How long does blepharitis last

These include:. Speak to your high-street optometrist at an opticians if you have constantly dry eyes. They may recommend using eye drops containing "artificial tears", often available from pharmacists without a prescription.

Conjunctivitis is inflammation of the conjunctiva. This is the transparent membrane that covers the white part of the eyeball and the inner surfaces of the eyelids. Conjunctivitis can occur when bacteria in the eyelid infect the eyes. The condition isn't usually serious and shouldn't affect your vision.

Most cases of conjunctivitis are mild and pass in one to two weeks without the need for treatment. However, you should contact your doctor or an optometrist if you think you have conjunctivitis. If you wear contact lenses, you should remove these and not wear them again until the conjunctivitis is better.

Antibiotic eye drops may be prescribed if your symptoms continue or you have repeated infections. A Meibomian cyst is when there's swelling on the inside of your eyelids. A cyst can develop if one of your Meibomian glands, which produce an oily substance that forms part of your tears, becomes inflamed as a result of blepharitis.

The cysts are normally painless, unless they get infected. In these cases you should see your doctor or an optometrist, as antibiotics may be needed.

Applying a hot compress to the cyst should help reduce the swelling, although cysts often disappear by themselves.

If a cyst doesn't disappear, it can be removed with a simple surgical procedure carried out under local anaesthetic painkilling medication. Read more about eyelid problems. A stye is a painful swelling that produces pus and develops on the outside of your eyelid at the base of the eyelash eyelash follicle.

Styes are caused by a bacterial infection. A mild stye can be treated by applying a warm compress — a cloth warmed with hot water — to the area. See your doctor or an optometrist if you have a very painful stye that isn't getting better.

If this happens, the stye may need to be drained using a small needle. Read more about treating styes. In severe cases of blepharitis or cases that don't respond very well to treatment, the redness and swelling inflammation can damage the surface of the cornea, the transparent layer at the front of the eye. This is called keratitis. Sometimes the cornea can become vulnerable to ulceration and infection, which is a sight-threatening condition. This is frequently associated with severe pain.

It's essential that you get immediate medical advice if you notice symptoms of keratitis, including:. Contact your doctor or a local emergency eye care service immediately if you experience any of these symptoms. An ectropion is a condition where the lower eyelid turns outwards away from the eye. Find everything you need to know about eyelid problems, including causes, symptoms and treatment, plus links to other useful resources.

Xanthelasma are painless yellow patches which form on the upper and lower eyelids which can be associated with high blood cholesterol levels. A stye, also known as a hordeolum, is a small abscess painful collection of pus on the eyelid. It appears as a painful lump on the outside or inside Orbital cellulitis is a severe infection of the muscles and fat behind the eyeball.

It is an emergency condition that needs fast treatment to prevent Important: Our website provides useful information but is not a substitute for medical advice. If you or someone you are caring for seems very unwell, is getting worse or you think there's something seriously wrong, call for emergency services straight away. For general medical advice, please contact your healthcare professional, this article does not contain or replace medical advice.

Choose another country or region to see content specific to your location and shop online. United Kingdom Australia United States. Shop Toggle Dropdown Skin Concern. What are the types of blepharitis? How will my eye doctor check for blepharitis? What other health problems can blepharitis cause?

Blepharitis can lead to other eye problems, including: Stye. A stye is a red, painful bump on the eyelid caused by a blocked oil gland. A chalazion is a hard, painless lump on the eyelid caused by a blocked oil gland.

It can make your eyelid swell and turn red. A chalazion will often go away on its own. Dry eye. Oil and flakes can build up in your tear film a thin layer of tears across the surface of your eye.

This can make your eyes feel dry. Learn more about dry eye. Damage to the cornea. In severe cases, blepharitis can hurt your cornea the clear outer layer at the front of your eye. This can happen because of swelling or irritation in your eyelids or eye lashes that grow in the wrong direction. Chronic long-term red eye.

Blepharitis can make the white part of your eye look red all the time. Elmquist and is performed in our Fort Myers office by one of our skilled physicians. We will send you home with an at-home kit to maintain your eyelid hygiene after the procedure. Patients report a significant improvement in their condition. Immediately after scrubbing, we apply an antibiotic treatment ointment on the eyelid margin. Both help reduce further bacteria in the eyelid region. In patients with MGD or complicated cases where a lid abscess is also present, we may prescribe oral antibiotics.

Surgical care is rarely needed for blepharitis except in certain cases where a chalazion eyelid cyst has formed and other specialized cases.