Abstract
Various inflammatory diseases can occur in the eyelids. Infectious disorders – such
as staphylococcal or demodex blepharitis, dermatological diseases such as seborrheic
dermatitis, ocular rosacea or ocular cicatricial pemphigoid and rheumatological diseases
such as dermatomyositis or sarcoidosis – are just some of these aetiologies. Clinically,
these causes of blepharitis can manifest in inflammation of the eyelid margin with
collarettes around the eyelash follicles, madarosis, meibomian gland dysfunction,
erythema, and nodular tumour. Even if the clinical differential diagnosis between
the various blepharitides is difficult, a correct diagnosis can significantly improve
the prognosis. As most blepharitides are chronic in nature, regular and careful care
of the eyelid margin is necessary to improve the patientʼs symptoms. Depending on
the cause, local or systemic antibiotics or immunosuppressive agents can also help.
If no improvement after treatment occurs, the previous
diagnosis must be critically questioned so that masquerade syndromes such as sebaceous
carcinoma are not overlooked.
Keywords
blepharitis - Meibomian gland dysfunction - demodex - rosacea - sebaceous carcinoma
