Blepharitis FAQs

Frequently Asked Blepharitis Questions at Vision Professionals of Leawood

If your eyes and eyelids are constantly causing you discomfort, you might be one of the many individuals suffering from a common condition called blepharitis. If you've never even heard of this problem before, here are answers to some frequently asked questions about blepharitis from Vision Professionals of Leawood.

What Is Blepharitis?

Blepharitis is a chronic inflammation that generally develops on the eyelids or along the rims of the eyes.

What Causes Blepharitis?

Blepharitis is caused by skin mites that feed on bacteria and fungi. As bacteria and fungi accumulate into a film along your eyelids, the mites feed on this film. Their presence triggers inflammatory responses from the body. Insufficient oil in your tears can make you more vulnerable to blepharitis.

What Are the Symptoms of Blepharitis?

Blepharitis typically causes redness, crusting and swelling of the eyelids, as well as constant itching. You may lose some of your eyelashes to this disorder. Since dry eye and conjunctivitis (pinkeye) frequently occur alongside blepharitis, your misery may be worsened by eye redness, light sensitivity, and a gritty "foreign body" sensation in the eyes.

Can Blepharitis Cause Complications?

Typically, blepharitis is not cause for alarm. But its association with dry eye and conjunctivitis could put you at risk for complications of those ailments, including ulceration and scarring of the corneas. You may find it difficult to wear contact lenses when you struggle with blepharitis.

Is There a Cure for Blepharitis?

Sadly, there is no outright way to eliminate blepharitis permanently, meaning that its sufferers must focus on controlling the symptoms and minimizing future outbreaks. The good news is that there are many ways you can take control of your condition, with the aid of our team at Vision Professionals of Leawood.

How Does Your Optometry Center Treat Blepharitis?

Our optometry team will first eliminate other possible causes of your symptoms by performing an eye exam. Once we know that you have blepharitis, we can treat your eyelids and rims of your eyes to remove bacteria, fungi, and mites. We will also prescribe a home care regimen that you can use to keep these invaders out of your eyes. If you're not making enough oil for your tears to protect your eyes, we may prescribe eye drops or eyelid treatments to correct that imbalance as well.

Get Your Blepharitis Treatment at Our Leawood Clinic

You don't have to go through life with irritated eyelids. Call Vision Professionals of Leawood at (913) 239-9446 to get started on your blepharitis treatment.

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