CHRONIC BLEPHARITIS: ONE YEAR EXPERIENCE AT A UNITED NATIONS FIELD HOSPITAL

Abstract

Objective: To document the clinical features of chronic blepahritis in our patients.
Study Design: Descriptive study
Place and Duration of Study: Pakistan Field Hospital 3 Level III (United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur), Nyala Sudan from Feb 2011 to Jan 2012.
Patients and Methods: All the diagnosed chronic blepharitis patients attending our ophthalmology clinic werefurther evaluated and included. History focused especially on burning, itching, grittiness, discomfort and redness of eye lids. Slit lamp examination was done to classify disease as seborrhoeic anterior, staphylococcal anterior and posterior blepharitis. Uncomplicated disease was graded as mild;blepharitis associated with dry eyes was moderate whereas presence of trichiasis, papillary conjunctivitis or inferior punctate corneal erosions was severe disease.
Results: Out of 399 patients seen, 52 (13.03%) had chronic blepharitis. The mean age of these patients was 35.87 ± 8.16 years. Of them, 40 (76.92%) were males and 12 (23.08%) were females. 28 (53.85%) cases were symptomatic. 36 (69.23%) had anterior blepharitis, 8 (15.38%) had posterior blepharitis whereas 8 (15.38%) had mixed blepharitis. 30 (57.69%) had mild disease, 18 (34.62%) had moderate disease whereas 4 (7.69%) had severe disease.
Conclusion: Chronic blepharitis is usually symptomatic, mostly mild in severity and anterior in location.