratching your eyes forcefully can lead to you accidentally cutting your eyelid or scratching your cornea with your fingernail. An ophthalmologist can prescribe corticosteroids for your blepharitis, which will reduce the inflammation and the associated itchiness in your eyelids.

Contact a local ophthalmology office to learn more. 


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