Blepharitis in children: symptoms and treatment Komarovsky. What to do if a child has blepharitis: treatment methods Prevention of blepharitis in newborns

Blepharitis is an eye disease that is characterized by bilateral damage to the edges of the eyelids. This is one of the common diseases found in ophthalmology. This eyelid disease often occurs in children, as they cannot take care of personal hygiene on their own. After playing in the sandbox and then rubbing his eyes with dirty hands, a child can easily expose his eyelids to an inflammatory process.

Causes

There are many different factors that lead to blepharitis in children:

Rubbing your eyes with dirty hands.
Reduced immunity. The cause of weakening may be hypothermia, previous infections (ARVI, acute respiratory infections and other diseases), severe fatigue.
Allergic reactions to pollen, household dust, wool and other allergens.
Staphylococcus, which can occur after a sore throat.
Demodex mite.

demodex mite

Other eye diseases.
Metabolic disorders.
Diseases of the digestive tract.
Avitaminosis.
Worm infestation.
Failure to comply with personal hygiene rules.
Diseases of the oral and nasal cavities.

Kinds

There are several types of blepharitis:

Simple.
Ulcerative.
Demodectic.
Meibomian.
Chronic.
Allergic.

Simple

Ulcerative

Demodectic

Meibomian

Chronic

Allergic

Symptoms

While observing the baby, parents may notice that the child’s eyes have changed, the eyelids have become swollen and red. It seems that the child is crying, however, these are manifestations of the disease.

Symptoms:

Tearing.
Redness and swelling of the eyelids.
Itching and burning.
Foreign body sensation.
Fear of bright light.

Now let's look at what features are characteristic of each type of blepharitis:

Simple, differently scaly. It is characterized by all of the above symptoms, and crusts form at the base of the eyelashes, which come off, forming ulcers. Eyelashes fall out along with the crusts.
Ulcerative occurs after removal of crusts. The eyelids swell even more, and deformation of the eyelids occurs. Subsequently, a pathogen may join in, and the process will become purulent.
Demodectic mange occurs through contact with mites; infection usually occurs through contact with bird feathers. This is a long-term chronic disease that is difficult to treat. The most characteristic symptom is itching and burning of the eyes.

Meibomian develops in connection with an inflammatory purulent process in the meibomian glands. A characteristic symptom will be purulent discharge when pressing on the cartilage in the corners of the eyes.
Allergic blepharitis is associated with the presence of an allergen in the environment. Important symptoms will be itching and burning, watery eyes and redness of the eyes. This is usually accompanied by sneezing.
It is called chronic when the process is repeated or cannot be cured for a long time, about 2 years.
Blepharitis in infants can be caused by adverse environmental influences or by the presence of microorganisms or viruses in the child’s body.

Sometimes blepharitis can reduce a child’s visual acuity, but this is more likely to be revealed at an appointment with an ophthalmologist.

How to diagnose the disease?

Knowing the symptoms, parents themselves can identify the presence of the disease in their child, but just to make a final diagnosis, professional diagnostics by a specialist is required, so consult a specialized doctor. But what the doctor will do is to carefully collect anamnesis, carefully examine the site of the inflammatory process, check visual acuity, take eyelashes for microscopic examination to establish the cause of the disease, and refer you for general clinical examinations in the form of a general blood test and a general urinalysis. After all the research, knowing the cause, the doctor will prescribe treatment for the child.

Treatment

It is important to maintain personal hygiene. Change the pillowcase on which your child sleeps every day. Make your child wash their hands constantly. Pets that have fur will have to be removed from the apartment during treatment.
The doctor may also prescribe physiotherapeutic procedures, this is an important component of the treatment of blepharitis. This is mainly UHF, ultraviolet irradiation, electrophoresis with the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, antibacterial agents with groups of vitamins that act locally, darsonvalization.
Diet. It is important to exclude the consumption of foods that most often cause allergies.
Etiotropic treatment. This is when the drug acts on the cause that causes this process. Antibacterial therapy is usually prescribed. Using ointments or eye drops.

Drops:

"Tobrex".
"Floxal".
"Tsipromed".
"Alomid" (for allergic reactions).
"Okomistin" (for purulent form).
"Maxidex".
"Lofox."

Ointments:

"Blepharogel".
"Demalan."
"Floxal".
Hydrocortisone ointment.
Erythromycin ointment.
Levomitin ointment.

It is also necessary to use calendula tincture, ethyl alcohol, chamomile infusion, brilliant green, in order to wipe constantly inflamed eyelids. These products are used for antiseptic purposes. Anti-inflammatory therapy is prescribed locally using hydrocortisone and furatsilin ointments.

If you have an allergic reaction, be sure to remove all possible allergens. It could be a woolen carpet, a cat, a dog, feather items, sweets, fruits and much more. Dr. Komarovsky advises using eye drops "Alomid", since they are the most effective antiallergic drug. He also recommends the following drops - “High-Krom”, “Cromoglin”, “Lecrolin”, “Cromohexal”.

Good day, friends! Due to the fact that the children's body is very vulnerable due to an incompletely developed immune system, many children become carriers of various eye diseases, which often lead to deterioration of visual functions. Such diseases include barley, conjunctivitis, blepharitis, demodicosis, etc.

Today I would like to tell you about the features of such an ophthalmological pathology as blepharitis in children. You will learn about the most common types of this disease, as well as effective methods of combating it.

As I already said, eye blepharitis often torments young patients whose immune system continues to develop, which means that the body is not yet able to fully fight various infections. Among other things, the development of this disease is facilitated by chronic diseases or slowly occurring infectious processes in the body.

hypothermia;
physical or emotional fatigue;
failure to comply with hygiene rules;
lack of vitamins;
predisposition to allergies;
foreign bodies getting into the eye.

Parents should determine the cause of blepharitis in their child as early as possible and begin treatment immediately. To do this, the baby needs to be taken to the doctor after the first signs of illness appear.

To protect children's eyes from such an unpleasant disease, you need to teach your beloved child to observe basic rules of eye hygiene and introduce him to a healthy lifestyle. In addition, it is very important to promptly eliminate concomitant diseases, especially in children under one year of age - the success of blepharitis treatment depends on this.

What is anterior blepharitis and how to treat it, read

What signs indicate the development of the disease?

The development of blepharitis is indicated by symptoms such as severe itching, redness of the eyelids and increased lacrimation. If you conduct an examination, you can detect thickening of the edges of the eyelids. Depending on the type of disease, the following signs are observed:

Squamous blepharitis is characterized by the fact that small scales form near the eyelashes, and the skin underneath becomes thin and red.
suggests the presence of characteristic purulent crusts. After their removal, scars remain on the skin, and eyelashes often fall out.
in children the symptoms are very similar to scaly. The bulbs of the river grasses begin to enlarge and formations, the so-called translucent “muffs,” appear at their roots. In some cases, changes in skin pigmentation occur.
The meibomian type of disease is characterized by the presence of small blisters appearing on the upper eyelid. They signal the beginning of the inflammatory process of the meibomian glands.

With this disease, the baby’s general well-being worsens and his activity decreases. To prevent this disease from acquiring a chronic form, in which vision gradually decreases, it should never be neglected.

With allergic blepharitis, hyperemia quickly sets in, as a result of which the eyelids swell and narrow, and the skin in the affected area is severely peeling. This is caused by an allergic reaction caused by exposure to various pathogenic microorganisms.

Features of the treatment of childhood blepharitis

Treatment of blepharitis in infants involves a conservative approach. In most cases, it is carried out under the supervision of a qualified eye doctor, however, parents can perform some procedures aimed at reducing the symptoms of the disease and improving the baby’s well-being.

Important! We are talking about treating the child’s inflamed eyelids with special solutions and medicinal ointments. This is done to remove crusts, scales and dried secretions.

Speaking about how to treat childhood blepharitis, I note that ointments that have antibacterial properties are used for this: furacilin, tetracycline, sulfonamide and hydrocortisone. By the way, many parents are worried about the fact that hydrocortisone-based ointment is hormonal.

However, as reviews show, it is successfully used to treat blepharitis in children. This drug effectively relieves redness, swelling and itching.

Ophthalmologists also prescribe antimicrobial drops that help relieve inflammation (Levomycetin, Miromistin, Sulfacyl sodium).

In more severe cases, they resort to physiotherapeutic procedures, during which UV irradiation, ultra-high frequency therapy (UHF) and electrophoresis are used (simultaneous exposure of the body to electric current and medications, in particular vitamins and antibiotics). This allows you to speed up the healing process.

To wash your hair and wash your face, use a special medicinal shampoo that has a healing effect.
Wipe your eyelids daily with a cotton swab dipped in warm soapy water (after waking up and before going to bed).
To remove scales from the eyelids, use a cotton swab (the procedure should be carried out 2 times daily).

During childhood, many children suffer from various eye diseases. Eye diseases arise due to an imperfect immune system and are very dangerous, as they can lead to vision problems. The most common ophthalmological problem is blepharitis in children, which manifests itself as inflammation of the eyelids.

This disease should not be considered very simple. After the first symptoms appear, treatment should be carried out immediately under the supervision of a doctor. Only in this case can one prevent the disease from developing into a chronic form.

Causes of the disease and its symptoms

Against the background of undeveloped immunity, various factors can provoke clinical manifestations of blepharitis. A child’s eyelids can become inflamed for various reasons, both external and internal.

External factors that provoke the development of this disease include:

Blepharitis in a child of infectious origin can be caused by various types of harmful microorganisms, such as: herpes virus, staphylococcus, fungi, Demodex mites, molluscum contagiosum.

Internal causes causing clinical manifestations are associated with the presence of various chronic diseases in the child, such as:

Allergic reactions;
Diseases of the nasopharynx and oral cavity;

Chronic anemia;
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
Avitaminosis.

When diagnosing the disease, which involves examining the eyes using a slit lamp, the doctor detects hyperemia and pronounced thickening of the edge of the eyelid. To clarify the causes of the disease and its form, a comprehensive clinical examination of the child is required.

Advice! You cannot self-medicate blepharitis in a child, since for each form of the disease special treatment must be prescribed.

Symptoms of blepharitis in a child

The symptoms of blepharitis are varied. They are closely related to the type of disease and the form of its course. In some cases, the signs of the disease are similar to the symptoms of other ailments that affect the baby's eyes in childhood. General symptoms appear as follows:

Redness of the eyelids;
Itching and burning, which intensify in the evening;
Photophobia;
Increased lacrimation.

There are many different types of the disease and with different forms of the disease special signs of its development are found:

With scaly blepharitis, small scales resembling dandruff form along the edge of the eyelid;
In the ulcerative form, purulent ulcers form along the edge of the eyelid, which are covered with a hard crust;
With a long course of the disease, meibomian blepharitis develops, the symptoms of which are expressed in the formation of small bubbles along the edge of the eye and the formation of foamy discharge after their opening.

If treatment is not carried out, then serious complications occur that affect the eyes as a whole. They are expressed:

The appearance of bleeding ulcers along the edge of the eyelid;
Significant irritation and thickening of the eyelids;
Loss of eyelashes;
In the narrowing of the palpebral fissure.

Advice! The manifestations of blepharitis in a child are so obvious and painful that they cannot be ignored. Therefore, it is important to consult a doctor at the first symptoms to save your eyes from serious damage.

Treatment of blepharitis in children

Correct treatment can be prescribed after diagnosis and determination of the cause of the disease. At the same time, strict adherence to hygiene rules is mandatory for a positive prognosis. In the mornings and evenings, you should carefully remove crusts from the inflamed eyelid using a tampon and an antiseptic using:

Calendula infusion;
Chamomile decoction.

Most often, treatment of blepharitis in a child is carried out with special ointments that have antibacterial properties:

In addition, to relieve inflammation, your doctor may recommend putting antimicrobial drops into your eyes:

Myromistinaceae;
Sulfacyl sodium;
Levomycetinaceous.

During treatment of any form of blepharitis, systemic vitamin therapy is mandatory. It is necessary to review the child’s diet and balance it. In addition, you need to strengthen the child’s immunity through hardening and outdoor sports. If necessary, treatment of blepharitis involves the prescription of immunostimulating agents.

Physiotherapeutic methods speed up the healing process:

UHF therapy;
Ultraviolet irradiation;
Electrophoresis with drugs;
Magnetotherapy;
Darsonvalization.

To cure chronic blepharitis in a child, you need to be patient. After all, even if the clinical manifestations of the disease are eliminated, relapses may appear again soon if the disease is not fully treated.

Advice! The main thing is to eliminate the causes of blepharitis. That is, first of all, you need to get rid of concomitant infections, normalize the child’s diet and take all measures to strengthen the immune system. In addition, vision should be corrected if the child is diagnosed with farsightedness, nearsightedness or astigmatism.

Prevention of blepharitis consists of following normal hygiene rules. The child needs to be taught to use a personal handkerchief and weaned from the bad habit of rubbing his eyes.

A timely visit to a medical facility and compliance with all the doctor’s recommendations will quickly save your child from the unpleasant clinical manifestations of the disease and prevent complications that can damage the eyes. It should be understood that by eliminating the cause of the disease, you can forever prevent the recurrence of blepharitis in the future.

According to etiology they distinguish:

Infectious blepharitis. It is called:

bacteria (staphylococcus, streptococcus);
herpes viruses;
fungi Pityrosporum ovale and P. orbiculare;
mites of the genus demodex;
lice.

Non-infectious blepharitis. It appears with seborrhea and eczema.

Blepharitis, according to the form of its course, can be chronic (seborrhea) and acute ulcerative and non-ulcerative. Acute ulcerative blepharitis can be caused by staphylococci. It affects the ciliary margin and involves the eyelash follicles. Acute non-ulcerative blepharitis is characterized by damage to the ciliated edge of the eye. It may be caused by an allergic reaction.

Chronic blepharitis is a non-infectious inflammation. The reasons for its appearance are still unknown. This form of the disease manifests itself as keratoconjunctivitis and may be accompanied by frequently recurring styes.

Blepharitis is a disease that often affects children at an early age. It goes on for a long time. Its appearance is favored by poor living conditions for the child, unventilated and dusty rooms. Of great importance when blepharitis appears is a decrease in the child’s immunity and resistance to negative environmental factors. Most often observed with:

seborrhea;
anemia;
deficiency of vitamins in the body;
in the presence of disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
eczema.

Blepharitis can often be accompanied by a pathological process in the nasal cavity (polyps, hypertrophic rhinitis), nasopharynx, and paranasal sinuses.

Also causes of blepharitis in children can be:

Previous infectious diseases.
Overwork.
Decreased immunity.
Worm infestation.
Getting dirt into your eyes.
Lack of vitamins.
Metabolic disease.

Symptoms

Common signs for all types and forms of blepharitis are itching, burning, hyperemia and swelling of the eyelids, fear of light, and excessive lacrimation.

Acute ulcerative blepharitis manifests itself as small pustules in the eyelash follicles. The latter disintegrate and marginal superficial ulcers form. Since the crusts fit tightly to each other, after their removal bleeding wounds remain. Because of this, during rest, eyelashes and eyelids can stick together. Often recurring ulcerative blepharitis leads to complete loss of eyelashes.

The first signs of non-ulcerative acute blepharitis are swollen and hyperemic edges of the eyelids, covered and stuck together with dried serous fluid.

Seborrheic blepharitis can be recognized by sebaceous scales formed on the edges of the eyelids, which are easily separated. In appearance, these scales will resemble dandruff. The child will experience burning, itching, and increased eye fatigue. There is redness and swelling of the eyelids.

Ulcerative blepharitis is caused by staphylococcus. This type of disease is characterized by the appearance of purulent crusts. This leads to ulceration of the edges of the eyelids and sticking of eyelashes. Due to the participation of hair follicles in this process, hair thinning occurs. Eyelashes with this type of blepharitis are brittle and short. Graying of eyelashes or their complete loss is observed. The edges of the eyelids are also subject to scarring.

Marginal blepharitis is manifested by hyperemia and thickening of the edge of the eyelids. There is a blockage of the meiobium glands, an increase in their secretion with the accumulation of a yellow-gray foaming secretion in the outer corners of the eye.

Demodectic blepharitis is caused by demodex mites, which are localized in the meibomian glands and hair follicles.

With demodectic blepharitis, a sick child will experience not only the itching characteristic of this disease, but also an increase in the edges of the eyelids with the formation of crusts.

Allergic blepharitis is characterized by itching, redness and swelling of the eyelids, dilation of blood vessels, swelling of the conjunctiva, characteristic mucous discharge from the eye, burning, and photophobia.

Diagnosis of blepharitis

Typically, such a diagnosis is established after a thorough examination and testing.

Complications

Perhaps one of the unpleasant consequences of this disease can be considered a change in the skin of the eyelids due to tissue scarring. And the most unpleasant thing is the incorrect growth of eyelashes. They begin to grow not outward, as usual, but, on the contrary, inward. Which leads to injuries to the cornea and conjunctiva. And this, in turn, will lead to the appearance of keratitis, adenomas, ulceration with subsequent darkening of the cornea of the eye.

Treatment

What can you do

Basically, blepharitis does not require urgent hospitalization and can be treated at home strictly under the supervision of a specialist.

The first aid in treating blepharitis in children is to thoroughly wash the eyes and hands. Under no circumstances should you injure your eyelids by scratching them. As soon as the first symptoms of blepharitis become noticeable, you must immediately consult a doctor for a differential diagnosis and treatment. He is the one who will help you decide what to do and how to properly care for a sick child.

What can a doctor do?

After a thorough examination, the doctor will conduct microscopic examinations to determine the exact type of disease. And then he will prescribe the correct treatment. Most often, antiseptics are prescribed for washing the eyelids, antibiotics, and antihistamines. Treatment of blepharitis is a long and tedious process. However, it can be cured if you follow all the instructions of your doctor.

Prevention

In order to avoid the development of this disease in a child, it is necessary to accustom the child to carry out simple everyday procedures:

Do not put dirty hands in your eyes.
Observe personal hygiene rules.
To wash hands.
Vitamin therapy to strengthen the immune system.
Long walks.

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The disease mainly affects children and the elderly. But it should be borne in mind that the inflammatory process on the eyelids can also occur in other age categories of citizens. If painful formations are detected on the eyelids, you should immediately consult a doctor and begin treatment.

Varieties

Blepharitis can be localized in different areas of the eyelid. If the corners of the eyes are affected, then they speak of the angular subspecies. Anterior edge view – affects the area where the eyelashes grow. When the inflammatory process spreads into the thickness of the eyelids, posterior marginal blepharitis is diagnosed.

Ulcerative

The cause of the disease is usually pathogenic microbes and bacteria. In children, the disease is usually provoked by staphylococci: aureus or epidermal.

Taking into account the etiology, the disease is divided into several types:

Meibomian type occurs when the sebaceous glands in the cartilage of the eyelid do not function properly.
Allergic, the reason for its development is an allergic factor.
Demodicosis type of disease is caused by demodex mites, which settle in the eyelash bulbs.
Scaly blepharitis is also called seborrhea; the disease has many causes, all of which are associated with problems in the body. Under the influence of the inflammatory process, scales similar to dandruff form on the eyelids.
Ulcerative blepharitis is a fairly severe type of disease. The disease is accompanied by acute pain, ulcers form on the eyelids.

Before starting treatment, the cause of the disease should be determined. This should be done by a specialist. You will not be able to get rid of diseases on your own.

Find out which antihistamine eye drops are worthy of attention. If you are faced with glaucoma, read this.

Treatment methods for bacterial conjunctivitis are described in detail in. Find out how to treat bacterial conjunctivitis in children.

Meibomian

Meibomian blepharitis is characterized by blockage of the eye's sebaceous glands, which causes inflammation. The disease has a characteristic manifestation: bubbles with oily contents begin to form on the edges of the eyelids - these are vesicles. Often this type of disease is accompanied by purulent conjunctivitis.

The cause of meibomian blepharitis is usually an infection, the focus of which can be located outside the eye. Diseases such as caries, sinusitis, tuberculosis, tonsillitis cause this type of disease. In some cases, the reason lies in disruption of the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract or endocrine system.

Treatment should begin only after a thorough diagnosis. In addition to the ophthalmologist, you will need to visit:

dermatologist;
endocrinologist;
allergist.

The therapeutic course for meibomian type of blepharitis is primarily aimed at the source of the disease. In addition, it will be necessary to restore the normal function of the sebaceous glands.

To eliminate vesicles, massage the eyelids with a glass rod, which is moistened with an antiseptic drug. The eyelids are treated with tetracycline and sulfonyl ointments.

Meibomian

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Allergic

Close contact with an allergen can cause allergic blepharitis. Allergies are provoked by:

medicines;
cosmetical tools;
plant pollen;
household chemicals;
pet hair.

There are many allergenic factors; to find out what exactly caused the disease, you will need to contact an allergist and do the necessary tests and samples.

The disease is accompanied by swelling and redness of the eyelids. In addition, the person experiences unbearable itching, the eyes water, and become sensitive to light. The disease is aggravated by exposure to an allergen, therefore, if possible, contact with the allergic factor should be avoided. Antihistamines are predominantly used in treatment.

It will not be possible to completely get rid of this type of disease. But it is possible to reduce the risk of exacerbation.

Allergic

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Demodectic

Demodectic blepharitis is accompanied by inflammation of the eyelids and the formation of scales along the growth of eyelashes. However, the nature of these formations differs from meibomian blepharitis. If there were yellowish bubbles, then white scales appear at the base of the eyelashes, which itch and can bleed when scratched. The scales resemble white crumbs.

In addition to massage and eyelid compresses, the treatment includes:

antimicrobials and antibiotics;
if a bacterial infection occurs, antiseptics will be required;
Mites can cause allergies; in this case, take antihistamines.

To speed up recovery, which will not be quick, you need to follow a diet. Spicy, salty and sweet foods are excluded from the menu. At the same time, it is necessary to strengthen the immune system in order to increase the body's resistance to the negative effects of ticks, which are not so easy to remove.

Blepharitis is not considered a contagious disease, however, demodexes can pass from one person to another.

Demodexes

Instructions for using Betoptik eye drops are presented.

Scaly

The scaly version is manifested by the formation of gray scales in the areas where eyelashes grow. The edges of the eyelids swell and turn red. When the scales are removed, the skin on the eyelids begins to turn red and gradually become covered with a yellow crust.

Symptoms of the disease appear as follows:

eyelids swell;
profuse lacrimation opens;
eyelashes stick together;
there is a feeling that there is a foreign body in the eye;
Conjunctivitis may develop.

The causes of the disease are both infectious and non-infectious. In most cases, it develops under the influence of seborrheic dermatitis, which affects the nasolabial folds or the area behind the ear.

To cure the disease you will need to maintain hygiene, strengthen the immune system, and cure concomitant diseases.

Scaly and ulcerative

A drug for the treatment of glaucoma.

Ulcerative

The cause of ulcerative blepharitis is chronic staphylococcal infection. With this form of the disease, purulent crusts appear on the eyelids. Often the pathological process affects the hair follicles, which leads to fragility and loss of eyelashes.

With a complicated version of ulcerative blepharitis, eyelash growth may stop completely. The patient's eyes quickly become tired, the eyelids swell and turn red.

Ulcerative blepharitis is the most severe form of eyelid disease. The disease requires immediate treatment; under no circumstances should you postpone a visit to the doctor.

Treatment of this form of the disease is carried out using local medications - tetracycline or erythromycin ointment. But first of all, the source of the disease must be eliminated.

Varieties (photo)

Causes of manifestations in newborns

In children, blepharitis develops under the influence of Staphylococcus aureus. An allergic option cannot be ruled out. The body of a newborn child is still very weak, the immune system has not fully formed and strengthened. Therefore, he cannot resist the disease.

The symptoms of blepharitis in infants are the same as in adults. The baby's eyelids become red and swollen, and the baby may experience itching.

It is highly undesirable to treat your baby on your own without consulting a specialist; this can lead to serious complications.

In a newborn

Disease prevention

Blepharitis is a chronic disease. It is not always possible to avoid it, but you can reduce the risk of exacerbation.

Preventive procedures include the following:

if possible, avoid contact with allergens;
maintain hygiene;
do not use someone else's towel;
strengthen immunity;
do not trigger the course of infectious diseases.

By following preventive measures, the risk of developing the disease can be significantly reduced, and in case of an existing disease, the possibility of exacerbation of the disease can be eliminated.

Blepharitis is an inflammatory process affecting both eyelids. Before you begin to treat this disease, you will need to find out what caused the inflammation. Only by addressing the root cause can you get rid of blepharitis. By following preventive measures, you can significantly reduce the risk of developing this disease.