What Is Blepharitis?

Blepharitis is a chronic inflammation of the eyelids caused by an overgrowth of the normal bacteria that lives along the lid and the base of the eyelashes. Anyone can get blepharitis at any age but risk increases with age since as we get older we make fewer natural antibodies in our tears. The overgrowth of bacteria causes crusting along the eyelid and creates a sticky biofilm.

What Are The Symptoms of Blepharitis?

Symptoms of blepharitis include a foreign body or burning sensation, excessive tearing, itching, sensitivity to light (photophobia), red and swollen eyelids, redness of the eye, blurred vision, frothy tears, dry eye, or crusting of the eyelashes on awakening. Over many years the inflammation can cause long-term damage to all structures of the eyelid, namely the tear oil glands.

How is Blepharitis Treated?

Traditional treatments concentrated on maintaining very clean eyelid margins by either scrubbing with special eyelid wipes or diluting mild baby shampoo with water and using a swab to run along the eyelid margin. The application of hot packs provided additional relief but all these treatments have limited effectiveness and can disrupt the normal balance of the tears. Antibiotic drops and ointments also helped in controlling the condition.

A New Blepharitis Treatment Option

Now an exciting new in-office treatment option is being offered here at CarlinVision to treat blepharitis – BlephEx® – the most advanced blepharitis treatment. With this device, the doctor thoroughly and precisely eliminates the bacterial debris and biofilm that builds up along the lid margin, reducing or alleviating these chronic and debilitating symptoms. Treatment is typically repeated at regular monthly intervals, depending on the severity of the symptoms. Eliminating these inflammatory conditions, the overall health of the eyelid is improved and patients can then begin to produce more of their own tears and enjoy a life free from the chronic and irritating symptoms associated with blepharitis and subsequently, dry eye disease.

Is BlephEx® Covered By Insurance?

Although BlephEx® is not currently covered by insurance, it is a very affordable procedure compared to the long-term costs of other dry eye treatments.

Contact Allie, our Dry Eye Coordinator, at 770-979-2020 x246 or dryeye@carlinvision.com to learn more about blepharitis and the new BlephEx® treatment option.