How To Prevent Blepharitis?
The majority of blepharitis cases cannot be prevented. You cannot control some risk factors for blepharitis, such as certain skin conditions or other body conditions. Here are some everyday steps you can take to minimize your blepharitis symptoms: (9)
Keep face and hands clean
Keeping your hands and face clean is important to preventing blepharitis. It helps to avoid spreading bacteria that causes blepharitis. Wash them regularly with soap and warm water, especially after using the bathroom or before preparing food. Use hot, soapy water (not antibacterial) to wash eyes every morning and night and gently remove crust from eyelids as it forms. Never share eyeliners, mascara applicators, combs, towels or makeup brushes that touch your eyes.
Avoid touching the infected eyes
Never touch the infected eyes with your fingers or bare hands. Wash your hands before touching your eyes, and avoid touching your eyelids if you have active blepharitis. When you touch your eyes, the germs transferred from your hands can spread to your eyes and cause blepharitis.
A major cause of blepharitis is a lack of proper hygiene, so it’s important to cleanse and wash your eyelids as well as your face. This prevents bacteria from transferring from the rest of your face to your eyes and causing blepharitis.
Lubricate your eyes
Apply artificial tears throughout the day to lubricate your eyelids; you can use either preservative-free saline solution or a commercial product such as Thera Tears (available over the counter). This will reduce inflammation and prevent further damage to your lashes and skin.
Remove all eye makeup before bedtime
One common cause of blepharitis is buildup of mascara, eyeliner and other cosmetics around the eyelid and on the eyelashes. Such build-up can irritate your eyes, causing redness and burning sensations. The progression of blepharitis is reliant on the presence of bacteria, so it’s important to remove all eye makeup before bedtime. Removing your eye makeup before going to bed is one of the most important steps toward treating blepharitis.
Eye makeup can be easily removed with a good makeup remover, but it is easier to avoid the buildup of makeup on eyelids in the first place. Remove all eye makeup before bedtime so you start each morning with clean, clear eyelids.
Wear glasses instead of contact lenses
Contaminated lenses can lead to blepharitis. If you have blepharitis, wear glasses instead of contact lenses until your eye inflammation clears. By removing your contact lenses, you will be preventing further damage to the eyelids, which are already inflamed from infection. This allows the eyelids and conjunctiva to heal properly, reducing your risk for reinfection.
Glasses may not be as trendy as contacts, but they can still make you look cool. They also protect your eyes from excess tear film, irritants and blepharitis.
Surgery
During blepharoplasty, excess skin, tissue, and fat are removed from the eyelids in order to repair droopy eyelids, treat lazy eye, or reduce inflammation secondary to blepharitis. The muscles supporting your eyelids weaken as you age. This may lead to sagging eyebrows, droopy upper lids, and bags under your eyes due to excess fat accumulation above and below the eyelids.
This procedure involves injecting a local anesthetic agent around the eyelids. The debris and other causes of inflammation are removed to clear up the infection. If you are considering blepharoplasty, make sure you know what to realistically expect and understand the risks and benefits.