Nude eyes

Nude eyes....

I have only just deduced that the mysteriously nude, swollen eyelids, which I've had for most of my life now, are not just a strange ugly characteristic, but this condition, blepharitis.

I've been recently drawn into researching why one of my lower eyelids seems so red and inflamed on the inside, with a persistent, occasionally irritating, chalazion (which my researches easily enabled me to identify & name).

Decades ago, after I started at secondary school, I began losing my eyelashes. Ever since then, I have never had a decent full set of eyelashes. They grow moderately, and then whenever my eyes become itchy and irritated, the lashes easily come out. The upper lids always have a somewhat swollen, thickened look, which never changes. As I am now aged late 50's, this has been the state of my eyelids for over 40 years.

...

Now that I at last understand that this is probably an identifiable health condition, I would like to get to the bottom of its current persistence, and to pin it down if at all possible. If I can understand the nature of my case a bit better, I hope I can follow the best course of maintenance.

I don't have any visible signs of mites or infection (but does this need investigation?).

There is clearly a meibomian gland obstruction in the one eyelid.

Is MGD sufficient in itself to explain the state of my eyelids? (Although the chalazion itself is relatively recent compared to the original long-term condition, has there been an underlying dysfunction of the glands for much longer?)

What about the possible connection with some food allergy, or rosacea?

Anyhow, the question I want to put is : ought I to consult an optician or a doctor - which would be more appropriate? (I'm not keen on visiting either of them.)

And is it worth the bother? - e.g. likely to get me any information or answers beyond what I have worked out already?

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