Blepharitis is form an accumulation of “debris” on the eye lashes. This can age a build up of skin cells or bacteria. The build up can land on the eye itself or clog oil (meibomian) glands, and cause irritation and inflammation. Typically blepharitis is not seen with the naked eye but when severe can be seen without any instruments.

Treatment involves special lid wipes or sometimes topical antibiotics to help clear the debris from the eyelashes.

The meibomian glands produce the outer oil layer of our tear film. Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is when the oil hardens in the eye lids and get clogged, damaged or are inflamed. Patients with MGD will have irritated eyes that is accompanied with fluctuating vision.

Treatment involves lid wipes or sprays along with warm compresses. The warm compresses will warm and liquidity the oil to help better express on the eye.

This presentation is caused by little mites on that burrow into the eye lash follicles and ingest dead skin cells. Demodex follicolrum are nocturnal and will move while the patient is sleeping causing irritation in the morning.

Treatment involves specially formulated lid wipes with commonly tea tree oil to kill the mites. Demodex has a lifecycle of ~3 weeks, therefore treatment is required for 4-6 weeks.