Blepharitis, pronounced bleh-fur-RY-tis, is a condition that refers to the inflammation of the eyelid. It causes the edges of your eyelids to turn dark or red in color and become swollen or scaly. Blepharitis usually affects both eyes. It is commonly traced to irritation from a skin condition, when you develop an infection, or when oil glands become clogged. All of these things can even happen at once.
Blepharitis is a term for inflammation, but it can lead to complications such as an eye infection. Although, most cases aren’t contagious and are not likely to result in total blindness.
Is blepharitis common?
A survey of ophthalmologists and optometrists made a report that almost half of the people they see show symptoms of blepharitis. It is a common condition all over the world and symptoms are manageable.
Blepharitis can happen to anyone, adults and children of both sexes equally. However, a particular form of the condition known as staphylococcal blepharitis is more likely to affect women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB). This is true in about 80% of cases.