hello

i was diagnosed with blepharitis 2 weeks ago. i had originally had eye pain a month ago and went to the dr after 2 weeks. was told there was an eyelash in my eye and give it 4 days and then i can put my contacts in. well a week later i still had pain. went back to the dr and told that i have a staph infection in that eye caused by blepharitis. so i was put on 5 days of penicillin, erythromycin ointment, told to wash my eyes with baby shampoo, soak them with a hot washcloth and take flakseed oil. my eye was still hurting after the 5 days of penicillin so i called and asked if they could give me another few days. so tomorrow is going to be the last day of the penicillin and my eye still hurts. i def cannot put my contacts in yet. how long until the pain goes away and i can wear my contacts?? i CANNOT stand wearing glasses and i have a lot of big events coming up and really don't want to have to wear them. im getting so frusterated!!

I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news, however, blepharitis does not clear up in a few weeks much less a few days. Staph infections are difficult to clear.

It will take special effort on your part to follow the doctor's instructions. It is absolutely necessary to keep eyelids washed with baby shampoo.

I had blepharitis for 2 1/2 years before it cleared up. I hot soaked eyelids for 10 minutes then scrubbed eyelids with Johnson Baby Shampoo real good 2 times a day plus taking and using eye meds. I used cosmetic cotton pads to scrub eyelids (washcloth was too rough), using a clean one for each eye in order to not cross contaminate. Also, I did not use the same kleenex for wiping eyes, used a clean one for each eye. Use only a clean finger to apply ointment, put a small amount on a finger and apply rather than holding the tube next to the eye and contaminating the tip.

DO NOT wear contacts while your eyes have this problem, high risk of scratching the cornea.

Business or social functions need to take a back seat to the health of your eyes. Wear glasses and be thankful you still have your vision.

I pray it will not take as long for your blepharitis and staph infection to clear as it did mine. Many on Healthboards have had the battle of Blelpharitis, search the boards and read the posts.

thanks for the reply! i had thought that once i was done taking the penicillin that i should not have pain any longer and since tomorrow is the last days of the meds (10 days total) and i dont feel any better, i have been concerned. i am really devistated to hear that it takes so long to clear up. i didnt realize any of this. i was starting to think that it possibly wasnt blepharitis since i have never suffered from dandruff and have never seen any flaking on my eyelashes or anything. so i thought that maybe the dr had a wrong diagnosis and maybe thats why i still have pain. guess not.... :o(

Are you seeing an ophamologist or a regular medical doctor?

I did not have pain with Blepharitis. I had misery, scratchy eyes, etc. but not pain. Ask your doctor why there is pain. Discomfort and pain are different.

I was not given penecillin. There are other meds for clearing blepharitis. Some work and some don't. I took Erthromycin for a long time.

Some of the meds I used in effort to clear:

Erthromycin ointment
Tobrax ointment
Doxycycline 100 mg.

Blepharitis causes dry eyes. Meds I use now for dry eyes are: Refresh Plus, Refresh P.M. ointment, Refresh Celluvisc, Restasis.

Keeping the eyelids clean and oil glands open is the secret to clearing the infection. Sometimes you can press under your eyes near the bone in an upward motion and cause the oil glands to drain. This is good to keep the oil glands unclogged.

I finally used a Q-Tip dipped in Johnson Baby Shampoo solution and lightly scrubbed the edge of eyelids where the oil glands are making sure I did not touch the eyeball.

Johnson Baby Shampoo does not burn or irritate the eyes. Not sure about other no-tear brands of shampoo.

It is trial and error to find the right medication to help clear Blelpharitis and self dedication to excellent hot soaks/scrubs.

It may seem like forever before it clears, but, eventually it will. May take a long, long time.

DO NOT WEAR EYE MAKEUP it will aggravate the problem and clog oil glands. Yes, you will survive without eye makeup, the world will not collapse!!!!

After blepharitis is clear, continue doing the eyelid scrubs for years or it will come back with a vengence.

Good luck.

yes, i am seeing an opthamologist. he is supposed to be very good. but at this point i am questioning it. i had assumed that the pain was from the staph infection (sine he pressed on the bottom of both eyes and only the one hurt and said it was def an infection) and when i was done with the meds that the pain would be gone and i could go back to wearing contacts but so far that has not happened. it has been a month since the pain has originally started and that i have not worn contacts. i am still washing with the baby shampoo 2x a day, taking flax seed oil, just starting also taking other vitamins (a, b12, c and e) , using the hot compress and putting the eryrhromycin ointment on at night but it is just all the same. i do have dry eyes... i have for a while. i think from the contact use. i have been putting saline in my eyes in the morning also even though i am not wearing my contacts. i am trying to not wear any eye makeup but i have to look professional for work and when i dont have any on, i look like i just rolled out of bed or i am sick. i am trying to go with just mascara but that is not even helping much. management has made quiet a few comments to me. its so aggrivating. they don't seem to care though. :mad:
i just called the eye dr to see if i could talk to him about why i still have eye pain and it turns out he is out until next week. lucky me.

Staph infections are difficult to cure.

If you live in Texas, go to the Scott & White Hospital/Clinic in Temple, Texas. There is a doctor there who is excellent. A lady in my SS Class had an eye infection for 4 months and other doctors locally and at Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas could not solve. She went to Scott & White and was properly diagnosed and treated. Finally she has relief and in the stage of healing now. She had a staph infection according to one of the doctors but not sure if that was really true or not. Anyway the doctor at Scott & White got to the bottom of the problem.

All items used for eye makeup become contaminated with the infection and should not be used again, toss and buy new. Use a Q-Tip to apply makeup and never touch the eye makeup a second time, use a clean Q-Tip. This will keep from reinfecting your eyes. Never use same Q-Tip on both eyes.

Try using mascare on lashes away from eyelid, use eye shadow away from edge of eyelid. This may help to achieve both things you need.