Blepharitis

Blepharitis is swelling of the eyelid that can flare up randomly over time. It can make the eyelid burn and feel sore. Dry eye and excess tears may also happen. It may make you sensitive to light and cause blurry vision as well.

It is treated with warm compresses and medicine. Some people turn to natural treatments to natural therapies to ease discomfort. It should only be used with standard treatment.

Natural Therapies

May Be Effective

These therapies may help ease eye swelling and discomfort:

Omega-3 fatty acid is a healthy fat that has been used to ease swelling and help the body slow damage to cells.^A3
Tea tree oil is an essential oil that can be gently scrubbed on the eye.^A2

Not Enough Data to Assess

N-acetyl cysteine ^A1

Editorial process and description of evidence categories can be found at EBSCO NAT Editorial Process.

Herbs and Supplements to Be Used With Caution

Talk to your doctor about any supplements or therapy you would like to use. Some can interfere with treatment or make conditions worse.

References►

Herbs and Supplements

A1. Yalҫin E, Altin F, et al. N-acetylcysteine in chronic blepharitis. Cornea. 2002;21(2):164-168.

A2. Koo H, Kim TH, et al. Ocular surface discomfort and Demodex: effect if tea tree oil eyelid scrub in Demodex blepharitis. J Korean Med Sci. 2012;27(12):1574-1579.

A3. Oleñik A, Jiménez-Alfaro I, et al. A randomized, double-masked study to evaluate the effect of omega-3 fatty acids supplementation in meibomian gland dysfunction. Clin Interv Aging. 2013;8:1133-1138.

A4. Lindsley K, Matsumura S, et al. Interventions for chronic blepharitis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012 May 16;(5):CD005556.

A5. Gaby AR. Nutritional therapies for ocular disorders: Part Three. Altern Med Rev. 2008 Sep;13(3):191-204.

Last reviewed November 2019 by EBSCO NAT Review Board Eric Hurwitz, DC Last Updated: 5/20/2020

EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

To send comments or feedback to our Editorial Team regarding the content please email us at healthlibrarysupport@ebsco.com. Our Health Library Support team will respond to your email request within 2 business days.