Killing Blepharitis

[LyndaT]

Dear Cathy,

I used Wet Ones, antibacterial hand wipes with Benzethonium Chloride. Another young man (I think he's young) used the hand wipes found in the UK. They have Benzalkonium Chloride in them. They worked too. Both of these are ammonium salts or compounds. This man had the oil problem too. He is doing great. Last I heard he did it once a day and could hardly remember that he had a problem.

My friend who discovered what killed it used an antibacterial facial scrub with Benzethonium Chloride in it.

If you are not allergic to lanolin (in wipes too) or detergents, shampoos, fabric softners, even spermicidal jellies then give it a try.
Just be sure and tear the wipes into 8 sections so that just a little go on the finger for exact application. If you rub it all over your eye it is drying.

Blepharitis presents itself with many symptoms. They are bacterial.
I used the wipes on the bottom rim of my eyes not in them. That included the eyelash area too.
You can use mascara at the same time you are killing it too. Let me know if you need that info.
Be sure and wash each eye with a different face cloth so as to not re-infect each eye. The Dr. said to use a warm face cloth (I heat it in the micro-wave) in the mornings to get things going.

Let me know how things are going and if you have any other questions.

Wish you relief soon.

LyndaT

[LyndaT]

Dear Cathy,

I used Wet Ones, antibacterial hand wipes. Someone else used a hand wipe in the UK with the ingredient Benzalkonium Chloride in it and did the same job. He is doing great now. He had that oil problem. I had the itching. Blepharitis presents itself with many different symptoms. They are bacterial. You can google that information.

I used the wipes on the eye rims and eye lashes. I did not go into the eyes. That young man did not either and still worked on his problem. Be sure and tear the wipes into small strips to go around your finger tips to have control as to where it is applied. One person said she put it on a cotton bud or (cue tip in US) then applied it. Just don't rub all over eye as it is drying to the skin.

You can use mascara at the same time and still kill it. It involves throw away mascara wands. Let me know if you need that info. Be sure and use 2 face cloths to wash your eyes so as to not re-infect them. I saw that a Dr. on the internet said to do the same thing.

Wish you relief soon.

LyndaT

[LyndaT]

Dear Jacqueline,

They put this product in preservatives that go into the eye. Steroids have .01%. Using 2 meds you get .02% in your eye. Even eye lubrications can have this in it,
Why put it in your eye when you can kill it (if you are not allergic to shampoos, hand wipes, fabric softners, spermicidal jellies) on the rim of your eye.

Check out the BAK. Over long periods of time it can do damage in the eye.

Just google preservative in eye products.

Thinking of you,

Lynda T

[LyndaT]

Dear Cathy,

I used Wet Ones but you can use the ones in the UK too. They have Benzalkonium Chlorid in them.

They are working too for people who are not allergic.

You can wear mascara and still kill it too. Let me know if you need that info.

Lynda T

[cathy8889]

Hi Lynda

Thank so much for your reply. I actually had a pack of antibacterial wipes at home and when I looked at the ingredients they had the benzalkonium chloride in, they've got an aloe Vera extract in though so I'm a bit wary.

It would be great to know how to use mascara please, I haven't worn it since I was diagnosed. I just get itchy eye lids and feels like Ive got little pin sticking my lower and upper lids a lot of the time.

I'm having a down day, nice to be able to come on here an talk

Cath x

[littlemermaid]

Just to say the shops have plenty antibacterial washes with benzethonium chloride and benzalkonium chloride, formulated for the face. We have done OK on Freederm and prescription Dermol 500.

Lynda, maybe also warn people what happens if this goes wrong - Faith had to use steroids to control the painful eyes after Wet Wipes. It's really interesting that your blepharitis started elsewhere on the face and crept up to the eyes - have you any idea what caused it?

[LyndaT]

Dear Cathy,

You have to buy throw away mascara wands. I bought mine on-line.

You use 2 wands each time. Use new mascara and never dip a use wand into the mascara. The same goes for cue tips (cotton buds in UK).
Wash makeup off with 2 wash cloths, one for each eye.

If you are not allergic to shampoos or detergents or hand wipes or fabric softners, you can apply the wipes to your self first before the eye.

It does work as it kills the bacteria.

Wish you relief soon.

LyndaT

[cathy8889]

Dear Lynda

Sorry for not replying sooner, thank you very much for your help, Ive just ordered some throwaway mascara wands.

Kindest regards

Cath

[LyndaT]

Dear Cathy,

Thought you might be interested in how these wipes work for those who are not allergic to them.

A friend and I have killed Blepharitis and many are having the same success using the WET ONES, antibacterial hand wipes that have .03% Benzethonium Chloride or Benzalkonium Chloride and do not go into the eyes. They go on the eyelash areas to kill it. Only people who are allergic to hand wipes, shampoo, detergents, fabric softeners or spermicidal jellies should not use them. They also contain Lanolin, so anyone allergic to that should not use them.
People are using BAK (Benzalkonium Chloride) as a preservative at .01% in steroid meds and quite a few eye drops, even lubricating drops. The wipes do kill it and do not go in the eyes. Here is a very condensed version of research to explain why.

What causes blepharitis?
There are three main types of blepharitis: staphylococcal blepharitis, seborrhoeic blepharitis and meibomian blepharitis. All three types can cause similar symptoms.
Staphylococcal blepharitis
This type of blepharitis is thought to be caused by a bacterium (germ) called staphylococcus. This bacterium commonly lives in low numbers on the skin without doing any harm. However, in some people, it seems that this bacterium causes a localised infection of the eyelids, resulting in blepharitis. Exactly why this happens in some people is unclear.
Benzethonium Chloride and Benzalkonium Chloride are called Quats. These are the ingredients in WET ONES, antibacterial hand wipes that have killed Blepharitis for several people. Below is the TOX report I found.
Quats are effective in destroying a broad spectrum of harmful microorganisms. They are effective in killing the following microorganisms while cleaning the surfaces upon which they reside – all in one simple step.
1. Gram negative and gram positive bacteria like salmonella typhi, staphylococcus aureus, streptococcus epidermidis and pseudomonas aeruginosa,
2. viruses like HIV-1, Herpes simplex 1 and 2
3. Antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria including methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
4. and fungi like trichophyton interdigitale (athlete’s foot).
International Journal of Toxicology
3 Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Benzethonium Chloride and Methylbenzethonium Chloride
Abstract

This is the last paragraph of this small document.

In clinical studies, Benzethonium Chloride produced mild skin irritation at 5 percent but not at lower concentration. Neither ingredient is considered to be a sensitizer.
It is concluded that both compounds are safe at concentrations of 0.5 percent in cosmetics applied to the skin. A maximum concentration of 0.02 percent is safe for cosmetics used in the eye area.


Hope you can use this info.

LyndaT

[LyndaT]

Hi Cathy,

I made a mistake the wipes have 0.3% Benzethonium Chloride in them.

Belph is a staphylococcus infection and the wipes kill that. Some are allergic to these ammonium salt compounds.

Thinking of you,

LyndaT

[drewlizard]

Anyone used it for a bit and it seemed to work but then as you keep using it, it isn't effective anymore?

[tealeaf]

Hi LyndaT,

My opth said I have abit of Blepharitis, not sure what type (have severe dry eyes definitely). If my eyes are not itchy, can I still use wet wipes to clean the eyes?

[LyndaT]

Dear Cathy,

I used WET ONES (brand name in a red box. Here is some info to help as to where.

I got this information from Review of Ophthalmology on-line.
Notice where this eye doctor says to put the medicine for Blepharitis.
AzaSite is azithromycin, an antibiotic.
“ If patients have mild-to-moderate disease, she adds AzaSite rubbed into the lid margins twice a day, which is an off-label use. “Patients put one drop of AzaSite on one index finger, rub it between both index fingers, and then rub it on the four lid margins, where the eyelashes dive into the skin on the top of the eyelid wall,” she says.”
There is a wonderful new treatment called BlephEx. A little machine that cleans guess what? The eyelash area and the lid margins are cleaned of dead skin cells and scurf and they use tea tree oil on the rotating little head.
The problem of Blepharitis is on the eyelash area and lid margins.
I used the Wet Ones, antibacterial hand wipes with Benzethonium Chloride in them, and was able to do the same thing. Only thing is if someone is allergic to shampoos, detergents, fabric softeners or even spermicidal jellies they should not use them.
If the staphylococcus infection is too bad or gone on too long it could end up being mites, called Demox, and tea tree oil is used for that problem.
Honjon on another site had the oily problem and the hand wipes in the UK with Benzalkonium Chloride in then solved his problem.
Where to treat the problem is half the battle. There are 3 things mentioned above that can help.
Hope this information helps you.
LyndaT

[LyndaT]

Dear tealeaf,

Please read the post to Cathy too. My Blepharitis was a staphylococcus infection and the wipes kill that. Some people have oil and some had some other symptoms and they worked for them as long as they were not allergic to the shampoos or detergents, fabric softeners, hand wipes too. Even lanolin is in the wipes and people can be allergic to that.
I got immediate relief. Some others took a couple of days.
Let me know if it works for you.

Thinking of you,

LyndaT

[tealeaf]

Hi LyndaT,

There is no WET ONES in my location. Does it mean any anti bacterial wipes will suffice?