Meibomitis of the lower eyelid: symptoms and treatment

Numerous eye diseases can be infectious or inflammatory, occur as a result of damage to the eye tissues or be caused by metabolic disorders. To the category of eye diseases are also pathologies developing on the eyelids or inside them. One of them is the meibomite of the lower eyelid.

Definition of disease

In the thickness of the cartilage of the eyelids, the meibomian glands are located, having an exit along the entire edge of the eyelids, closer to the surface of the eye. Their function is to highlight the secret of fatnature in the general output stream, so that the eyelids do not wet with tears.In the upper eyelid there are about 30-40 such glands, in the lower - a little less.

When one of the glands inflames for any reason, in the thickness of the century begins to form an internal abscess, or, as it is often called, inner barley. Although from a medical point of view, these are two different diseases.

Barley always appears on the edge of the eyelid, because it is caused by inflammation in the hair follicle of the eyelash.With the development of meibomitis, the abscess develops in the thickness of the century, which is much more dangerous, and is caused, as a rule, by penetration into the gland of the coccal microflora.

There are meibomite upper and lower eyelid, acute and chronic course.

Causes

The main reason for the development of pathology is a violation of the composition of the conjunctival secret as a result of eye pathologies.In these conditions, there is access for bacterial flora, which, multiplying, leads to the development of an inflammatory process and opens access to the penetration of other microorganisms (viruses, fungi, mites), causing severe leakage disease.

The disease-provoking factors are:

• Ignoring the rules of personal hygiene, using other people's cosmetics;
• Use of contact lenses for a long time;
• Being in a dusty, polluted room;
• Rubbing eyes with dirty hands;
• Effects of caustic smoke or smog;
• Subcooling (decrease in this background level of general immunity).

It was also proved the connection between the occurrence of meibomite and a number of chronic somatic diseases:

• Diabetes;
• Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, hepatobiliary system(liver, gallbladder);
• Acne - blockage and inflammation of the hair follicles;
• Rosacea - persistent damage to the vessels of the skin of the face;
• Seborrheic dermatitis;
• Keratoconjunctivitis.

Any disease, accompanied by hypersecretion and dysfunction of the meibomian glands, can cause meibomitis both the lower eyelid and the upper one.

Symptoms

Since the disease can occur in acute or chronic form, its symptoms at different stages may differ.

For the acute form is characteristic:

• Severe hyperemia of the lower eyelid due to intense blood flow, swelling and redness;
• Pain sensations in the site of inflammation localization;
• On the outside of the eyelid, there is swelling;
• From the inside there is an increased amount of inflammatory infiltration, and in case of opening the abscess - pus;
• There may be fever in the most debilitated patients.

Signs of the chronic stage of the disease are:

• Thickening and reddening of the lower eyelid, uncomfortable sensations in the affected area (burning and itching);
• In the inverted century a pathological consolidation of a yellowish color is observed;
• Often there is a conjunctivitis connection, as a result of which lachrymation increases;
• The appearance of "foam" along the edge of the lower eyelid, resulting from the accumulation of excessive fat in the tear. With frequent blinking, it is whipped into foam and deposited on the eyelid or in the corner of the eye;
• Inflammation and enlargement of nearby lymph nodes.

Often meibomite is confused with barley. However, these are two different diseases, since the localization of the process affects various structures. Barley is always located at the edge of the century, while the meibomian abscess is in the thickness of the eyelid. The autopsy, both spontaneous and surgical, always occurs from the side of the conjunctiva, in the course of the location of the meibomian glands.

Possible complications

Ignoring the doctor's recommendations and light-minded attitude towards his health can lead to the progression of the disease and the development of a number of eye complications:

• Chronic form. Transition to the chronic course of the disease is fraught with frequent relapses, the appearance of unpleasant sensations in the eye area, discomfort while being in the community, reduced visual acuity;
• Conjunctivitis.Inflammation of the conjunctiva can occur after the opening of the abscess against the background of favorable factors: a decrease in immunity, hypothermia, chronic pathologies;
• Blepharitis. Because of chronic inflammation, the process can spread to other parts of the eyelids and take various forms: allergic, viral, fungal;
• An abscess of the orbit of the eye. Prolonged and frequent inflammation can lead to the formation of a limited inflammation of the orbital tissues with the formation of a cavity filled with pus. This pathology is treated only surgically.

Chronic course of pathology without proper treatment can cause the appearance of such pathologies as cavernous sinus thrombosis and thrombophlebitis of the orbital veins, lead to inflammation of the meninges. In the most severe cases, loss of vision and the onset of sepsis (contamination of the blood) is possible.

Treatment

Usually, an experienced ophthalmologist for the diagnosis of "meibomite" is enough to visually inspect and question the patient about the symptoms of the disease.However, in order to establish the degree of the inflammatory process, additional studies are required:

• Laboratory tests of blood and urine;
• Bacterial sowing for the precise identification of the pathogen;
• PCR, which allows to exclude the parallel development of infectious diseases;
• Allergic tests;
• Analyzes that determine the presence or presence of demodex mite.

Differential diagnostics with the following diseases is mandatory: conjunctivitis, blepharitis, keratitis, shingles, external barley, dacryoadenitis. If necessary, use the methods of ultrasound and computed tomography.

Medication Therapy

The main methods in the treatment of non-released forms of the disease are conservative.In this case, drugs from the following drug groups are used:

• Antibiotics: Ciprofloxacin, Floxal, and others. ;
• Antiseptics: Okomistin;
• Anti-inflammatory:Diclof;
• Hormonal:Kenalog.

More details about the treatment of barley on the eye with drugs are written in this article.

The choice of necessary drugs, dosage and duration of treatment are determined only under the supervision of an ophthalmologist.Special care should be taken in women during pregnancy and in the treatment of newborns.

To enhance the therapeutic effect the physician can prescribe physiotherapy (UHF, quartz, dry heat). Wet compresses are not recommended for warming up, as increasing blood flow can cause inflammation to spread to neighboring tissues.

Surgical methods

If the disease does not respond to conservative treatment, then the surgical intervention becomes an involuntary measure:

• In acute forman autopsy is performed to form pathways of outflow of pathogenic contents (similar methods are used to treat the lower eyelid cholazion);
• On a chronic stagethe inflammation is removed. In the subsequent period, permanent histological examinations are required for goodness.

With independent attempts to remove purulent contents, the most serious complications are possible: penetration of infection into the orbital tissue, inside the skull and even the brain.

ethnoscience

Means of traditional medicine for the appearance of meibomite in the lower eyelid are not only necessary, but also welcome. Timely initiation of treatment in the early stages can help to avoid a lot of troubles in the future:

• Compress the sick eyelid from the heated flax seeds placed in a tissue pouch;
• The leaf of the plantain is thoroughly washed, slightly dried and wrapped in a hard-boiled egg until it cools. After that, the leaf is applied to the diseased eyelid;
• For compress use heated salt, boiled egg, potatoes in a uniform up to 5 times a day.This method is effective on the first day of inflammation. When a purulent stem begins to form, the method does not work;
• To reduce the intensity of inflammation make infusion of equal parts of birch leaves and nettles: 2 tbsp. l. for 400 ml of boiling water.Insist 3 hours, then take before meals up to 4 times a day for 100 ml;
• According to the same recipe, an infusion of elderberry, burdock root and walnut leaves is prepared: 1 tbsp. boiling water 1 tbsp. l. mixture;
• Make lotions from the infusion of calendula flowers: 1 tbsp. l. dry raw materials for 200 ml of boiling water.After infusion for 30 min. dilute the solution carefully;
• Freshly prepared aloe juice, diluted in a 1: 10 ratio, is also used for lotions. The procedures are carried out three times a day, and boiled water is used for breeding;
• For lotions, they also use yogurt, they treat the affected juice with garlic juice.In this case, take special care to prevent the juice from getting into your eyes.

Treatment according to folk prescriptions can be carried out only as an adjunct to therapy and after consultation with the attending physician. Self-use of folk remedies can delay the beginning of correct treatment and cause a number of complications.

Prevention

Avoiding an unpleasant painful process can be done by observing several simple rules of prevention:

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• Timely treatment of any ocular inflammation and infection;
• Compliance with the rules of personal hygiene: thorough washing of hands and face, use only personal perfumes and cosmetics, as well as eye medicines;
• With chronic inflammatory processes in the eyes, the passage of preventive examinations from an ophthalmologist;
• Attentive attitude to the state of the level of immunity, as well as the timely elimination of somatic diseases.

The level of immunity plays a decisive role in the recurring manifestations of pathology. If you or your child regularly develop barley or meibomite, you should go through a complete examination to determine the true cause of the relapse.

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conclusions

Maybomite in an acute form can appear in every person, with hypothermia as a result of a draft or when entering an infection with dirty hands. With the timely access to a doctor, this pathology is easily eliminated without consequences.

However, in advanced cases, and sometimes in chronic course, the doctor has to resort to surgical methods of treatment, and then the risk of complications is greatly increased.Therefore, meibomite of the lower eyelid, like most diseases, is safer and more effective to treat at the earliest stages and only under the supervision of an ophthalmologist.

Read about what anisocoria is and how to treat this disease. Also, familiarize yourself with such a concept as the destruction of the vitreous humor.