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Blepharitis is a condition in which the eyelids are inflamed and become scaly and flaky. Blepharitis can be worsened by a bacterial infection and can occasionally result in serious complications of the eye, such as corneal ulcers. To learn more about other important symptoms and complications, refer to symptoms of blepharitis.
Blepharitis occurs most often in people who have certain conditions and can be caused by seborrheic dermatitis, rosacea, eyelash mites, or allergies to eye medication or eye make-up.
Diagnosing blepharitis begins with taking a thorough personal and family medical history, including symptoms, and completing a physical examination that includes an eye and eyelid examination.
Even if blepharitis does not appear to affect the eye itself, an eye examination will include testing pupil response to light, visual acuity or sharpness of vision, checking the sharpness of peripheral vision, and testing the pressure inside the eye. The outer eye is examined using an instrument called a slit lamp, and the inner eye is examined using an instrument call an ophthalmoscope. Another test involves temporarily staining the eye with a special eye drop that makes a corneal ulcer, a possible complications of blepharitis, visible to the clinician.
If there are symptoms of complications, such as conjunctivitis or bacterial infection of the eyelid, a culture and sensitivity test may be performed on discharge from the affected eye or eyelid. This involves taking a sample of the discharge, growing it in a laboratory, and examining it to determine the type of microorganism that is causing the eyelid infection or conjunctivitis.
A diagnosis of blepharitis may be missed or delayed because symptoms can be similar to symptoms of other diseases or conditions, such as chalazion and sty. To learn more about diseases and conditions that can mimic blepharitis, refer to misdiagnosis of blepharitis.
Treatment for most cases of blepharitis includes good eyelid hygiene to prevent a secondary infection. Treatment also includes diagnosing and treating any underlying diseases or conditions. In more serious cases, topical medication for the eyelids and eye drops are prescribed. Even after successful treatment, blepharitis often returns. For more details on treatment plans, refer to treatment of blepharitis....more »
A diagnosis of blepharitis may be delayed or missed because symptoms of blepharitis can be similar to symptoms of other diseases and conditions. These include sty, chalazion, xanthelasma, dry eye, and papilloma. ...more misdiagnosis »
The following medical conditions are some of the possible
causes of Blepharitis.
There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor
about your symptoms.
See full list of 15 causes of Blepharitis
» Review Causes of Blepharitis: Causes | Symptom Checker »
Home medical tests possibly related to Blepharitis:
Review causes of more specific types of Blepharitis:
See full list of 3 types for Blepharitis
Listed below are some combinations of symptoms associated with Blepharitis, as listed in our database. Visit the Symptom Checker, to add and remove symptoms and research your condition.
See full list of 501 Symptom Checkers for Blepharitis
There is no cure for blepharitis, which can become a chronic condition. However, with a good, consistent treatment plan, the symptoms blepharitis can be controlled and the risk of developing complications can be minimized.
Treatment of blepharitis begins with diagnosing and treating any underlying conditions, such as seborrheic dermatitis, rosacea, ...Blepharitis Treatments
Some of the possible treatments listed in sources for treatment of Blepharitis may include:
Review further information on Blepharitis Treatments.
Real-life user stories relating to Blepharitis:
More Blepharitis animations & videos
Some of the comorbid or associated medical symptoms for Blepharitis may include these symptoms:
See all associated comorbid symptoms for Blepharitis
Research the causes of these more general types of symptom:
Read more about causes and Blepharitis deaths.
Other ways to find a doctor, or use doctor, physician and specialist online research services:
Conditions that are commonly undiagnosed in related areas may include:
Other medical conditions listed in the Disease Database as possible
causes of Blepharitis as a symptom include:
See full list of 15
causes of Blepharitis
- (Source - Diseases Database)
Blepharitis is a common condition that causes inflammation of the eyelids. The condition can be difficult to manage because it tends to recur. (Source: excerpt from Blepharitis Resource Guide: NEI)
Blepharitis is a common condition that causes inflammation of the eyelids. The... (Source: excerpt from Blepharitis Resource Guide: NEI)
Inflammation of the eyelids.
- (Source - Diseases Database)
Inflammation of the eyelids characterized by redness and swelling and dried crusts
- (Source - WordNet 2.1)
The list below shows some of the causes of Blepharitis mentioned in various sources:
See full list of 15 causes of Blepharitis
This information refers to the general prevalence and incidence of these diseases, not to how likely they are to be the actual cause of Blepharitis. Of the 15 causes of Blepharitis that we have listed, we have the following prevalence/incidence information:
See the analysis of the prevalence of 15 causes of Blepharitis
The following list of conditions have 'Blepharitis' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.
Select from the following alphabetical view of conditions which include a symptom of Blepharitis or choose View All.
The following list of medical conditions have Blepharitis or similar listed as a medical complication in our database. The distinction between a symptom and complication is not always clear, and conditions mentioning this symptom as a complication may also be relevant. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.
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This information shows analysis of the list of causes of Blepharitis based
on whether certain risk factors apply to the patient:
Eyelid inflammation, Tarsitis
- (Source - Diseases Database)
Medical Conditions associated with Blepharitis:
Inflammatory symptoms (1736 causes), Eyelid symptoms (911 causes), Eye symptoms (5412 causes), Face symptoms (8109 causes), Head symptoms (10192 causes)
Doctor-patient articles related to symptoms and diagnosis:
These general medical articles may be of interest:
See full list of premium articles on symptoms and diagnosis
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