Getting Rid of That Bad Boy Blephartis

Blepharitis is inflammation of the eyelids. The usual causes are dryness, staph bacteria and too much oil. The tear film is comprised of mucus, oil and water. The lachrymal glands produce the bulk of the tears which is liquid. The oil glands inside each of the eyelids secrete the oil to delay evaporation of the watery tears.
The symptoms of blepharitis include lid swelling and redness, blocked oil glands, dry, itchy eyes, loss of lashes and foreign body sensation. It often is bilateral and maybe gradually progressive.
Depending on your body type and your diet you may consume too much Omega-6 oils, which are inflammatory to the tissues. The best way to counteract this is by supplementing with Omega-3 fatty acids (1000 mg. DHA daily). Inflammatory oil encourages the growth of bacteria and dehydrates further what may already be a dry eye.
Traditional therapies are artificial tears, antibiotics (as drops, ointment or pills) and steroid eye drops. Since blepharitis tends to be chronic treatment often needs to be long-term. A shining new star called Azasite™ as been introduced for the treatment of conjunctivitis. However, it is an extremely useful erythromycin eye drop for treating blepharitis as well. It not only reduces the bacteria count on the eyelid, but loosens up the blocked sebum secretions in the oil glands.
What makes Azasite™ special is the ease of application, the level of tissue contact, the depth of absorption and convenient dosing. Azasite™ is prescribed twice daily for two days then once a day for five days; its effect lasts an additional 7 – 10 days. Warm compresses help clear the blocked oil and debris and works better than lid shampooing. Artificial tears may still be necessary.
I have found Azasite™ to be a wonderful adjunct in the treatment of this nuisance condition. Just be sure that your condition is not caused by seasonal allergies or make up.