Doxycycline and dexamethasone as effective topical treatments for blepharitis

INTERVENTION: Current interventions as of 19/03/2009: Group 1: topical doxycycline 0.05% and topical dexamethasone 0.05% (the two drugs mixed into a single ointment) to be applied four times a day for four days, three times a day for four days, twice a day for four days and finally once a day for four days Group 2: oral doxycycline 100 mg twice a day for 16 days, and topical dexamethasone 0.05% to be applied four times a day for four days, three times a day for four days, twice a day for four days and once a day for four days Previous interventions: Group 1: topical doxycycline 0.05% and topical dexamethasone 0.05% (the two drugs mixed into a single ointment) to be applied three times a day during week 1, twice a day during week 2, and once a day during week 3 Group 2: oral doxycycline 100 mg twice/day for 14 days, then 100 mg once a day for 7 days and topical dexamethasone 0.05% to be applied three times a day during week 1, twice a day during week 2, and once a day during week 3. Updated 30/04/2014: the trial was stopped due to lack of funding. CONDITION: Blepharitis ; Eye Diseases ; Other inflammation of eyelid PRIMARY OUTCOME: Symptoms assessed with a questionnaire (with a numerical scale): improvement of comfort, assessed before first treatment (baseline) and between 1 and 7 days after the end of treatment. SECONDARY OUTCOME: 1. Presence or absence of conjunctival infection before and after treatment ; 2. Safety of topical doxycycline compared with oral doxycycline; ; Duration of follow‐up: 16 days (updated 19/03/2009; previously 20 days) INCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Both males and females, aged older than 18 years 2. No other topical treatments 3. Diagnosis of blepharitis