10 Causes of Blepharitis

By iliriana

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Blepharitis is a condition characterized by sore, red, and crusty eyelashes caused by an inflammation of the eyelids. It is a very common condition and estimates show that about 40% of people develop blepharitis at some point in their lives. Blepharitis also tends to affect more young people compared to older people.

Characteristic signs and symptoms of eyelid inflammation include irritated and watery eyes, a burning or stinging sensation of the eyes, itchy eyelids, crusty debris at the base of the eyelashes, and a sensation of grittiness or a foreign body in the eye. In certain cases, there is also a loss of eyelashes. Before starting treatment for blepharitis, it is necessary to determine the cause of the eyelid inflammation. Here are top 10 causes of blepharitis:

Cause #1: Bacterial Infections

The most common cause of blepharitis is a bacterial infection. Usually it is the bacteria staphylococcus that is involved. Otherwise known as “staph”, the bacteria may live in the body without doing any harm. However, if the number of these bacteria increase to a certain level they cause an outbreak and show symptoms such as eye redness or itching. What exactly causes this outbreak to affect the eye organ is still unknown.

The bacterial infection is not contagious. In some cases, the condition disappears by itself if the eye area is kept clean and the infection is mild. In more severe cases, antibiotics may be prescribed, or a procedure might be necessary to remove the dead skin and bacteria.