Blepharitis

Blepharitis is a condition that refers to inflammation of the eyelids.  When the eyelids become inflamed, the eyes can appear red, irritated, crusty and can feel sandy and dry. While the symptoms can be bothersome, blepharitis is not sight-threatening.

Blepharitis occurs when the small oil glands that line the eyelid margin become clogged or inflamed. When this occurs the glands are unable to secrete their oils into the tear film and eye becomes dry.

There are many remedies to treat the symptoms of blepharitis, including warm compresses, eyelid scrubs and sometimes mild antibiotic ointments After initiating therapy, it often takes several days of weeks for the eyelid  oil glands to resume their normal function.