How I Cured My Blepharitis With Manuka Honey And Herbal Drops
I had been suffering from chronic blepharitis for more than five months when I finally found the treatment and managed to get rid of it.
Here is how I cured my blepharitis with honey and herbal drops and how you can cure yours.
What is blepharitis?
Blepharitis is a chronic inflammation of the eyelid.
What are the symptoms of blepharitis?
The most common symptoms of blepharitis are the following1,2:
- Redness
- Burning
- Stinging
- Itching
- Flaking
- Scaling
- and crusting of the eyelids.
What causes blepharitis?
The causes of infectious blepharitis are:
- Parasites
- Bacteria
- Viruses
- Fungi
Non-infectious blepharitis origins include:
- Allergens
- Drugs
- Chemicals
- Toxins
Parasitic blepharitis
Demodex
Demodex is a significant cause of blepharitis. It is present in 73% of patients with blepharitis3.
Demodectic chronic blepharitis is usually associated with bacteria inside the parasites4,5.
What is Demodex
Demodex is a type of mite (acarid) that lives on humans. It is the most common ectoparasite found in man6.
It is present on or in the skin: on the face, mouth, chest, armpits, and pubis6.
The prevalence of Demodex in healthy adults varies between 23-100%7.
Demodex infestation usually remains asymptomatic; however, it becomes pathogenic when in high densities due to immune imbalance7.
Demodectic blepharitis
The more common and longer parasite, Demodex folliculorum, is found in the eyelash and hair follicles, whereas Demodex brevis is in the meibomian and sebaceous glands6.
When Demodex folliculorum infests the eyelash, it produces whitish or yellowish crusty debris visible around the base of the eyelash6.
Namely, as the parasite migrates up the eyelash follicle, its sharp claws shred the epithelial wall, contributing to this bulk of debris. It can lead to mechanical blockage of the follicle6.
Chalazion
Demodex brevis, on the other hand, can obstruct meibomian oil glands, leading to a cyst in the eyelid known as a chalazion6,8.
Namely, when migrating through adipose tissue Demodex‘s sharp claws rupture small vessels with resultant bleeding and inflammation6.
Stye
A stye is when the meibomian glands (internal hordeolum) or the Zeis and Moll glands (external hordeolum) become infected with staphylococcal bacteria9,10,11 in addition to Demodex.
Demodex and bacteria symbiosis
Studies have shown that the number of bacteria present in the eyelids of patients suffering from demodectic blepharitis was higher than that of the controls with Demodex4.
As such, the parasite may act as a carrier of bacteria, which most probably function as a co-pathogen in severe blepharitis5.
Demodex and rosacea
Demodex mites carrying bacteria can also induce rosacea and acne12,13,14.
For this reason, the presence of these dermatological conditions can help to establish the cause of blepharitis.
Related: Top 13 Foods That Kill Parasites In Humans
Phthirus pubis
The louse is another parasite capable of causing blepharitis.
Although adult lice typically infest the hair, an infestation of the cilia and eyelid is also possible15.
Phthirus pubis, the pubic or crab louse, is the most common cause of lice infestation on the eyelashes and eyebrows15.
It is transmitted by hand contact from the genital area to the eyes15.
The characteristics of pubic lice-induced blepharitis are15:
- Itching
- Protuberances
- Hyperpigmentary changes
- Buried lice in both eyelids
It is known as Phthiriasis palpebrarum and is often misdiagnosed, as symptoms may be confused with other causes of blepharoconjunctivitis16.
Viral blepharitis
Viruses responsible for blepharitis include the Herpes simplex and Varicella zoster (shingles) herpesviruses17.
Herpes simplex-induced blepharitis can either be vesicular18 or erosive-ulcerative19.
On the other hand, Herpes zoster-induced blepharitis, also known as herpes zoster ophthalmicus, typically involves vesicular lesions, crusting, swelling, and pain20,21,22.
Related: What Kills Viruses Naturally? Top 5 Antiviral Herbs
Fungal blepharitis
Fungi capable of inducing blepharitis include23,24,2:
- Malassezia furfur
- Aspergillus flavus
- Trichophyton verrucosum
- Penicillium and Candida species.
The common symptoms of fungal blepharitis are redness and itchiness of the edge of the eyelid23,24.
Bacterial blepharitis
The most frequent bacteria found in the eyelids of patients suffering from blepharitis are23,26,4:
- Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (including Staphylococcus epidermidis)
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Corynebacterium
- Streptococcus viridans
- Moraxella Bacillus
- Propinibacterium acnes
As mentioned above, bacteria and Demodex parasites responsible for blepharitis are mainly co-pathogens.
They live in symbiosis and synergistically cause blepharitis symptoms.
Related: 7 Strongest Natural Antibiotics
How I Cured My Blepharitis With Honey: Treatment
Here is how I cured my blepharitis with honey:
1. Every night, before bed, I cleaned my eyelids with manuka honey eye drops.
Here Is How To Make Manuka Honey Eye Drops For Blepharitis.
2. The following morning, I washed my eyelids thoroughly with water.
3. Three times daily, I took orally one dropper full of an anti-parasitic herbal blend mixed with water.
The redness, the swelling, and the flaking were gone after about ten days.
However, I repeated this treatment for three weeks.
It has been six months now, and my eyelids are in perfect condition.
Related: How To Get Rid Of Pink Eye Fast
Manuka honey for blepharitis
Honey has amazing health benefits. It has, namely, antiviral27,28,29, antibacterial30,31,32,33, antifungal34,35, antiparasitic36,37,38, anti-inflammatory, and healing effects39.
Manuka honey is a honey that bees produce from the flowers of the manuka tree, Leptospermum scoparium40.
Leptospermum shrubs and trees grow uncultivated throughout both southeastern Australia and New Zealand40.
Just like other types of honey, manuka honey has anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory, and healing effects.
Besides, manuka honey contains methylglyoxal (MGO), its precursor dihydroxyacetone (DHA), and leptosperin40.
MGO is an antibacterial compound that is 100 times more concentrated in manuka honey than in other honey41.
The quantity of MGO in manuka honey is directly proportional to its antibacterial activity.
Leptosperin is also an antibacterial and possibly anti-inflammatory substance abundantly found in manuka honey43.
Studies report that manuka honey inhibits the proliferation of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria44.
Here Is How To Make Manuka Honey Eye Drops For Blepharitis.
How I Cured My Blepharitis With Honey: Treatment
How to apply manuka honey eye drops for blepharitis
1. Every night before bed, clean your eyelids with manuka honey eye drops using a cotton pad.
2. Using a Q-tip, clean gently along the upper eyelid margin in one movement from the inner to the outer canthus.
3. Repeat the same thing with the lower eyelid margin.
4. The following morning, wash your eyelids with water.
Anti-parasitic herbal blend for blepharitis
The anti-parasitic tincture Green Black Walnut Wormwood Complex consists of 3 different medicinal herb extracts. Namely,
1. Green/black walnut hulls (Juglans nigra)
2. Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)
3. Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum)
Each of these herbs eliminates parasites at a different stage of their life cycle.
In particular, green-black walnuts eradicate adult parasites, wormwood eliminates larvae, and cloves kill parasite eggs.
These three herbs also have antifungal and antiviral properties.
Take orally one dropper full of anti-parasitic tincture mixed with water three times daily.
Related: Dark Circles Under The Eyes Kidneys Detox Treatment
Makeup tip
If you usually wear makeup, don’t wear any during the treatment.
Throw out your mascara, eyeshadows, eyeliner, kohl, and makeup brushes, as they could be infested with lice or Demodex.
I recommend putting on new makeup only once you have finished the treatment.
Related: 6 Turmeric And Honey Health Benefits
Can fake eyelashes cause blepharitis?
While I cured my blepharitis, I learned that false eyelashes cause eyelid inflammation.
It was not my case, however, as I have never had any.
Since fake eyelashes, especially eyelash extensions, have become trendy again, there has been an increase in cases of lice- and Demodex-induced blepharitis.
Namely, fake eyelashes provide an environment that favors the proliferation of these parasites.
It is due to poor hygiene and toxicity of the glue used to bond eyelash extensions45.
Those who suffer from blepharitis should avoid fake eyelashes during the treatment.
Summary: How I cured my blepharitis with honey
Here is how I cured my blepharitis with honey:
1. Every night before bed, I applied manuka honey to my eyelids.
2. The following morning, I cleaned my eyelids with water.
3. Three times daily, I took orally an anti-parasitic herbal blend mixed with water.
4. I repeated this for three weeks.
The post How I Cured My Blepharitis With Honey appeared first on Cilantro News.