What more can I do to treat chronic blepharitis?
MAY 04, 2012
Question:
I have chronic posterior blepharitis that affects my daily living and work life. Aside from hot compresses two times daily, flax seed and omega 3, is there anything else I can do? I am 56 and this condition has become debilitating since menopause 3 years ago.
Answer:
This can be a very annoying and difficult condition, but there are other interventions which can improve your symptoms.
You can augment the warm compresses by using a hot baked potato and wrapping it in a moistened face cloth and holding it on your eye for 15 minutes. Be very careful not to burn yourself. This can give you a more prolonged deep penetration of the heat. After the warm compresses you can massage your eyelids to express the oils that are in the glands of the eyelid.
There are various drops that may be used. These drops usually contain an antibiotic and may also contain an anti-inflammatory and these should only be used under the supervision of an ophthalmologist. Oral medications can be considered and these are the tetracycline-related antibiotics such as tetracycline, minocycline or doxycycline. Beware of side effects such as gastrointestinal distress, yeast infection and skin photosensitivity. Lastly, coexistent conditions such as dry eye should also be treated with a non-preserved lubricant drop or prescription drops for dry eye.