Puffy eyelids most often occur when there is inflammation or excess fluid (edema) in the connective tissue surrounding the eye. Often this symptom is also called a little more simply - swollen eyes, although they mean the tissues surrounding it, and not the eyeballs themselves. Swollen eyelids can be painful or not, appear on one side or both, both on the upper and lower eyelids (usually on both).
There are numerous causes of swollen eyes, including eye infections, and most commonly allergic reactions.
But swelling of the eyelids can also be a sign of more serious health problems that even threaten vision, and sometimes life. These, for example, include orbital cellulitis (terrible inflammation), Graves' disease (an immune hereditary disease) and ocular herpes (painful because the nerves are affected).
It is important to take your eyes to a doctor for a thorough examination, especially if symptoms persist, worsen, or change.
Puffy eyelids are just one symptom that points to an underlying cause, such as an allergy or infection. In most cases, one or more accompanying symptoms are observed:
The term puffy eyes is often used interchangeably with puffy eyes in conversation. But "puffy eyes" is typically used to describe an immune response to an allergy, infection or injury, while "puffy eyes" is more often used to describe the appearance that occurs due to water retention or lack of sleep. or genetic traits such as dark circles under the eyes.
There are many possible causes of swollen eyes, ranging from the commonplace to the potentially sight-threatening.
I have allergies . An allergic reaction in the body occurs when the immune system overreacts to a foreign substance called an allergen. This can be pollen, dust, pet hair, and some eye drops, contact lenses and solutions for them contain the most common eye allergens. An allergic reaction to cosmetics is also known as a culprit for puffy eyes.
Allergies occur when the body produces what are called “transmitters” to protect it from allergens to which it is sensitive.
The most common of these mediators is histamine, which causes the blood vessels in the eye to dilate and swell, the mucous membranes to itch, and the eyes to become red, swollen, and watery.
Conjunctivitis . A common problem, also called “rabbit eyes”. Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the mucous surface of the eyes (conjunctiva). Allergic, bacterial or viral, such inflammation can cause swelling of the eyelids, among other symptoms such as redness, discharge and itching.
Barley . _ It usually appears as a swollen, reddish bump on the edge of the eyelid. It is caused by a bacterial infection, which leads to blockage and inflammation of the meibomian gland. When these sebaceous glands become blocked, swollen eyelids are a typical symptom. A stye can cause swelling of the entire eyelid and is soft to the touch.
Chalazion . This inflammation is also caused by a blocked meibomian gland, and at the first stage resembles a stye, but then without treatment can develop into hard sebaceous cysts. Another difference is that a stye occurs at the edge of the eyelid, while a chalazion develops away from the edge and then moves closer to it. Like a stye, a chalazion causes swelling of the eyelid and tenderness of the affected area.
Eye injuries . Any injury to the eye area, including the eyelid, can cause inflammation and swelling. If this is a bruise, then, in most cases, the cause will be clearly visible, which will be indicated by a “bruise” around the eye, which is popularly called a “black eye.” But other types of injuries are also possible, leading to swelling of the eyelids, the causes of which are not so obvious.
Prolonged crying. Tears are an important component of eye health and are needed for cleansing, lubrication and protection. They pass through the nasal cavity, which explains a runny nose after excessive tear production.
There are three types of tears:
Crying makes the most of your tear glands, causing them to produce a continuous stream of emotional tears. When this occurs, the tissues around the eyes absorb some of the excess fluid, causing the eyes to become temporarily swollen.
Additionally, the autonomic nervous system responds to strong emotions, such as the urge to cry, by increasing blood flow to the face, further contributing to swelling of the eyelids.
Puffiness around the eyes is usually not the only side effect after prolonged crying. Headache and drowsiness may also occur. It has been proven that screaming can make you feel physically and emotionally better, as good as crying, which serves to flush out excess toxins produced during times of increased stress.
Wearing lenses . Improper contact lens care, such as poor cleaning, bathing in them, or wearing the wrong ones, can cause infection in the eye and swollen eyelids. Using damaged contact lenses can also irritate the eyes and cause swelling of the eyelids.
Blepharitis. This includes various diseases that manifest themselves in damage to the edge of the eyelids (eyelash part). Usually the problem is caused by a malfunction of the sebaceous glands of the eyelids. Most often, the causes of this are related to bacterial infections (Staphylococcus aureus), but can also be attributed to acne or dry eye syndrome.
Blepharitis is accompanied by swelling and soreness of the eyelids (especially their edges), peeling of the skin and loss of eyelashes. Depending on its type, the symptoms may change slightly and be supplemented.
In most cases, the disease is chronic, meaning symptoms can be controlled with proper treatment and good hygiene, but it is never completely cured.
Orbital cellulite . This is a rare but serious inflammation of the tissues surrounding the eye caused by a bacterial infection. In this case, painful swelling appears in the upper and lower eyelids, and sometimes also in the eyebrows and cheeks. Other symptoms include bulging eyes, decreased vision, fever, and pain in the eyes when moving them.
Orbital cellulitis is a medical emergency requiring intravenous antibiotics under medical supervision. This will help prevent possible consequences such as damage to the optic nerve, loss of part of vision or even complete blindness, as well as other serious complications.
If the spread of infection is limited to the soft tissues of the eyelids, then it is called periorbital cellulitis , which is less serious than orbital and is often treated without hospitalization . However, sudden onset of the symptoms listed above should be considered a medical emergency until proven otherwise.
Ocular herpes. It is caused by the common herpes virus or chickenpox, which leads to inflammation (and sometimes scarring) of the cornea.
Symptoms of ocular herpes are often similar to conjunctivitis, but may also include painful sores on the eyelid, blurred vision due to clouding of the cornea, and swollen eyelashes that may be so enlarged that they cannot see at all.
Types of ocular herpes range from mild infections to more serious eye health problems that can lead to the need for a corneal transplant or even vision loss.
Graves' disease. This eye inherited autoimmune disease, resulting from an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism), is often accompanied by swollen, puffy eyelids and bulging eyes, as well as double vision and loss of elasticity of the skin of the upper eyelid (ptosis). If you notice any of these symptoms, see an eye doctor as soon as possible for proper diagnosis and treatment.
Ocular herpes Chalazion Conjunctivitis
Non-compliance with the rules when wearing contact lenses Orbital cellulitis Crying
Eye injury Stye on the eye
There are not all possible causes of swollen eyes. Some additional ones are listed below:
Dehydration of the body.
Treatment for swollen eyelids depends on the cause. In rare cases, the ophthalmologist may prescribe hospitalization with serious drug treatment. But more often it will be enough to use prescribed eye drops, ointments, and gels at home.
And if the eyelids are swollen due to allergies, antihistamine eye drops or oral medications are prescribed, and “artificial tears” as a lubricant can help relieve symptoms. An eye doctor may also recommend "mild" steroid drops for more severe allergic reactions.
Other causes, such as infection, conjunctivitis or ocular herpes, respond well to antiviral and anti-inflammatory eye drops, ointments and antibiotics.
Minor eyelid swelling can be alleviated with home remedies. But above all, do not rub your eyes, as this will only make the condition worse.
Also, if you wear contact lenses, remove them while the swelling goes down.
Applying a cool compress or splashing cold water on closed, swollen eyelids can help relieve the problem in some cases.
If the symptoms do not go away, worsen, or eye pain also appears, contact your eye doctor immediately to rule out more serious causes of eye swelling.
Contact lens wearers should try to minimize the risk of eye infection or irritation by practicing proper lens use practices, including frequent replacement or daily use of contact lenses.
As you know, many diseases of internal organs can be diagnosed by external signs, including the condition of the skin. Let's try to figure out what pathologies such a symptom as red palms can tell about.
In some cases, red palms are normal. For example, during pregnancy, when vascular activity increases significantly. The reddish color of the palms may be a congenital feature in which there is too close proximity of blood vessels in the skin. Also, redness of the palms can be caused by overheating or low temperatures, exposure to cold wind, contact with hot objects and other external factors, when eliminated, the symptom disappears. In other cases, the appearance of red palms should alert you.
Let's look at the most likely causes of red palms.
Redness of the palms, as well as the appearance of a red rash on them, may be a manifestation of an allergy. In this case, allergens most often include substances contained in household chemicals and cosmetics, as well as some medications and food products. In severe cases, under the influence of factors to which there is an increased sensitivity of the immune system, chronic eczema can develop - inflammation of the surface layers of the skin. Then the redness and rash are accompanied by symptoms such as:
If your palms are red for a long time and also burn, this may be one of the symptoms of liver disease. In most cases, this sign indicates that the liver cannot cope with the processing of toxic substances that come with food, alcoholic beverages, or are produced as a result of infectious processes in the body. Redness of the palms may indicate cirrhosis, hepatitis, hepatosis and other liver diseases. But it is worth noting that other symptoms are usually observed:
Red palms, if there is also periodic numbness in the hands and a feeling that the hands are “burning,” may indicate a lack of vitamin B in the body. In addition to this, other alarming manifestations gradually appear:
As a rule, vitamin deficiency is associated with poor nutrition, which affects the state of the cardiovascular, nervous, endocrine and immune systems.
If bright red spots appear in the form of clusters of small dots on the palms and inner surface of the fingers, but there is no pain, and there is no sweating, this may indicate Lane's disease. The same signs can be observed on the surface of the feet. There are also atypical manifestations of Lane's disease, in which the spots that appear change color and itch.
The appearance of redness on the palms can be a manifestation of palmar psoriasis. In this case, papules or round plaques with a scaly surface also appear, and itching is present. Often similar skin manifestations are observed in other parts of the body.
What to do if your palms are red?
If this symptom is detected, it is recommended to consult a doctor, even if there are no other alarming symptoms. In many cases, a general and biochemical blood test, ultrasound of internal organs, and external examination allow a specialist to identify the causes of this phenomenon and prescribe treatment.