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Medical Author:

Frank J. Weinstock, MD, FACS

Frank J. Weinstock, MD, FACS

Dr. Weinstock is a board-certified ophthalmologist. He practices general ophthalmology in Canton, Ohio, with a special interest in contact lenses. He holds faculty positions of Professor of Ophthalmology at the Northeastern Ohio Colleges of Medicine and Affiliate Clinical Professor in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Biomedical Science at Florida Atlantic University.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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Your ophthalmologist or primary-care physician usually diagnoses this condition after a careful history and an examination of your eyes and eyelids.

The exam usually consists of checking the vision after which the lids are examined, usually using the slit-lamp (microscope) if an ophthalmologist is consulted (the primary-care physician doesn't use a microscope).

Other diseases may affect your eyelids, so some of the questions or the examination may be focused on other parts of your body, as well as any medications, such as chemotherapeutic agents or antidepressants, that you are taking. The work environment, including exposure to any chemicals, may also be explored.

Occasionally cultures are taken -- swabbing the discharge and sending this to the laboratory to look for specific organisms. This is usually reserved for infections that don't respond to the usual medications.

If it is suspected that the blepharitis is related to or caused by a systemic disease, a more complete evaluation by your primary-care physician may be indicated.

In some cases, an allergy evaluation may be required.

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