Inflammation of the eyelid margin – causes and treatment

There are several different factors that can lead to the development of blepharitis:

• predisposition
• environmental factors (e.g. dust, dryness or wind)
• the ageing process
• hormonal changes
• eye diseases
• skin diseases
• medications
• use of cosmetics and personal care products
• smoking
• central heating air and air conditioning
• nutrition
• general diseases (e.g. rheumatism, diabetes, thyroid diseases)

As the disease progresses, blepharitis usually manifests itself in the form of typical symptoms:

• swollen and reddened eyelids
• sticky eyelids
• itching
• watery eyes
• flaky, sticky eyelashes
• painful eyes
• increased sensitivity to light
• visual fluction
• tired eyes
• reddened conjunctiva

Blepharitis usually develops over a long period of time, during which the symptoms are first mild, then increasingly severe.

While acute blepharitis can be successfully treated with antibiotics or cortisone, these drugs are not suitable for longterm use if chronic blepharitis needs to be treated. However, what usually brings relief from the symptoms is daily eyelid hygiene and care. Successful treatment of inflammation of the eyelid margins involves

• therapy of the irritation condition, which is determined by an eye specialist. Acute blepharitis is treated differently from chronic blepharitis. The latter should generally be regularly reviewed by a doctor.
• daily eyelid hygiene, including heat treatment, eyelid margin massage and eyelid cleansing.
• wetting the surface of the eye with eye drops, ointments or gels that do not contain preservatives, phosphates or emulsifiers.

If the symptoms are severe, the use of cosmetics and contact lenses should be avoided during treatment, as they further irritate the sensitive eyelids.

The most important thing about eyelid hygiene is that it is performed daily and constantly maintained. This is the only way to ensure an improvement of symptoms. It is done in three steps:

• Heat treatment: Treatment with heat is helpful to liquefy the congested secretion in the meibomian glands. Special heating goggles or eye masks are particularly suitable for this purpose. The heat makes it easier for the secretion to discharge from the glands.
• Eyelid massage and cleansing: The liquid secretion is then carefully massaged out. For this purpose, it is best to use a moistened cotton swap.
• Cleansing: Finally, clean the margins of the eyelids with a moist cotton pad. Always wipe the cotton pad from the outside inwards towards the corner of the eye. Important: The cotton swaps or pads should only be used once per eye.

A stye is an acute inflammation of the glands in the eyelid. It usually develops from an infection with bacteria such as staphylococci. The result is a collection of pus on the eyelid, a so-called abscess. Unlike a chalazion, a hordeolum can be very painful. If it does not heal on its own within one to two weeks, then an eye specialist should be consulted. In the acute phase, increased attention should be paid to hygiene; towels and flannels for facial cleansing should only be used by one person and should be changed more frequently than usual.

If obstruction of the sebaceous glands leads to a congestion of secretions, then a chalazion can quickly develop. The usually painless swelling on the eyelid does not look nice, but it normally disappears on its own.