April showers bring... red eyes?! Spring has sprung in Bryan/College Station! While you hopefully are enjoying the beautiful weather and new blooms, sometimes this can also trigger allergies. Eye allergies, red eyes and eye irritation can be a big concern this time of year. Not only can eye allergies play a role in ocular redness, but the natural bacteria that lives on our skin can trigger eye redness, dryness, and irritation. This combination of allergens and natural bacteria can make for the perfect storm in causing eye irritation and eye redness. We have good news for you! You may be a candidate for an in-office treatment called Bleph Ex to help with inflammatory lid disease that can contribute to those pesky symptoms and red eye.
Blepharitis, or inflammation of the eye lid, is a common eye disease that we encounter at Eye Care Center. We all have natural bacteria that live on our skin. Bacteria is also found on our eyelid margins, around our eyelashes, and the oil glands just behind our eyelashes, called our meibomian glands. These glands produce the oily component of our tear film that we need in order to keep our tears from evaporating away too quickly. These bacteria, like all other living organisms, want to survive, and so produce a biofilm that is basically a sticky cocoon for them to survive and thrive in. This biofilm makes it difficult to get rid of these bacteria and other irritatants that accumulate with at-home treatment alone. This is where Bleph Ex comes in to the picture.
1. OK, OK.. So, what exactly is Bleph Ex?!
Bleph Ex is a relatively new, in-office procedure used to treat dry eye and types of blepharitis (eye lid inflammation). Bleph Ex removes excess bacteria and irritants that live along the eyelash margin causing irritation, redness, inflammation, and feelings of dryness and discomfort to our eyes.
2. How does the treatment work?
The treatment involves a tiny rotating micro-sponge that exfoliates along the edge of your eyelid and lashes. This removes debris as well as the bacterial biofilm that can lead to chronic inflammation of our ocular surface. It is similar to a dentist removing plaque during a teeth cleaning. Biofilm is produced by normal bacteria, so it will eventually return to cause inflammation again, so Bleph Ex is recommended to be repeated every 4 to 6 months.
3. How long does it take? Does it hurt?!
The procedure lasts less than ten minutes and is well-tolerated by patients. A numbing drop will be instilled by your doctor, or certificed technician, to improve comfort. We have had numerous patients treated at Eye Care Center report that the treatment was relaxing!
4. Am I a candidate for BlephEx?
If you suffer from one, or more of the following, you may be a candidate!
- Itching or scratchy eyes
- Foreign body sensation
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Tearing
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Crusting
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Redness/Inflammation
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Mattering
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Dry eyes
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Eye rubbing
5. How soon will I notice a difference after Bleph Ex treatment?
This really depends on the severity of your disease on presentation. Many people notice a difference the same day of treatment. If severe damage has already occurred to your glands, it may take more than one treatment before a significant improvement is noted. Some people do need multiple treatments before they notice an improvement.
If you think you may be a candidate for Bleph Ex treatment, or have been struggling with chronic redness, eye irritation or dry eye, visit Eye Care Center and let us help you find some relief!
