What is Blepharitis
An inflammation of the eyelid that affects eyelashes or tear production.

Cause
Blepharitis commonly occurs when the tiny oil glands of the inner eyelid become inflamed. It often occurs along with other skin conditions or allergies.

Symptoms
Blepharitis can develop at any age and symptoms are as follows:

itchy, sore and red eyelids that stick together
crusty or greasy eyelashes
a burning, gritty sensation in the eyes
increased sensitivity to light (photophobia)
swollen eyelid margins
finding contact lenses uncomfortable to wear
abnormal eyelash growth or loss of eyelashes in severe cases

The symptoms tend to worsen in the morning.

Treatment
Blepharitis is usually a long -term condition and most people experience repeated episodes, separated by periods without symptoms.

Though it can’t be cured, but a daily eyelid-cleaning routine can help control the symptoms and prevent permanent scarring of the eyelid margins.

There are three main steps to eyelid hygiene that should be performed as per the instruction by the doctor:

Warm Compress: to make the oil produced by the glands around your eyes more runny
Gently massaging the eyelids – to push the oils out of the glands
Cleaning the eyelids – to wipe away any excess oil and remove any crusts, bacteria, dust or grime that might have built up

More severe cases may require antibiotics that are either applied to the eye or eyelid directly or taken orally.