Beating Blepharitis

You probably haven’t heard of Meibomian Gland Disfunction (MGD) but you are very likely to have suffered from it at some point in your life, particularly if you are over 40 !

It is also known as Blepharitis.

So what are Meibomian glands and what do they do ?

Meibomian glands are glands that are arranged vertically within the eyelid near the lashes.   They can become blocked, resulting in a “pimple” on the inner surface of the eyelid.

Meobiam is a fatty substance, which is spread across the surface of the eye with each blink.  Its main function is to prevent fluid in the eye from evaporating, so when these glands become blocked our eyes dry out leading to that gritty, scratchy feeling and a reddening of the eye.

To unblock these glands and thus restore the optimal balance of the fluids in the eye, a combination of treatments is used.

We provide detailed information  about how the treat this condition at our dry eye clinics at our Wilmslow Practice, as well as stocking a range of products to alleviate symptoms.

As the Meibom is a fat based substance, heat needs to be carefully applied to the eyelid using a specialist Eye Mask. This should be done in conjunction with the application of specific drops to maintain a healthy level of moisture in the eye whilst the Meibomian glands are not functioning optimally. 

It should also be noted that over the counter eye drops do not treat this condition effectively and can often make it worse in the long term.

For further information and advice please visit our Wilmslow Practice or our website at www.jamesdoyleopticians.co.uk/