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Do your eyelids feel itchy, gritty or uncomfortable—especially when you first wake up? Have you noticed crusting around your eyelashes or small waxy cuffs at their base? These can be signs of blepharitis, a common condition involving inflammation of the eyelid margins. In some patients, it is associated with an excessive number of microscopic Demodex mites around the eyelashes.
Although blepharitis can be persistent, the right diagnosis and a personalised treatment plan can make it much easier to manage.
Blepharitis and Demodex-related eyelid problems may cause:
Symptoms can vary considerably. Some people experience obvious itching and crusting, while others mainly notice dryness, watering or morning irritation.
Blepharitis is inflammation along the edges of the eyelids. It can affect the skin and eyelashes at the front of the lid, the oil-producing meibomian glands behind the lashes, or both.
The condition is not necessarily caused by poor hygiene. Bacteria, skin conditions, blocked oil glands and Demodex overpopulation can all contribute.
Because there are different forms of blepharitis, identifying the underlying cause is important before choosing treatment.
Demodex are microscopic mites that can live naturally around human hair follicles and oil glands. Their presence does not automatically mean there is a problem.
However, when their numbers become excessive, they may irritate the eyelid margins and contribute to inflammation, itching, lash debris and unstable tears.
One of the most characteristic signs is the presence of collarettes around the eyelash bases. These look like pale sleeves or cuffs attached to the lashes and are different from ordinary sleep or loose skin flakes.
During sleep, blinking stops and material can accumulate around inflamed eyelid margins. The tear film is also no longer being regularly refreshed.
This can leave the eyelids feeling sticky, crusty, itchy or uncomfortable when you wake. Some patients notice that their vision is temporarily blurry until they blink or clean their eyelids.
A proper assessment is more useful than relying on symptoms alone. At Shattky Optometrists, we examine your eyelashes and eyelid margins under magnification.
Your assessment may include:
This helps us distinguish Demodex-related blepharitis from bacterial blepharitis, meibomian gland dysfunction, allergies and other causes of irritated eyes.
For more established Dry Eye and MGD, we often recommend our 10-Week Dry Eye Programme. Rather than relying on one treatment, we use a planned combination of therapies over several visits.
Depending on what we find, this may include:
IPL, LipiFlow, controlled heat therapy, Meibomian gland expression, lid care and carefully selected lubricating drops.
We also monitor how the glands and tear film respond as treatment progresses. The goal is not simply to make the eyes feel better for a few hours. It is to improve the underlying environment of the eyelids and tear film and give the Meibomian glands the best chance of functioning properly again.
The simple things still matter.
Regular complete blinking when using screens, good lid hygiene, appropriate lubricating drops and a properly heated eye mask can all help support gland function. Think of home treatment as maintaining the glands, while in-practice treatment is aimed at restoring function where things have become blocked or inflamed.
If your eyes regularly feel gritty, burn, water in the wind or your vision clears when you blink, there may be more going on than simply “not enough tears”.
Come in and let us take a closer look.
At Shattky Optometrists we can assess your tear film, image your Meibomian glands and determine whether MGD is contributing to your Dry Eye — then build a treatment plan around what your eyes actually need.
The earlier we identify struggling glands, the more we have to work with.
Kiwi's know that good things take time, so come to us, have the tests done without feeling that you have been "rushed thru", and you'll know what we mean when we say "we take the time!"
Book appointmentKiwi's know that good things take time, so come to us, have the tests done without feeling that you have been "rushed thru", and you'll know what we mean when we say "we take the time!"
Book appointment
