Eye problem/allergies?

My 8 year old daughter has had a crusted/flaky problem with her eyelashes for about 6 months.  We've seen a doctor 3 times and each time the doctor says its allergies and has put her on eye drops, Polymoxin B Sulfate and Trimethoprim.  Her eyelashes do get a little better but then when we stop the eyedrops, it comes back and now it seems to be getting worse.  The problem doesn't crust her eyes shut overnight.  It's just produces "flakes" at the rim of her eyes where the eyelashes start.  It had started in just the top ones but now is on the bottom as well.  We use warm compresses and try to clean the eyelashes but they are difficult to clean.  It doesn't itch or hurt.  The only thing that bothers her is the comments from her classmates.  

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

The antibiotic drops can sometimes aggrevate things.  Sometimes cleaning or scrubbing eyelashes can help and sometimes makes things worse.  Sometimes steroid ointments can help for a short course of treatment - sometimes not.  The problem here is that I don't really know what the real problem is without being able to examine her eyes.  This doesn't' sound like a terrible difficult problem to resolve but you need a good ophthalmologist to work with you to address the problem.  I suspect gentle warm compresses and very, very gently eyelids cleaning a few times a week with baby shampoo or newer commercial lids scrubs by thera tears or occusoft could help as long as there is not a major allergic problem in which case the cleansing could make things worse.  Get a second opinion if you need to - but I think a good ophthalmologist should be able to a make some nice imrovements here.

MJK MD