Blepharitis in one eye, now really affecting my life!

Hi all, there's a little bit of back story here, so thank you in advance for taking the time to read it and offer any advice you can!

For reference, I'm a 28 year old male. Just over 3 years ago I woke up one morning with a swollen and tender right eye. I assumed it was a stye or similar, and over the course of a week it got better, but I was left with a small, hard lump under my lower eye lid (which I now know is a chalazion). This lump wasn't very noticeable, and due to being flatter and wider than a standard lump, it meant I just had a 'fuller' looking eyelid, rather than a big bump. It didn't cause me any problems at all and I essentially forgot about it.

Then, a year and a half later (so a year and a half ago), I started getting little white spots/pimples at the base of my eyelashes. They'd hurt and be sore, but heat and some massaging would get rid of them. I saw my GP who gave me eye drops which actually cleared it up for a while, but they came back and that's when I saw a few different eye specialists, who all had a different opinion! I eventually found one I was happy with and he diagnosed blepharitis, most likely due to 'staphylococcal hypersensitivity' (or being allergic to my own bacteria on my eyelid, essentially!). He hoped it was something that would disappear with time, as my immune system became less over-reactive.

He advised me of all the medical options, but wanted me to take a gentle approach for now, so I've been applying a hot compress and using eye wipes to clean my eye lids. I go through periods where it's very much under control, and periods like now where it seems to flare up a lot. I have been experimenting with tea tree oil, which seems to help somewhat, but doesn't prevent the white pimples, just seems to alleviate redness along the rest of the lid. 

Essentially, I'm wondering if the chalazion is having a big impact? My dr claims my condition caused the chalazion rather than the other way around, and that despite me having none of these symptoms before (or even a little after) getting the chalazion, he claims he probably would've been able to see that I had the condition if he'd examined my eyes under a microscope even 5 or more years ago. Is it possible that having it removed would help? I just find it strange only one is affected, and mostly just the one lid. I do sometimes have a flare-up with the upper lid, but nowhere near as bad as the lower.

Also, are there any other 'alternative' treatments I could try? I've read good things about applying Manuka honey and don't see how that could do any harm, but I don't want to resort to the extreme of taking oral antibiotics for a long period of time, which is something my dr says could be a possibility, albeit at the more extreme end of treatment. Are there maybe any other medicines I could ask for? Topical treatments such as creams or drops again?

My blepharitis came on a little after a break-up, so I've been single ever since and as a reasonably young man, I'd love to get back out there, but it's really having an impact on my confidence and general happiness; it's tough trying to stay positive when it's something with no real cure or solution, sometimes it feels like there's no light at the end of the tunnel and I dread looking in the mirror every morning! 

Thank you again for any advice or words of wisdom, even if it's just some encouragement!

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