Warm wipes or gel mask which helps with inflamed eyelids

What inflamed eyelids can indicate

According to health experts, almost every second patient at the ophthalmologist suffers from inflamed eyelids. A physician explains why warm wipes can help sufferers, but chamomile can be harmful.

Glued eyes and itchy eyelids

If the eyes are often stuck in the morning, burn or itch and the edges of the eyelids are red, this indicates an inflammation of the eyelids (blepharitis). This often attacks the eyeball and leads to a reddening of the conjunctiva with foreign body sensation in the eye and scratching. Professor Thomas Reinhard, Medical Director of the Department of Ophthalmology of the University Hospital Freiburg, explains in a message, what can help those affected and when they should go to the doctor better.

Almost every second patient at the ophthalmologist suffers from inflamed eyelids. A physician explains what sufferers can do and what they should do. (Image: andreaskoch02 / fotolia.com)

In some patients, vision deterioration occurs

"Lidrandezündung often leads to dry eyes and dry eyes again to inflammation. So the problem is often mutually reinforcing, "explains Prof. Dr. med. Reinhard.

Although some people still get redness, others have pain and a significant decrease in vision. "Blepharitis must be treated when the patients have complaints," says the eye expert.

The causes are diverse and often unclear: environmental factors such as smoking and cosmetics play a role, but also allergies, atopic dermatitis or skin diseases such as rosacea.

And: "Even a disturbance of the bacterial colonization of the eyelid margin can lead to an inflammation," writes the Professional Association of Ophthalmologists of Germany (BVA) in a statement.

Oily film protects the eyes

According to Prof. Dr. med. Reinhard are the so-called meibomian glands central element of blepharitis. The total of about a hundred sebaceous glands in the lid margins but an oily secretion, through which the watery tear film remains longer on the eye.

However, if the glands produce too little or the wrong secretion, the tear fluid will flow away too quickly and the eye will dry out.

Foamy tears can make a secretion that is too fluid, which only insufficiently protects the eyes. It comes to irritation and bacteria settle.

At the same time bacteria can decompose the secretion and thus also contribute to dehydration. What cause and what effect is often hard to tell, says the ophthalmologist.

Optimal eye hygiene

But too thick a secretion can cause the problems. In such cases, the glands clog, the eye also dries out and the secretion migrates into the surrounding tissue. A so-called hailstone is created.

So far, it is not clear whether so-called Demodex mites can cause blepharitis by clogging the glands.

The tiny pathogens live in the hair shafts of eyelashes in many people. "When we find the mites, we show them to the patient under the microscope. This motivates many to take eye hygiene more seriously, "says Professor Reinhard.

As stated in the Uniklinik Communication, daily, optimal eye hygiene is essential for recovery.

Warm cloth or gel mask

Affected individuals should place a warm (not too hot) cloth or gel mask on their closed eyes for about ten minutes each day and then gently massage the eyelids with cotton wool.

If yellow-white liquid emerges, it can be carefully removed with cotton wool.

If that is not enough, artificial tears can help against the drought. And if that's not enough, the doctor can treat the eye with immuno-compromising drugs.

The symptoms usually come from an overreaching inflammatory response. That leaves the eye calm again.

Beware of self-medication with antibiotics and home remedies

Of self-therapies advises the ophthalmologist, however urgently. "Unauthorized antibiotic therapies often give rise to resistance. And their treatment is much more complicated, "warns Professor Reinhard.

Home remedies such as chamomile, even mixed saline solutions and vinegar rinses should also be left in his opinion:

"In case of doubt, this damages the eye more than the infection," says the physician. In any case, sufferers need patience. Because usually improvements are only after a few weeks.

And it may also be good that the Blepharitis comes back: "The disease is, to the chagrin of those affected persistent. It usually runs undulating and is recurrent, "explains the BVA. (Ad)