Blepharitis Empiric Therapy 

  • Author: Hampton Roy Sr, MD; Chief Editor: Michael Stuart Bronze, MD   more...
 
Updated: Jun 16, 2011
 
 

Empiric Therapy Regimens

A systematic and long-term commitment to a program of eyelid margin hygiene is the basis of treatment of blepharitis. Many appropriate systems of eyelid hygiene exist,[1, 2] and all include variations of the following 3 essential steps:

  • Step 1 - Heat is applied to warm the eyelid gland secretions and to promote evacuation and cleansing of the secretory passages
  • Step 2 - The eyelid margin is washed mechanically to remove adherent material (eg, scurf, collarettes, and crusting) and to clean the gland orifices
  • Step 3 - An antibiotic ointment is applied to the eyelid margin after it has been soaked and scrubbed[1]

Treatment recommendations

  • Bacitracin ophthalmic ointment applied to lid margin QID for 1-2wk or
  • Erythromycin ophthalmic ointment applied to lid margin QID for 1-2wk or
  • Sulfacetamide ophthalmic ointment applied to lid margin QID for 1-2wk
 
Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Hampton Roy Sr, MD  Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Hampton Roy Sr, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American College of Surgeons, and Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Jasmeet Anand, PharmD, RPh  Adjunct Instructor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Michael Stuart Bronze, MD  Professor, Stewart G Wolf Chair in Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center

Michael Stuart Bronze, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Physician Executives, American College of Physicians, American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine, American Federation for Clinical Research, American Medical Association, American Society for Microbiology, Association of Professors of Medicine, Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Oklahoma State Medical Association, and Southern Society for Clinical Investigation

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References
  1. Jackson WB. Blepharitis: Current strategies for diagnosis and management. Can J Ophthalmol. 2008;43(2):170-9.

  2. Lowery RS. Blepharitis, adult. Updated July 30, 2009. Medscape Reference. WebMD. Available at http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1211763-overview.. Accessed June 14, 2011.

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