Blepharitis

General description of the disease

Blepharitis is a common condition in which the edge of the eyelid becomes inflamed. The disease can occur at any age.

The reasons for the appearance of blepharitis:

  • the presence of such diseases as: astigmatism, myopia, hyperopia, diabetes mellitus, anemia, helminthic invasion, hypovitaminosis;
  • violation of the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
  • non-observance of personal hygiene;
  • allergic reactions;
  • damage to the nasolacrimal duct.

Common symptoms that will give out blepharitis:

  1. 1 constant irritation, itching, burning, pain in the eyes;
  2. 2 feeling of a foreign object, which in fact is not;
  3. 3 dryness in the eye area;
  4. 4 patients wearing contact lenses feel discomfort when wearing them;
  5. 5 redness of the eyelids;
  6. 6 the appearance on the edge of the eyelid of films, scales, bubbles, which, if ripped off, begin to bleed and heal for a very long time;
  7. 7 swelling of the eyelids;
  8. 8 increased body temperature;
  9. 9 instead of redness, so-called allergic bruises may appear (the eyelid becomes dark blue) – such manifestations are most often observed in children;
  10. 10 eyes constantly turn sour;
  11. 11 increased tearing of the eyes;
  12. 12 excessive sensitivity to external stimuli – bright light, wind, dust, high and low temperatures;
  13. 13 blurred vision.

Types of blepharitis and the main symptoms of each:

  • Scaly – at the base of the eyelashes, small gray-brown scales appear, which in appearance are similar to ordinary dandruff. After removing these scales, thin red skin remains, but at the same time the edges of the eyelids are thickened.
  • Allergic blepharitis – the edges of the eyelids become inflamed due to exposure to various allergens (medicines, cosmetics, pollen, dust).
  • Chronic blepharitis. The main cause is Staphylococcus aureus. Also, blepharitis can be caused by the wrong choice of lenses, hyperopia, various viruses and infections, anemia, problems with the gastrointestinal tract, damage to the eyelids by ticks, poor immunity. With this type, the patient is observed: poor health, vision problems.
  • Meibomian – blepharitis, in which the meibomian glands become inflamed and, as a result, small transparent bubbles appear on the edges of the eyelids.
  • Demodectic (tick-borne) – the cause of which is the demodex mite (its dimensions: length from 0,15 to 0,5 mm, width about 0,04 mm). Symptoms: greasy formations appear on the edges of the eyelids, the eyelids turn red and itch constantly. If a person has strong immunity and a healthy body, then the first time may be asymptomatic.
  • Seborrheic (the course of the disease is usually associated with seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp, eyebrows, ears) – manifests itself in the form of redness, swelling of the edge of the eyelids, as well as the formation of scales that adhere tightly to the skin. A distinctive feature of seborrheic blepharitis is the presence of yellow lumps located along the edges of the eyelids. These lumps appear due to the secretions of the sebaceous gland, which dry out. If the disease is not treated for a long time, then a strong tearing of the eyes appears, the swelling becomes larger, and the eyelashes fall out. With inaction, the disease flows into blepharoconjunctivitis, then into partial alopecia, and maybe even twisting the eyelids.
  • Ulcerative – the most severe form of the course and possible consequences of the disease. It is characterized by: swollen red edges of the eyelids, which are covered with brown-yellow lumps, in some places there are abscesses (if you remove these lumps, ulcers appear from which blood flows, over time the number of ulcers increases and they combine into one ulcerative surface). In this case, the eyelashes, get lost in bunches or, alternatively, fall out due to a violation of the supply of nutrients. When ulcers are scarred, the skin of the eyelids becomes excessively thick and dense, which can turn it out. Also, eyelashes can grow in the wrong direction and fall into the cornea, which will injure and irritate it. In severe cases, eyelashes may not grow at all or white thin hairs will grow.
  • Angular (angular) – an inflammatory process that occurs in the corner of the eye. As a result, foam-like accumulations are formed in the corners of the palpebral fissure. This form is most common in adolescents.

Useful foods for blepharitis

The patient’s diet should be built so that a large amount of fish oil and brewer’s yeast enter the body. Also, you should eat more foods containing vitamins of groups A, D, B. The patient needs to eat:

  • seafood: eel, seaweed, oysters, mackerel, octopus, salmon, sea bass, crabs, shrimps. sardines, boiled or steamed meat, liver;
  • chicken eggs;
  • any dairy products;
  • bran bread, black, wheat;
  • any types of nuts, dried fruits;
  • all types of cereals and cereals;
  • legumes;
  • vegetables: cabbage of all varieties, potatoes, corn, bell peppers, beets, carrots;
  • mushrooms: champignons, chanterelles, boletus mushrooms, honey agarics,
  • fruits: pomegranate, citrus, watermelon, melon, apricots, peaches, grapefruit;
  • greens: spinach, dill, sorrel, basil, garlic with onions, horseradish, lettuce;
  • drinks: juices, compotes, fresh clean filtered water.

Traditional medicine for blepharitis

With blepharitis, traditional medicine focuses on eye care and emerging wounds or ulcers. To heal them and relieve inflammation, it is necessary to make lotions, eye compresses with decoctions of herbs from: eucalyptus, sage, calendula flowers, cornflower, clover, celandine, chamomile.

The most effective in the fight against blepharitis is a decoction made from onions and boric acid. Brewing tea (black and green) helps a lot.

To improve the nutrition of the tips of the eyelashes, at night you need to lubricate the edges of the eyelids with burdock oil.

Drip eyes at night with aloe juice (instill a few drops in each eye).

Twice a day, smear the affected areas with an ointment made from petroleum jelly and grated fresh buttercup grass.

Crush baked beets with kvass until a homogeneous gruel is obtained and apply lotions for 10-15 minutes 4 times a day.

It should be noted that the process of treating blepharitis is long and complex, which requires regularity. Since blepharitis is often chronic in nature, it is necessary to periodically carry out preventive measures in the form of lotions and immunity-enhancing agents (drink decoctions of rose hips, strawberries, chamomile, nettle, St. John’s wort, and so on).

Dangerous and harmful foods for blepharitis

  • too fried, fatty, salty foods;
  • sweets;
  • marinades and smoking;
  • convenience foods, fast foods, fast food.

Such food should be excluded from the patient’s diet, because such food products increase the amount of gastric juice, and this negatively affects the stomach (in the morning, swelling and “sour” eyes).

You can not drink large amounts of liquid – there will be a load on the kidneys and genitourinary system, which will add swelling to the face and eyelids.

Attention!

The administration is not responsible for any attempt to use the information provided, and does not guarantee that it will not harm you personally. The materials cannot be used to prescribe treatment and make a diagnosis. Always consult your specialist doctor!

Nutrition for other diseases:

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