Blepharitis treatment

If you think you might have blepharitis, you should talk to your optometrist. They can examine your eye and eyelid using a bright light and a magnifying tool, called a slit lamp¹. They can also talk to you about options for treating blepharitis.

Keep your eyelids clean

It’s very important to keep your eyelids clean, especially if you have blepharitis. You should clean your eyes at least once a day. Do one eye at a time and use a separate cloth or cotton wool ball for each eye. To clean your eyes, start by washing your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water. Use a warm compression, followed by a lid massage and a lid scrub which is an eyelid cleanser for the condition. After cleaning your eye, rinse it with clean water. Then get a clean cloth or new piece of cotton wool for the other eye, so that you don’t spread the infection from one eye to the other.

While you have blepharitis, try not to wear contact lenses or use eye make-up, especially eyeliner. This may make the infection worse.²

It’s a good idea to carry on cleaning your eyes regularly even after your blepharitis clears up. This helps prevent it from coming back². If you wear eye make-up, throw away any old products you used while you had an infection, just to be safe. These may re-infect your eye.

 

Back to overview