Barley: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment

Barley is a disease common in ophthalmology.It occurs in patients of different ages. That you could easily and without consequences for your health with it cope, let's understand, what is this pathology, from whom and why it arises and is contagious barley on the eye for others.

Definition of disease

Barley is an acute purulent inflammatory process that is localized in the hair bulb of the eyelash.Depending on the location of such a purulent process can affect the sebaceous or meibomian gland. This disease can occur in patients of different ages.Despite its infectious nature, it is not contagious and is not transmitted through direct contact from one person to another. In medical terminology, the pathology represented is termed gordoleum.

Types and Classifications

In medicine, there are two main varieties of barley, depending on the location of its localization in the century.It:

• Outer. The most common type that ripens from the outside of the eye. Appears when the sebaceous gland is infected with staphylococcus or another pathogen.
• Interior. Occurs only when infected with meibomian glands. It develops on the inner surface of the eyelid, it is revealed in the conjunctival sac.

in both cases, a person usually develops only one abscess for a century. Less often, and only with a strong infection of the eyelid, there can be several such abscesses.

Causes

The main cause of this disease is getting into the hair follicle infection.Most often such an infection is staphylococcus (it is covered by more than 90% of cases of the presented disease), less often - streptococcus.Factors contributing to the development of this disease are:

• demodex;
• furunculosis, in particular, the acute form of the presented disease;
• hypothermia of tissues;
• prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light on the skin;
• decreased immunity;
• severe stress;
• gastrointestinal diseases;
• not treated eye diseases, for example, blepharitis (this pathology more often provokes the development of barley);
• other foci of infection in the body, including tooth decay.

also a significant risk factor for the development of such a disease are systemic diseases, including diabetes mellitus. Patients with such abnormalities suffer more often from the presented pathology, which they usually have a recurrent nature.

Symptoms

In the early stages of the disease, barley manifests itself as a small, but painful swelling that forms at the edge of the eyelid.After a few days the field of the onset of such a disease (usually on the third day) a white head appears on the tip of such a swelling. From this head in the future comes pus and particles of dead tissue.

Also, with this disease, there may be a number of accompanying symptoms.These include:

• itching in the area of ​​barley formation;
• increased body temperature (observed with reduced immunity);
• headache;
• foreign body sensation in the eye;
• general weakness, increased fatigue.

in some cases, the patient may even have an increase in lymph nodes. This symptom indicates the presence in the body of a dangerous infection, which must be treated with antibacterial drugs. At such symptomatology the patient needs to address to physicians as soon as possible.

Possible complications

In most cases, barley occurs in patients quite easily and does not provoke the development of any complications.Rarely and only with a general decrease in immunity in humans, it can cause complications such as abscess, phlegmon, and in especially severe cases - sepsis and even meningitis.

the development of these pathologies is usually indicated by a sharp deterioration in the patient's condition, an increase in the size of the abscess, a rise in temperature. When these symptoms occur, patients should immediately consult a doctor. The lack of medical care in such pathologies can result in a fatal outcome for the patient.

It should also be noted that these complications can occur even in people with a normal immune system when the disease is treated improperly. Most often, this happens when the barley is warming up or if an autopsy is performed on its head. In this case, the infection usually spreads to neighboring tissues, which provokes the development of abscesses and even sepsis.It is also possible to develop a halazion.This is why you can not resort to such types of treatment even with external barley.

Diagnostics

For the statement of this diagnosis, it is quite enough to take an ophthalmologist's general survey, examination, and examination under a slit lamp.In some cases (for example, with multiple foci of infection), the patient may be assigned additional studies.

Ophthalmological examination

Treatment

In barley, patients are usually prescribed drug therapy with the use of general and local drugs. Only if the patient develop complications of the disease, for example, a purulent abscess, he may be prescribed surgical removal of the abscess. However, in 90% of cases this is not necessary.

Medicines

As a rule, the treatment of barley is reduced to drug therapy. Within the framework of it such means are used:

• Alcohol solutions of calendula or iodine.They are used in the first days of the disease to treat swelling.
• Antibacterial topical agents.These can be antibacterial drops or eye ointments (for example, Floxal).
• Common fortifying drugs: vitamins, adaptogens.It is necessary in those cases when in a person this disease often gives relapses.

  Phloxal is used in the treatment of barley

If the patient does not have a temperature, the doctor can also assign UHF to him. This procedure will accelerate the maturation of barley.

Timing of barley treatment is usually 4-5 days.

Prevention

In most cases, you can avoid this disease by performing simple preventive recommendations.They provide for:

• Observance of general rules of hygiene.Use only personal clean towels, handkerchiefs, bed linen.
• Refusal to use someone else's cosmetics.The use of only those waste and decorative means, the expiration date of which has not yet expired.
• General strengthening of the body.Timely treatment of various infectious diseases.
• Compliance with the rules of working with contact lenses.Implementation of general hygiene requirements when working with such optics, timely replacement of products.

also in the prevention of barley, especially recurrent, it is extremely important to undergo a thorough examination of the body for infection and completely cure all that is available. Otherwise, you will not be able to get rid of barley.

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conclusions

As we see,Barley is a fairly common disease in ophthalmology, which is usually well treatable.The patient in order to get rid of it faster, it is necessary as soon as possible to see a doctor, pick up effective preparations of local action and take them according to the instructions. In this case, he can get rid of this disease in a few days.