Blepharitis is best described as?

• A. Inflammation of the eyelids characterized by redness at the margins
• B. Inflammation of the conjunctiva
• C. Inflammation of the iris
• D. Inflammation of the lacrimal gland

Answer: (A)

Blepharitis is inflammation of the eyelids, especially the lid margins. You’ll typically see redness at the lash line with crusting or scaling along the margins and sometimes telangiectasia of the lid edges. It often affects both eyes and can be associated with meibomian gland dysfunction or seborrheic changes, making it a chronic, lid-focused condition rather than a diffuse ocular surface or deeper structure problem. This distinguishes it from other inflammatory eye diseases: conjunctivitis involves the conjunctiva with red eye and discharge rather than lid-margin inflammation; iritis (inflammation of the iris) causes eye pain, photophobia, and ciliary flush; and dacryoadenitis (inflammation of the lacrimal gland) presents with swelling and tenderness above the outer eye. So the description best fits inflammation localized to the eyelid margins. Treatment focuses on lid hygiene and addressing any gland dysfunction.