Dear Dr. SerVaas: Concerning your letters about blepharitis, I wonder how many of these people had the onset of it after receiving mydriatic eye drops at the eye doctor. That's what happened to me. Also, is it contagious?

Lucille Guyer
Duluth, Minnesota

Dear Reader: You are the first person who has told us of the onset of blepharitis after receiving mydriatic eye drops to dilate the pupils. Blepharitis--a chronic inflammation of the hair follicles and glands along the edges of the eyelids--is not thought to be contagious.