What is blepharitis?
Inflammation of the eyelid margins, usually involving the oil glands that open along the lid edge. It causes crusting, redness, a gritty sensation and fluctuating vision, and it is chronic and managed rather than cured: lid hygiene and warm compresses are the mainstay.
- Subject
- Eye conditions
- Topic
- Infections, allergies & injuries
- Kind of question
- What is…
- Last reviewed
- 22 September 2026
What this answer depends on
- Whether the oil glands are blocked or the skin is inflamed
- Whether there is also a skin condition such as rosacea
- Whether dry eye symptoms are present as well
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Where this answer sits
It is one of 483 answers in the vision and eye health knowledge base, filed under Eye conditions & diseases in Infections, allergies & injuries . The subject page carries the answers either side of it, and the hub is searchable.
Subjects this question touches
The pages that answer the subject behind the question, rather than the question itself.
- Condition Dry eye
- Condition Glaucoma
- Condition Keratoconus
- Condition Retina and macula conditions
- Condition Diabetic eye disease
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
General answers cannot tell you what is happening in your own eyes. Only an examination by a qualified ophthalmologist can do that.
Sources & further reading
We prefer primary sources. Where a claim comes from a manufacturer, a single study or a regulator, it is labelled as such below.
- EyeSmart: eye health information for the public
Patient-facing material from the largest ophthalmology professional body, covering conditions, tests and treatments outside refractive surgery.
Used for Cross-checking patient-facing explanations of non-refractive eye conditions; Describing what tests such as dilation and OCT involve.
Link checked 23 September 2026
- Cataracts in adults: management (NG77)
Clinical guidance on when cataract surgery is indicated, what should be discussed before it, and what follow-up is expected.
Used for When cataract surgery is considered appropriate rather than cosmetic timing; What patients should be told before cataract surgery.
Link checked 23 September 2026