No help for Blepharitis from GP ....Is that normal ?

[bizzey]

On line message and photo to GP .

Directed me to Specsavers optometrist.

I was told what it was and advised treatment.

GP will not prescribe it .

Does any one know why ?

I also use a drop of baby shampoo in a cup of cooled boiled water. You need the water warm enough to clean the eye effectively. Scrub the eye margins with a cotton bud dipped in this solution. You don't need a prescription. This method is instantly soothing & will relieve the scratchiness & sore eyes.

I make up my own saline solution with salt and boiled cooled water and use it to rinse my eyes and clean lids with a cotton bud. You don’t need expensive prescriptions.

If you're struggling to pay for this then ask the optican to refer you to the local/hospital NHS eye clinic for assessment and treatment, they'll probably be able to prescribe whatever it is.

My optician basically said, good hygiene (lid cleaning, heated eye mask) but chronic condition and all you can do is try to alleviate the symptoms, can't treat the cause.

I'm currently part of a trial at Aston Uni Eye Clinic involving Low Level Light Treatment for my blepharitis.
The specialist running the trial did a full set of tests at the first visit, it was really interesting in terms of the meibomian glands, length of glands, viscosity and quantity of oil produced etc.
I'm had 3 treatments and am going back for a follow up next week.

I looked into it after hearing a segment about it on Jeremy Vine's radio show. I did have a quote for private treatment from a local clinic - £800 for 4 treatments 😵.

(Stock image, not me!)

Coincidentally someone was just telling me about going to the doc for blephitis. He said to start with the optician who can refer you to an ophthalmologist. Opticians have powers to refer that GPs don't have, for some reason.

That’s what I was advised for DD by optician.

This. I often get it and wouldn't dream of going to a GP. It's easy to treat yourself.

That was the only thing that helped me. The drops were expensive and did nothing.
Dermaveen soap free wash, scrubbing the base of my lashes with a really old wash cloth is the thing that cured me @bizzey .
Though initially I did the same as you, and went to the GP. I was very disconcerted when he said he wouldn't give me anything for it, but he didn't explain that it isn't really a serious condition in need of prescription meds. I don't know why I'd never heard of it before.

What do you expect a GP to do?! I have blepharitis and as above I've always just treated it myself with baby shampoo.

This might sound odd but my small dog had a terrible case of blepharitis several years ago. It was breaking my heart and for weeks and weeks the vet tried every salve, cleanser, medicine to no avail. I thought his eyelids would be scarred for life or worse. He looked so miserable.

One visit a locum vet was there; she was an older woman, very much the female James Herriott. She examined him, thought for a while, pulled up a chair and said "you know, I think it's the humidity."

I was willing to try anything and it was a very rainy spring; I loved rain and always kept windows open 24/7.

That afternoon i purchased a large dehumidifier and set it up in the bedroom. I kept him mostly in there, and stayed with him napping and reading and working remotely, for the better part of a few days. Dried the room right out. I dumped gallons out of the machine's reservoir.

Honestly in five days you never would have known he had any issues. Healed right up. Blew my mind. Never recurred.

Perhaps it's different in animals but .. might be worth a try?

The optician does nothing too.

Clean them twice a day with baby shampoo and warm water.
this is what I had to do way back in the 80s for mine, and what the optician told me a couple months ago for my son who also has it. It works for both of us

Those of you sneering about people going to the GP? It’s a good job you all have superior medical knowledge so you can self-diagnose without taking up a “precious appointment”. Most of us thickos have to rely on the GENERAL practitioner to decide exactly which specialist we need to see.

Erm no, last time I had an eye problem I put in an e-consult to the GP and the reply sent me the details of how to book an NHS appt with Specsavers so that's what I did and that's how I know that this is the system now. Probably "wasted" all of 30s of a GP receptionist time and got me seen the next day by an eye specialist, all good as far as I'm concerned.

A good wash with a gentle face soap and then Aveeno Skin Relief around the area (but not on the eyelid itself) was suggested to me by a GP a few years ago. It works really well and just as well as medicated treatments. Also by keeping this up I've managed to avoid any flare ups whereas this was a recurrent issue for me before.

Normal and it's disgusting. I also have diabetes so don't pay for prescriptions. Eyes being a major factor with diabetes but no exception on the NHS. Was diagnosed with blepharitis 3 years (ironically by a NHS referred eye specialist hospital clinic) and have to pay for all treatment myself. When first diagnosed was costing me about £20 a month, now I have it under control it's considerable lower but I rarely wear makeup anymore or my contacts. Blephosol is the best product. I get mine from amazon

But she's got a diagnosis, she wants the GP for a prescription she doesn't need because she doesn't want to pay a pound or so for some baby shampoo.

While I sympathise you can't get prescriptions for blepharitis because it doesn't need prescriptions. It just needs eyelid hygiene and you don't need expensive products for that! This is coming from someone who's had it for 50+ years. Yes it's a chronic condition but it's generally not serious and not contagious, it just needs basic self care.

People will be asking for toothpaste on prescription next because a dentist told them they need it for gum disease. Yeah you do, but it's a basic product everyone needs everyday!

Yes normal. Optometrist is specialist in that area. It's not going to go away even if it appears to for a while. It's a lifelong thing that you have to manage, no quick fix. DD had it very bad when young, none of the wipes etc were any good for us. A regimen of cleaning and almost scrubbing between the eyelashes and making sure glands clear etc is what worked for us. No medication required for that. She doesn't keep on top of it very well but starts to feel when it's becoming an issue and will pick up the care. Her eyes used to get dry and scratches when things were bad.

Optician for eyes and dentist for mouths, they are the experts.

When you told the optician you couldn't afford to buy their expensive recommendation they should have suggested the suitable alternatives.

Def the optometrist.
Best case for chronic blepharitis the GP can refer you for an ACES appointment with any local optometrist that does these which is then free.
Be careful with the baby shampoo if you use it, if you over do it you can damage your tear film (which is what happened to me).

This👆

ACEs appts depend on the area. A lot of England do not have these in their NHS contract (unlike Scotland and wales).

I use micellar water on a cotton pad. I've also used tea tree oil (stings like a bitch, I realised after the it's normally DILUTED!- embarrassing considering my job 🤣). But yeh, lid hygiene and warm compress & lid massage (if posterior bleph/MGD).

I've got diabetes and saw an optician as I was getting terribly dry gritty eyes. They said dry eye is a common side effect of both diabetes and the medication I take for it. They wrote to my GP as I'm diabetic and recommended a medication review took place but the GP didn't want to know and said they're not allowed to prescribe eye treatments due to budget restraints which is fair enough. Hence I use the eye drops that the optician recommended. Costs me about £20 every 3 months or so. It is what it is.

@ginoclocksomewhere Was just coming on to ask if it would be ok to use micellar water and cotton buds instead of the diluted baby shampoo faff. Just tried it and it definitely doesn’t sting but wondering if it’s ok for eye health long term. Thx 🙏