Rather than just having dry skin on her eyelids, this customer may have blepharitis, a condition in which the rims of the eyelids become inflamed. This can lead to redness, itchiness, flakiness and slight swelling, often accompanied by a small amount of discharge, which causes the eyelashes to be a little stuck together in the morning, and a sensation of grittiness in the eyes. The condition usually affects both eyes at the same time and, while it isn’t serious in itself, it does require management in order to prevent complications.

Self care measures are often very effective: cleaning the eyelids of any debris by gently wiping using a clean cloth or cotton bud wet with a very dilute solution of baby shampoo and warm water and repeating this twice daily to start with, then once a day as symptoms improve; applying a warm compress, such as a clean cloth soaked in hot water and then wrung out, to closed eyelids for five to 10 minutes once or twice a day; briefly massaging the eyelids before applying the compress may be beneficial; avoiding eye make-up. 

Note that blepharitis is a chronic condition so needs ongoing maintenance following these steps. Cases that don’t respond should be referred to a GP or optometrist and may require a topical antibiotic such as chloramphenicol or even oral antibiotics.