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CD005556 Abstract
CD005556 Abstract
This is a reprint of a Cochrane review, prepared and maintained by The Cochrane Collaboration and published in The Cochrane Library
2012, Issue 5
http://www.thecochranelibrary.com
[Intervention Review]
for Clinical Trials, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland,
USA. 2 Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. 3 Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Contact address: Kristina Lindsley, Center for Clinical Trials, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of
Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, W5010, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, USA. klindsle@jhsph.edu.
ABSTRACT
Background
Blepharitis, an inflammatory condition associated with itchiness, redness, flaking, and crusting of the eyelids, is a common eye condition that affects both children and adults. It is common in all ethnic groups and across all ages. Although infrequent, blepharitis
can lead to permanent alterations to the eyelid margin or vision loss from superficial keratopathy (abnormality of the cornea), corneal
neovascularization, and ulceration. Most importantly, blepharitis frequently causes significant ocular symptoms such as burning sensation, irritation, tearing, and red eyes as well as visual problems such as photophobia and blurred vision. The exact etiopathogenesis
is unknown, but suspected to be multifactorial, including chronic low-grade infections of the ocular surface with bacteria, infestations
with certain parasites such as demodex, and inflammatory skin conditions such as atopy and seborrhea. Blepharitis can be categorized in
several different ways. First, categorization is based on the length of disease process: acute or chronic blepharitis. Second, categorization
is based on the anatomical location of disease: anterior, or front of the eye (e.g. staphylococcal and seborrheic blepharitis), and posterior,
or back of the eye (e.g. meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD)). This review focuses on chronic blepharitis and stratifies anterior and
posterior blepharitis.
Objectives
To examine the effectiveness of interventions in the treatment of chronic blepharitis.
Search methods
We searched CENTRAL (which contains the Cochrane Eyes and Vision Group Trials Register) (The Cochrane Library 2012, Issue
1), MEDLINE (January 1950 to February 2012), EMBASE (January 1980 to February 2012), the metaRegister of Controlled Trials
(mRCT) (www.controlled-trials.com), ClinicalTrials.gov (www.clinicaltrials.gov) and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry
Platform (ICTRP) (www.who.int/ictrp/search/en). We searched the reference lists of included studies for any additional studies not
identified by the electronic searches. There were no date or language restrictions in the electronic searches for trials. The electronic
databases were last searched on 9 February 2012.
Selection criteria
We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-randomized controlled trials (CCTs) in which participants were adults aged
16 years or older and clinically diagnosed with chronic blepharitis. We also included trials where participants with chronic blepharitis
were a subset of the participants included in the study and data were reported separately for these participants. Interventions within
the scope of this review included medical treatment and lid hygiene measures.
Interventions for chronic blepharitis (Review)
Copyright 2012 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.