Waking up with an upper swollen, or puffy, eyelid can be disturbing and uneasy, but with these treatments, the issue can be alleviated. An upper swollen eyelid occurs due to an inflammation, an infection, a blocked tear duct or oil gland, or an eye allergy. The tissues surrounding the eye build up fluid to fight off infection and causes swelling.
What Causes Swollen Upper Eyelid?
1. Conjunctivitis
Also called “pink eye,” conjunctivitis is a bacterial infection on the surface area of the eye. This infection causes inflammation, redness, and watery itchy eyes with drain. It is extremely contagious, for that reason it is essential to avoid touching your eyes or sharing eye items. Antibiotic drops from your doctor are normally had to recover the infection.
2. Infected Tear Duct
This is an infection most common in babies that causes inflammation and excess tearing. Babies might be born with a tear duct that is too little, and minor surgery might be needed if the condition does not improve after they turn a year old to unblock the duct. For treatment of adult tear duct infection, a warm compress used a number of times daily can help with drain and pain, and antibiotics might be needed for recovery.
We have special article about swollen tear duct.
3. Stye
A stye, or hordeolum, takes place usually due to a bacterial infection. It is an abscess that appears like a little red, pimple-like lump appearing near the inside or outside of the eyelid itself. Styes are brought on by the staphylococcus bacteria, which reside on the skin. The pain can be alleviated with a warm compress, but the condition may require treatment with antibiotics if it does not react after a couple of days.
4. Infection of Eyelid Skin
This can occur due to the extended infection from a stye. If the stye is not dealt with or does not recover, the infection can infect the eyelid. If antibiotics do not efficiently combat the infection, a CAT scan might be essential to dismiss other more major infections.
Other Causes of a Swollen Upper Eyelid
5. Chalazion
A chalazion looks just like a stye, but it is not an infection. They are red bumps, but are painless, triggered by a blockage of oil glands in the eyelid that supply lubrication to the eye. They can disappear by themselves in about a month, or warm compresses can be used to speed healing.
6. Epidermal Inclusion Cyst
This kind of cyst takes place under the eyelid and might be present from the time of birth. These cysts may also develop after surgery or a trauma. The only way to treat this condition is with surgery to remove the sore.
7. Eye Allergies
Common allergens, such as dust, mold, mites, and pollen can likewise aggravate the eyes. Your body immune system overreacts to the irritant present, causing swelling, inflammation, and pain. It can likewise be brought on by a makeup allergy. The primary step is to stop using eye makeup to identify if that is the cause, and to take an antihistamine designed to stop the allergic reaction and alleviate symptoms.
Warning
Call your doctor immediately if you experience eyelid swelling that intensifies rapidly, causes pus-like drainage from the eye, or is accompanied by a fever, vision problems or a rash near the eye.
To determine the causes of puffy eyelids, you need to analyze the accompanying symptoms. It is worth paying attention to such signs as:
decreased visual acuity;
pain on palpation;
Increased body temperature;
purulent discharge;
redness of the eyelids;
burning
But even if you don’t have any additional symptoms, it doesn’t mean you can ignore the swelling of the upper eyelids. Most often there are reactive edemas, which are characterized by inflammatory processes in the surrounding tissues (e.g., sinuses). Often the symptom is a sign of pathological changes in the kidneys and the cardiovascular system. Additional symptoms will only help the ophthalmologist in the diagnosis.
Causes of eyelid edema
Often, edema of the eyelids is one of the first signs of a disease that indicates the need for an early examination. Allergic eyelid edema can be a manifestation of angioedema Quincke’s, with a characteristic sudden onset and rapid disappearance. Such edema is usually unilateral, very significant, developing on the upper eyelid, but not accompanied by any subjective sensations. Its cause is an allergic reaction, which developed under the influence of allergens, for example, food products: eggs, milk, chocolate, citrus fruits, strawberries, different types of fish products, some flowers and other specific or nonspecific irritants, as well as some medicines and cosmetics.
In addition, swollen eyelids are caused by diseases of the kidneys, heart, liver and connective tissue. Diseases of the eyelids and orbit, may also be accompanied by edema. With kidney disease, edema appears on the face and especially on the upper eyelids. Often, renal edema is very watery.
In some cases, edema of the upper eyelids is due to eyelid tumors, including squamous cell carcinoma, or disorders in which edema is not a symptom – trauma, burns, skull base fracture, postoperative conditions. Today we know quite a significant number of reasons for puffy eyelids. But it is absolutely certain that edema is not connected in any way with prolonged work at the computer and eye strain.
Swelling of the upper eyelids is sometimes confused with blepharohalasis – the formation of a slightly sagging skin fold, outside the upper eyelid. Blepharohalasis usually occurs in older people and is associated with age-related weakening of the connective tissue of the upper eyelid. It is more of a cosmetic problem, and can be corrected by cosmetic surgery.
Eyelid edema treatment that I learned from specialists
Eyelid edema treatment begins with the identification and elimination of the cause of its occurrence. To treat a swollen eyelid of an allergic nature, first of all contact with the allergen is eliminated. The swelling is resolved directly with cold compresses and local application of glucocorticoids (for example, 0,1% fluorometholone ointment) or systemic antihistamines.
Edema of the upper or lower eyelids caused by an insect bite, which is characterized by a pale papule with a dotted hemorrhagic center, does not need to be treated. Within a couple of days, it disappears on its own.
Since the main cause of edema of the upper eyelids is an excess of fluid in the body, the use of diuretics is very appropriate for its treatment. In this case, you can not use medicines, and do with folk remedies – infusions, decoctions and teas.
When the cause of the swelling is an eye inflammation or a cold, this condition is resolved by applying antibacterial eye drops which must necessarily contain a vasoconstrictor.
Swelling that occurs from time to time due to failure to sleep or our abuse, can easily be removed by cosmetic means – massage, masks, “washing” with ice.