Blepharitus

[Icequeen01]

I am being plagued by blepharitus. It started just before Christmas and I went to see my GP who gave me Caneston cream which seemed weird at the time but did help for a while. It no longer seems to be helping and I’m having an awful time with it at the moment. I do need to go back to see my GP but it’s tricky as I work in a school and it’s hard to get time off during term time.

Does anyone else suffer with this? Have you been prescribed with anything or have any tips on what helped you? It’s really starting to get me down.

You can get blefawipes from your local chemist - try heat pads wipe away with cooled boiled water afterwards..

I'm trying hot compresses on my eyelids followed by massaging both upper and lower lids towards the eye. I believe the lower lid massage is more important.
Also 'hard blinks' as often as possible, basically a three-second squeeze of the eyes.
And finally, after the above steps, gently cleaning the edge of the lower eyelids just above where the lashes begin. I now use a wipe for eyes but in the past I used a cotton bud dipped in baby shampoo and water.

Do you mean blepharitis on your eye lids?

Years ago I had this as a secondary thing after issues with contact lenses. My optometrist referred me to Moorfields eye hospital. Hardly an emergency I know, but I lived nearby and was referred there. TBH, it never occurred to me to see a GP about it!

I don't recall canestan or an anti-fungal at all! From memory, I had to cleanse the eye lids daily, apply heat packs and massage them and apply an anti bacterial eye drop.

I have blepharitis and episcleritis (long term).

I make sure I clean my eyes with blepharitis wipes, do warm compresses for the blepharitis (cold later for the episcleritis) and use a cotton bud to really scrub along the lash line. Muslin face cloths also good for this.

@DarkclothesYes it’s on my eyelids and all around my eyes. Really sore and swollen.

Avene eye cream is good for around the eyes if they are sore / dry too

I found it cleared by washing a couple of times a day with cooled (boiled water (but still nice and warm) with a tiny dash of baby shampoo and washing with a cotton bud if it’s a bit sticky and / or couple of cotton wool pads socked in the water and used as a warm compress. You also get warm compresses you can put in the microwave.

Boots do a foam wash which really helps with this. Also chuck out and get new eye make up....might have to experiment with mascaras till you find one which doesn't irritate it.

Thanks for the suggestion of the wipes. I had no idea you could buy these. I will certainly try them.

I’ve found Vichy Mineral 89 serum really helpful, when I had blepharitis in the past.

There was a study done - results below which found castor oil applied to eyelids was helpful and effective.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32422285/

So many helpful suggestions. Thank you all so much. It has really got me down today as it often flares up at work for some reason.

Had a chat with an eye specialist about a student I support. She recommended good eye hygiene, the wipes and compressed but most importantly drops used daily even on good days. Don't stop because you feel it's getting better. Keep using them.

My dd used something like this. I’m not sure if this exact one (she hasn’t suffered recently with it), but it was a foam wash.

Was really soothing, her eyes would get really red & sore underneath.

https://www.trolley.co.uk/product/boots-blepharitis-eye-lid-foam/PKC120

Photo under review, hopefully the link works

You can get Blephaderm soothing eyelid cream

Shall get some of the eye lid foam too. Thanks so much @Littlemissmuffett1

Oh it’s such a blight.

It will take a few weeks to clear, but then you should be able to scale things back to weekly maintenance once it’s really settled down:

This is what I do when it’s flared up:

Bedtime:

Warm/microwaveable eye mask for a few minutes.
Optase tea tree on a cotton bud to remove the flakes from both sets of eyelashes.
Blephasol on a cotton pad to wipe down the lashes.
Hycosan Dual drops (2) in each eye.

Morning:

Optase tea tree on a cotton bud.
Blephasol on pad to wipe lashes.
Hycosan Dual drops.

I haven’t got on that well with the pre-made wipes because when my eyes are sore, the last thing they want is that slightly stiff fabric wipe, I rather use cotton pads.

When it settles I use Blephasol on a cotton pad daily, the drops daily and the heat mask and Optase weekly.

Good luck.

Also treat yourself to new eye make up and don’t use it until it’s settled right down.

Also I have tried everything, and this is what has been most effective. Use drops every single day. That should be non-negotiable.

I've used Blephasol in the past and found it very effective.

I get flare ups every few years. I find cooled boiled water with a small amount of bicarbonate of soda applied very gently with cotton wool to the closed eyelid can help to soothe but doesn’t solve the problem. For me ointments and creams didn’t help either, long term. The only thing that cures it for me are steroid drops. I try to manage it without the steroids for as long as possible but always resort to them in the end.

I think you’re thinking of conjunctivitis. Blepharitis doesn’t make you sticky (at least, mine doesn’t)

I'm pretty sure my make-up was causing it. I stopped wearing it and haven't had problems since.

I had it too and swear by those eye masks you microwave.

Yes recently diagnosed with this / heavy eye pressure.

On the third repeat of test at the opticians it has turned into referral to the hospitals ophthalmology. I got to choose between 2 trusts and three local hospitals.

I brought the heat eye bag, eye gel and wipes but I’m unsure it worked though the heated eye bag was better than I thought. My eyes have watered for years and I’ve been through diabetic screening since 2020 with no apparent problems but had two family members with significant eye problems so don’t feel I can ignore as much as I would want to.

Optician told us to use a flannel with hot water, wrung out on the eyes as a compress every morning for 5-10 mins and a good clean with Blephasol on a gauze pad. Clears it up really fast. Then just make sure you clean the lash line properly every day with a flannel or the Blephasol.