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Blepharitis Treatments

Treatment

Blepharitis is a chronic condition that often requires long-term management. Treatment depends on the cause of the condition. Your doctor may advise you not to wear contact lenses until the blepharitis has resolved.

Hygiene

In mild cases, careful, daily eyelid hygiene may bring the inflammation under control:

  • Thoroughly wash your hands before performing any eye care.
  • Run a washcloth under warm water.
  • Place the warm washcloth on your eyelids for 5-15 minutes. This warm compress helps to loosen crust.
  • With your eyes closed, wash the eyelids with a special eyelid cleanser or diluted baby shampoo. Use a clean cotton ball for each eye.
  • Rinse with cool water.

Medication

If an infection is causing the blepharitis, you will be given antibiotic eye ointment. If your doctor advises, wash your eyelids as described above and apply the ointment with a cotton-tipped applicator. For a mild case, you may only need ointment at bedtime. If the infection is more severe, you may need to apply the ointment up to four times daily. Once resolved, your doctor may advise you to apply the ointment nightly to prevent another episode. If blepharitis returns after topical treatment, you may be given oral antibiotics, though this is rarely necessary. If oral antibiotics are necessary, they will need to be taken for an extended period of time, up to six weeks.

If you are diagnosed with blepharitis, follow your doctor's instructions .

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