I thought I was the only one who had gotten this bleph

Hello

You poor thing - I'm 45 & I feel like i'm suffering?

I've put my story on here. (dated 28/1/06)

I've always suffered with sensitive eyes, but never anything like this which started 18 mths ago. I've seen 3 different GPs so far & none know the cause or the cure - they can only advise the treatment.

Years ago, when I was your age, I'd think nothing of falling into bed after a night out in full make-up & sorting it out in the morning.( I'm ashamed to say it, I admit, but I never had a problem back then...)

As I've gotten older I'm alot more careful about proper cleansing & moisturising - so 'why' didn't it happen back then???!!!

Are we overly clean I wonder - is that a possible cause?

I do feel for you because this is having a major impact on my life at my age, let alone yours. I have a daughter the same age as you & would be mortified if she were suffering like this.

I wish you well & I will keep you posted of any alternative treatments/miracle cures I hear of.

Best wishes,

Tracy

[i:a103e45694]This message was automatically imported from the original Patient Experience[/i:a103e45694]

Hi,

Ii was able to kill the Blepharitis because a friend's Blepharitis moved up onto her eyelids. She used a facial scrub from Avon that had Benzethonium Chloride in it. I looked and could not find it any longer for sale.

I looked on internet for the products that Benzethonium Chloride was in. I ended up using WET ONES, antibacterial hand wipes, that I had in my purse too.

I tore each wipe into 8 sections and 4 times a day used 2 sections on each eyelash area. After a week and a half I went down to 3 times a day (felt better so could do that). After a month of 3 times a day I went down to 2 times a day for several months.

I was even able to use mascara and eye shadow. My daughters helped me with this.

One bought me throw away wands (internet) and the other throw away applicators from the drug store.

New makeup is a must. I threw a lot out.

Never put a used wand into the mascara. Use 2 wands, 1 for each eye. Same for eye shadow.

I washed each eye (used gentle make up remover) with 2 white wash rags so that I could put them into the bleach load. One for each eye so as not to re-infect again.

It takes a few months but so worth not having that itching any longer. I am grateful that my friend found the ingredient that kills it. Please remember 2 people using 2 different products with the same ingredient, Benzethonium Chloride in them were able to kill it off.

There were 3 Dr.'s who looked into my eyes and could not find the Blepharitis, including the one who diagnosed the Blepharitis in the first place. The 2 Drs. said it would come back. I said it had been 4-5 months. Now almost a year.

Learned to blog to get this info out.

Wish you well soon,

Lynda79

hi lynda , i got this condition a year ago ,seems anybody i told didnt understand how painful this condition is .i find it hard to look anybody in the eye anymore and get irritated and angry when i ve got an attack .can you tell me the make of youre wet ones .i think ive posted some mess in other forums to you .like everyone else desperate for a remedy .ian

ps i ve just started using tea tree oil to clean my lids after i was them with warm water and a compress .i put a small drop on the cotton pad a wipe along the lid gently ,try not to get any in eyes .it stings for a bit so i m hoping thats it working .no pain no gain

Dear ian1964,

I would be trying everything on every site to help with this problem including putting honey on my eyelashes

if my friend had not found the medicine that kills it. It is Benzethonium Chloride.

When I heard she had killed it I jumped on it has I was going crazy with the problem and I had it for a little over 6 months. I used baby shampoo and antibiotic eye drops three times. Nothing was working.

Desperation was the cure for this as willing to go outside the box for the cure.

It is a bacterial infection as I read on medical sites and this is why this antibacterial wipes do work..

WET ONES, in the red box, with Benzethonium Chloride can be bought on line too. I messaged you too.

The relief is so amazing when you do use these.

Wishing you the relief that my friend and I now have. It is gone.

Lynda79

hi lynda , i was in my local chemist this morning asking for anything with Benzethonium chloride in it .he is going to order some face or hand wash in for me .also have a big sis in colorado so ill ask her to get me some wet ones to send over .feeling a lot more positive about ridding myself of this nasty disease .unfortunetly off to azerbaijan tonight for 2 month but i ve a ready supply of tea tree oil and tto wipes to hold it at bay ;-) ill let you know how i get on .

ian 1964

Dear ian,

I looked up arnica-anti-inflammatory and pain relieving.

Chamomille-reduces swelling and fights bacteria.

It was suggested I look at this information. These will help with the symptoms but not kill it.

I would be trying all of these if didn't get rid of it. The tea tree oil sounded good too. It does help with fungus too. It may keep it at bay until you get home or get a care package from your sister.

Hope you get relief soon.

Lynda79

hi Lynda

yes the tea tree oil doesnt kill it but is giving me some relief at the moment .hopefully my chemist will have something for me to use , ive also sent away for some wet ones off amazon . wasnt able to check content but im hoping its the same as american version .

Dear Ian,

Thanks for getting back to me.

I hope that it is the same thing. You do sound as though you are on top of it too.

One person mentioned about anti-bacterial shampoo and I told her she was on the right road.

I gave her the info so we will see what happens.

Hope to hear that you are well in a few month.

Lynda79

I am not a medical professional, but I seriously doubt your eyes can get addicted to eye drops!

That said, I emphasize with you on the blepharitis condition. When I got it, last year, my right eyelid got quite swollen, and I thought maybe something had 'gone wrong' relative to my year-earlier cataract surgery. My ophthalmologist assured me that, in my case, if most likely was a simple bacteria-related issue that, with regular cool water flushes of the eye, would go away. It did. He suggested a regular application of a saline solution could help keep the bacteria from settling in. He also noted that at my age (71), I'm more prone to this type affliction than are many/most younger people. I suspect a contributing factor, in my case, could be that I often sleep facing to the left, with my right cheek resting on my arm -- so there's little air circulation near the eye and ample opportunity for a 'pollutant' from the skin on my arm to get in my eye. I'm trying to not sleep in that position so much.

I think we will all be off to the Chemist for some Wet One's! I'm sick of this infection. Mine is worse on the right eye too. I've tried Baby Shampoo, Bicarbonate of Soda and all sorts. I'm just trying Blephaclean Eye Wipes at the moment but they are so expensive £9.50 for a box of 20 which you use twice daily so I'm cutting them in half to make them go further! I will let you know if they work.