Blepharitis is an inflammation of the eyelid that can affect both humans and animals. It can have various causes, including parasitic, solar, and allergic, and is often associated with conjunctivitis. Symptoms include puffy, crusty eyelids, red and sore eyes, and eye discharge. Treatment may involve antibiotic cream or washing the eyes with a solution.
Blepharitis is inflammation of the eyelid. Both humans and animals can develop this swelling, and in animals, it usually presents with eyelid twitching, hair loss near the eyes, and red, swollen eyes.
There are many different causes of blepharitis. It is usually associated with conjunctivitis, also known as “pink eye” or “red eye.” In conjunctivitis, the conjunctiva, or the white parts of the eyes, become inflamed. This condition is very contagious.
There are several types of blepharitis, including parasitic, solar, and allergic. Parasitic blepharitis is quite common in dogs with mange. Hair loss usually accompanies this type, and a vet can diagnose the condition with a skin sample.
Solar blepharitis can occur in animals without melanin in the eyelids. Melanin is a pigment that adds color to the skin. Those with no color, or very little color, in their skin are said to have albinism. Skin without a normal level of melanin is extremely sensitive to sunlight and is susceptible to inflammation.
Allergic blepharitis may be drug related, as most allergies in animals tend to show symptoms on the skin. A veterinarian should be advised if it is possible the inflammation is related to an allergy so that the medicine or other allergens can be avoided. If chronic inflammation occurs, your vet may want to check for hypothyroidism, a disease of the endocrine system.
Symptoms of blepharitis usually include puffy, crusty eyelids and red, sore eyes. The eyes may also feel “gritty” and eye discharge is also likely to occur. Your vet may prescribe an antibiotic cream. Goats with entropion, a genetic condition in which the eyelids are inverted and scrape the eye, are often susceptible to inflammation. A vet may prescribe washing the goat’s eyes with sodium sulfacetamide solution a few times a day.
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