Lifestyle and home remedies

Self-care measures might be the only treatment needed for most cases of blepharitis.

Clean your eyes daily

If you have blepharitis, follow this self-care remedy two to four times a day during flare-ups and once or twice a day after the condition is under control:

• Apply a warm compress over your closed eye for a few minutes to loosen the crusty deposits on your eyelids.
• Firmly but gently massage the eyelids, using a clean washcloth or a clean finger.
• Immediately use a clean washcloth or cotton-tipped applicator moistened with warm water and a few drops of diluted baby shampoo or an over-the-counter eyelid cleanser to wash away oily debris or scales at the base of your eyelashes. Use a different clean cloth for each eye.

• In some cases, you might need to be more deliberate about cleaning the edge of your eyelids at your eyelashes. To do this, gently pull your eyelid away from your eye and use the washcloth to gently rub the base of the lashes. This helps avoid damaging your cornea with the washcloth.

  Ask your doctor whether you should use a topical antibiotic ointment after cleaning your eyelids in this way.

• Rinse your eyelids with warm water and gently pat them dry with a clean, dry towel.

It might help to stop using eye makeup when your eyelids are inflamed. Makeup can make it harder to keep your eyelids clean and free of debris. Also, it's possible that makeup could reintroduce bacteria to the area or cause an allergic reaction.

Lubricate your eyes

Try over-the-counter artificial tears. These eyedrops can help relieve dry eyes.

Control dandruff and mites

If you have dandruff that's contributing to your blepharitis, ask your doctor to recommend a dandruff shampoo. Using a dandruff shampoo might relieve your blepharitis signs and symptoms.

Using tea tree oil shampoo on your eyelids daily might help deal with mites. Or try gently scrubbing your lids once a week with 50% tea tree oil, which is available over-the-counter. Contact your doctor if you don't see improvement in six weeks. And stop using tea tree oil if it irritates your skin or eyes.