# Anyone here have blepharitis? \[redux\] **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 10, 2016, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-blepharitis-redux/762378 "2016-08-10T18:24:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Declanium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5daacb/32.png) [@Declanium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declanium)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-blepharitis-redux/762378/1 "2016-08-10T18:24:05Z")
I was just diagnosed last month. Was told to use baby shampoo for lid scrubs and sent on my way. They kinda dismissed the whole thing comparing it to dandruff of the eyelid with a simple home remedy. Uh…nope. Here I sit a month later with the same symptoms after religiously following the prescribed routine along with warm compresses twice a day. I called the doctor and the tech told me there was no point in going back in to see the opthalmologist because I would be told to do the same thing - lid scrubs. smh. Also, it bothers me to no end that it’s described as common, yet I know of no one ever in my 50 years who has had it. ������ ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-blepharitis-redux/762378/2 "2016-08-10T19:53:16Z")
I moved this post a new thread and closed the previous one. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-blepharitis-redux/762378/3 "2016-08-10T20:48:56Z")
As I said in the other thread (IIRC), I get by with no symptoms using the following routine: 1. Wash eyes with baby shampoo as you were told. 2. Massage eyes with warm, wet washcloth in morning and before bed. 3. Artificial tears to moisten eyes as needed. Be careful you don’t heat the washcloth too hot, or you’ll burn your eyelids. Keep doing all this, even when you don’t have symptoms. ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-blepharitis-redux/762378/4 "2016-08-11T01:23:26Z")
My sister has it and when it flares up, uses an ointment prescribed by an ophthalmologist. I can’t believe you were not given medication. ---
**Author:** ![Declanium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5daacb/32.png) [@Declanium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declanium)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-blepharitis-redux/762378/5 "2016-08-11T03:19:47Z")
Thought for sure I would be given a topical antibiotic but no. They were very chill about the whole thing. Like it was a hangnail. It’s quite uncomfortable at best and painful at times. Will seek another opthalmologist opinion. Nice to know that there could be light at end of tunnel. ---
**Author:** ![Declanium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5daacb/32.png) [@Declanium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declanium)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-blepharitis-redux/762378/6 "2016-08-11T03:22:54Z")
Anyone know how long the flare ups generally last? ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-blepharitis-redux/762378/7 "2016-08-11T12:38:25Z")
Why not see another ophthalmologist for a second opinion? ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-blepharitis-redux/762378/8 "2016-08-11T13:01:23Z")
> [@Declanium](#): > > Thought for sure I would be given a topical antibiotic but no. An antibiotic will do nothing for blepharitis, unless it’s the bacterial variant, which should be easily determined by an eye exam. It’s caused by the oil glands being blocked, so your eyes don’t get enough lubrication. The symptoms persist until the glands are unblocked. And then come back if you don’t follow a preventive routine; it’s a chronic condition. It’s quite common with people who suffer from acne, rosacea, dermatitis, or even dandruff. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-blepharitis-redux/762378/9 "2016-08-11T15:18:55Z")
Interesting, I’ve been thinking about your original post lately because I had never heard of the condition before then, and now I think I have it. My eyes (mostly my left eye) is goopy all the time and takes hours to get cleaned up in the morning. Then it goops right back up and I have to clean it all day long. Plus my eyelashes on my left eye are all turned downward. And my eyes were never able to properly adjust to contact lenses (another symptom, I read). I thought it was allergies but I was recently taking Benadryl every night for something else and I still had the goopy eye. I’m going to the eye doctor for my yearly checkup on Monday. So I’ll be able to address it with him then. I’ll let you know if he diagnoses me with blepharitis and what he prescribes. ---
**Author:** ![QuarkChild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c5a1d2/32.png) [@QuarkChild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuarkChild)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-blepharitis-redux/762378/10 "2016-08-11T16:10:09Z")
I have rosacea, blepharitis, and dry eyes. The blepharitis is by far the worst. I have a neomycin/maxitrol ointment (prescription) for the blepharitis which I use during particular nasty flare-ups. The hot compresses have never seemed to work for me, but I still do one every night just in case. The lid scrub pads irritated my eyes and worsened the blepharitis. One rosacea medication (Soolantra) also really aggravated my blepharitis, so I’m trying a different medication. Also, both of my ophthalmologists suggested Doxycycline - unfortunately, when I tried it, it didn’t help either the blepharitis or the rosacea, and made me really sick (intestinal track still hasn’t totally recovered). I am not trying _that_ again. It sucks. People always ask me what’s wrong with my eyes. “Did a mosquito bite your eyelids?” I’ve never seen anyone else with eyelids this bad. I now hate everyone with perfect eyelids (which is everyone in my vicinity). ---
**Author:** ![Declanium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5daacb/32.png) [@Declanium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declanium)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-blepharitis-redux/762378/11 "2016-08-11T17:18:35Z")
I hear you. Jealous of everyone’s clear eyes. ---
**Author:** ![Phoebestar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Phoebestar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phoebestar)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-blepharitis-redux/762378/12 "2016-08-11T17:46:02Z")
I have it too. I haven’t had a flareup in a few years, but when I first got it it was so bad I had to wear sunglasses indoors, because I felt my eyes looked that gross. I think I may have been put on oral antibiotics for that round. I have rosacea, as well. Whenever I go to my PCP, and she always asks how the blepharitis is doing. It’s dormant, but I have some scarring from it (red lines on my eyelids that look like poorly applied and colored eyeliner). What I do now is scrub my eyelids with Dove in the shower. It seems to work. I also use Zaditor OTC eye drops daily, which is an antihistamine. I take Claritin daily for allergies as well. I’m not sure if that helps the blepharitis or not. ---
**Author:** ![Declanium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5daacb/32.png) [@Declanium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declanium)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2016, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-blepharitis-redux/762378/13 "2016-08-11T20:11:34Z")
Thanks Phoebestar. Light at end of tunnel. Hoping for a dormancy. Would keep up with lid hygiene of course, but would love to be symptom-free. ---
**Author:** ![Skypist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skypist/32/169_2.png) [@Skypist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skypist)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2016, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-have-blepharitis-redux/762378/14 "2016-08-12T02:47:28Z")
I’ve had blepharitis flares in the past that always got better easily with use of lid scrubs and moisturizing eye drops. But for the last few years it has gotten worse and in the last 3 months or so I can’t seem to do anything to calm it down. My eyelids are flaky and red. They itch. They are red. My left eye actually swells up - not just the eyelid but the eyeball itself. I was given ketoconazole cream and at first thought it was helping, but after weeks of use I was not any better. I’ve been scouring the internet for reasonable things to try because I don’t want to go back to the doctor!