Eyelid Exfoliation
Have Your Eyelids Cleaned Professionally
Having your teeth cleaned professionally every six months to remove plaque (bacteria) and tartar from your teeth is often recommended, even if you brush daily. In the same way, you should have your eyelids professionally cleaned by your eye doctor or lid hygienist if you have anterior blepharitis.
What is Anterior Blepharitis?
Blepharitis is inflammation of the eyelids that usually involves the outside front of the eyelid, where the eyelashes are attached (also known as Anterior Blepharitis). Anterior Blepharitis is Blepharitis (inflammation) on the outer eyelid margin, including the eyelashes that can affect both eyes. Anterior Blepharitis is caused primarily by bacteria, scalp dandruff, and Demodex mites.
Keeping the eyelids healthy and removing any scurf or bacteria can prevent long-term, debilitating eye diseases and promote overall eye health.
Advanced Eyecare of Hillsborough is proud to offer a new in-office eye exfoliation treatment which allows us to treat anterior blepharitis. Using an advanced new tool that reduces scurf and bacterial debris that are the main cause of inflammation of the lids.
Why should I consider Eye Exfoliation?
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Approximately 50% of all patients have some type of eyelid symptom caused by insufficient eyelid hygiene.
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Our in-office eye exfoliation procedure allows us to take an active role in cleaning your eyelid margins.
- The main cause of eyelid symptoms is excess bacteria, biofilm, and bacterial toxins, which are removed by eye exfoliation.
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Maintaining eyelid hygiene is achieved with eye exfoliation.
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A typical eye exfoliation treatment only takes a few minutes.
- A great treatment option to consider when other treatment options such as home eyelid scrubs, baby shampooing your lashes, hot compresses and medications have failed.
What causes Anterior Blepharitis?
The most common causes of Anterior Blepharitis are bacteria, scalp dandruff, and Demodex mite infestations. Below you can find a list of all Anterior Blepharitis causes:
- Bacterial (or sometimes viral) infection
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Staphylococcus epidermidis
- Corynebacterium spp.
- Seborrheic Blepharitis
- Poor hygiene
- Allergies
- Cosmetic makeup
- Advanced age
- Demodex mite infestations
If left untreated, Anterior Blepharitis can lead to thickened and inward-turned or outward-turned eyelids and even vision problems that can damage your cornea. Finally, ignoring Anterior Blepharitis can cause other serious vision conditions, leading to more severe symptoms, such as blurring of vision; missing or misdirected eyelashes; and inflammation of other eye tissue, particularly the cornea.
What are the symptoms of Anterior Blepharitis?
Some symptoms of Anterior Blepharitis can include:
- Burning or stinging sensation
- Crusty eyelashes when you awake
- Red eyes
- Watery eyes
- Eyelid sticking together
- Gritty, foreign body sensation
- Greasy or oily appearing eyelids
- Itchy eyelids
- Flaking skin around the eyes
- Frequent blinking (more than usual)
- Sensitivity to light
When left untreated, this persistent skin condition can develop more severe symptoms such as blurry vision, missing eyelashes or eyelashes growing in the wrong direction. In some cases, eye tissue inflammation or secondary infections may develop.
If you suspect you may have Blepharitis, give us a call and our team of experienced doctors will assess the severity of your problem. They will determine the cause of the symptoms and provide the best treatment option for optimal relief and comfort.