If you enter the word “blepharitis” into Google it gladly tells you there are about 418,000 hits. As soon as you see the sites cited you know it can’t be fun. The hits come from allaboutvision.com, mayoclinic.com, nih.gov and my favorite, agingeye.net… and you’re just getting started.
To hell with Google, I’ll tell you firsthand it’s no fun. Blepharitis is a word you never hear until it’s your belphars!
Individuals with blepharitis may experience a gritty or burning sensation in their eyes, excessive tearing, itching, red and swollen eyelids, dry eyes, or crusting of the eyelids. For some people, blepharitis causes only minor irritation and itching. However, it can lead to more severe signs and symptoms such as blurring of vision, missing or misdirected eyelashes, and inflammation of other eye tissue, particularly the cornea. – American Optometric Association
Over the course of the day I blnk more, causing my eyes to tear more while becoming more irritated and burning. After a full day of this the muscles in my eyelids (honest) begin to ache from overuse.
Drops don’t help. I am treating the condition with warm wet compresses. That’s the slow cure. Unfortunately, there’s no fast cure. Even worse, this sort of thing recurs! Once you’re susceptible it’s a lifetime curse. This is my fourth or fifth turn as “Blinky.”
It will go away (please), but until then it stinks.