Understanding Blepharitis and How to Treat It
Most of us are familiar with eye conditions such as conjunctivitis, dry eyes, and styes. Blepharitis is not as well-known as those other conditions, but it can be just as irritating. Treating health problems such as blepharitis is our specialty at Family EyeCare at Westchase. Stop by our Tampa eye care clinic if you want to effectively treat your case of blepharitis. Are you unfamiliar with blepharitis and its effects on your eyes? If so, now is an excellent time to learn more about it.
What Is Blepharitis?
Blepharitis is an eye condition characterized by inflammation of the eyelids. It causes your eyelids to become red and swollen. Burning sensations may also accompany the redness and swelling. Note that the symptoms of blepharitis are not localized to your eyelids. You may also notice some gunk accumulating on your eyelids. The gunk may be especially noticeable when you first wake up.
Unfortunately, eye gunk and swollen eyelids are not the worst symptoms of blepharitis. If the condition is left untreated, it could also cause your eyelashes to grow abnormally or even fall out. The swelling may even affect other parts of your eye and compromise your vision.
So, how do people develop blepharitis? It’s often a bacterial infection that takes root in your eyelashes. To be more specific, the accumulation of bacteria on your eyelashes may explain why you are dealing with this specific eye problem. Blepharitis may also be related to malfunctioning oil glands. You may develop this condition if your oil glands are clogged or irritated. Until your oil glands are cleared out, your case of blepharitis may persist.
How Does an Optometrist Treat Blepharitis?
You cannot wait around for your case of blepharitis to go away. It’s a condition that your optometrist must treat immediately so you can avoid its more severe symptoms. We will present different treatment options based on the root cause of your blepharitis. If your blepharitis is related to a bacterial infection, your eye doctor will likely prescribe some antibiotics. Blepharitis caused by irritated oil glands can be treated using artificial tears.
Your eye care routine, or lack thereof, could also explain why you developed a case of blepharitis. Unless you adopt some new habits, blepharitis will become a recurring issue for you. Protect yourself from blepharitis by properly washing your eyelashes and eyelids. You should also change your pillowcases regularly so they don’t become breeding grounds for bacteria. The optometry specialist may suggest adopting other habits based on the cause of your blepharitis.
Don’t Delay Your Blepharitis Treatment
Blepharitis is an eye condition that demands immediate treatment. That’s precisely what our team at Family EyeCare at Westchase provides. Visit our Tampa eye care clinic today and allow us to treat your blepharitis. You can also reach us at (813) 814-2020.