Eyelids are movable folds of skin that protect our eyes from dryness, dust, bright light and other negative factors of the surrounding world.
The top of the eyelids is covered with thin and delicate skin, penetrated by a large number of blood vessels.
Beneath the skin is muscle tissue that allows you to easily open and close your eyes.
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Diseases of the skin around the eyes and eyelids. Diagnosis and treatment
2 Diseases of the skin around the eyes and eyelids. Diagnosis and treatment
3 Diseases of the skin around the eyes and eyelids. Diagnosis and treatment
At the back of the eyelid are the meibomian glands, which produce a liquid secretion to keep our eyes moist and improve the contact between the eyelids and the ocular surface.
The mucous membrane of the eye is lined by the conjunctiva with lacrimal glands, which contributes to additional hydration of the eyeball and protection against infections.
Inflammation of each of the organs that make up the eyelid causes the development of a number of characteristic diseases.
Symptoms of puffy eyes
Experts consider two options for swelling: when the eyelids, conjunctiva, orbits or subcutaneous tissue under the eyes swell. Both or one eye may swell, most often without additional symptoms. Unilateral swelling in the absence of other symptoms is usually not a cause for concern. But if there is severe swelling of the upper and lower eyelids (on one or both sides), it is worth checking your health. Along with swelling, the following symptoms may appear:
- limited vision (especially due to severe swelling);
- profuse lacrimation;
- photophobia;
- feeling of dryness;
- peeling of the skin.
Sometimes, with severe swelling, mucous discharge appears. They may have a sticky consistency, be wet or dried out. Swelling of the eyelids can also be accompanied by pain, redness, and irritation of the mucous membrane.
Pathologies
Inflammatory diseases of skin folds are acute and chronic. It can affect the upper, lower eyelid, or both eyes at the same time.
Acute
Among the most common acute ones:
- Barley. External (purulent inflammation of the hair follicle) or internal (meibomian gland). Caused by Staphylococcus aureus disease.
- Furuncle. Purulent necrotic inflammation of the hair follicle, sebaceous glands and surrounding connective tissue. Localized on the upper eyelid, in the eyebrow area. Rarely on the edge of the eyelid in the area of the outer canthus. The causative agent is staphylococcus.
- Dacryoadenitis is inflammation of the upper eyelid. Complications after common infections (flu, sore throat, etc.)
- Dermatitis. Occurs as a result of allergies, gastrointestinal disorders, autoimmune diseases. To the symptoms listed above are added itching, peeling, and rashes in the form of blisters.
Less common are eyelid abscess and phlegmon.
Chronic
Chronic diseases include:
- Blepharitis is inflammation of the edges of the eyelids. Caused by skin bacteria. Demodectic blepharitis - caused by mites of the genus demodex. There is redness and swelling of the edges of the eyelids. Itching. Eyelash loss. With ulcerative blepharitis, there are ulcers and purulent crusts.
- Chalazion is a proliferative inflammation of the meibomian gland and the cartilage around it. It can occur both after barley and independently.
Blepharitis and chalazion are often combined with conjunctivitis.
Causes leading to swelling of the eyes
Short-term swelling, which goes away quickly and independently, is usually not associated with external factors, diseases, or physiology. More often it is caused by the following factors:
- poor nutrition (drinking large amounts of liquid before bed, drinking alcohol, addiction to smoked meats, spicy, salty foods);
- stress;
- cry;
- violation of wearing contact lenses;
- visual stress;
- individual characteristics of the body;
- violation of the work and rest schedule;
- bad habits;
- constant lack of sleep.
Other subjective symptoms of eyelid swelling include a burning sensation, blurred vision, and redness of the sclera. Usually they are persistent and pronounced, which once again confirms the presence of ocular or systemic diseases.
Causes of inflammation of the eyelids
Inflammation of the eyelids can be caused by the following reasons:
- pathological activity of mites living in the skin (a common phenomenon when the immune system is weakened);
- allergic reactions to certain types of medications, plant pollen, food;
- viral and microbial infections in the body;
- chemical, thermal and mechanical eye injuries;
- disruption of the cardiovascular and nervous systems;
- endocrine and hormonal disruptions.
1 Diseases of the skin around the eyes and inflammation of the eyelids. Diagnosis and treatment
2 Diseases of the skin around the eyes and inflammation of the eyelids. Diagnosis and treatment
3 Diseases of the skin around the eyes and inflammation of the eyelids. Diagnosis and treatment
Could swelling be a symptom of an allergy?
An allergic reaction is one of the common causes of swelling. This happens because mast cells release biologically active proteins to neutralize allergens. But when combined with irritants, they cause a reaction that is similar to inflammation. Hence the swelling and redness of the eyelids. Among the ophthalmological causes of eyelid swelling, the most common are:
- glaucoma;
- conjunctivitis;
- periorbital cellulitis;
- eyelid tumors;
- injuries;
- insect bites;
- thermal, chemical burns.
Often the appearance of swelling is the body’s reaction to smoke, dust and other irritants from the external environment.
Why does swelling of the eyelid occur?
The skin's ability to stretch, loose structure and a large number of blood vessels lead to fluid quickly accumulating in the eye area.
There are various reasons for the appearance of swelling of the eyelids, but from the symptoms you can understand what triggered fluid retention in the body.
If the swelling of the eyelid is bilateral, combined with other edema of the body, and the skin on the eyelids is pale and cold to the touch, this indicates renal or heart failure, as well as severe anemia.
Swelling of the eyelid also occurs with head injuries and angioedema.
Many inflammatory eye diseases, such as the following, are also accompanied by swelling of the eyelids:
- stye, abscess, blepharitis, contact dermatitis and other inflammations of the eyelids;
- diseases of the paranasal sinuses;
- acute purulent, pseudo- and membranous conjunctivitis;
- phlegmon, acute dacryocystitis and other diseases of the lacrimal sac;
- ednophthalmitis, iridocyclitis and other pathologies of the eyeball.
Swelling of the eyelids (most often unilateral) is characterized by redness of the skin, pain on palpation and a local increase in temperature.
Why does swelling occur in dry eye syndrome?
Dry eye syndrome (DES) is a pathological condition that is based on a violation of the stability of the tear film.
It provides nutrition, hydration and protection to the cornea. But when few tears are produced or their composition changes, the tear film quickly begins to evaporate. Because of this, the mucous membrane dries out, a burning sensation, itching, redness, and swelling appears.
Various reasons contribute to the development of dry eye syndrome. This could be taking antidepressants, antihistamines, working at a computer for a long time, or staying in a room with dry air. Dry eye syndrome may progress during sun exposure (summer) because too much air temperature causes tears to evaporate.
You can compensate for moisture deficiency with the help of tear substitutes. These are special drops that contain moisturizing components. But, despite the fact that they have a composition close to tears, they do not contain mucins and lipids, which help the tear film to adhere to the surface of the eyeball and maintain stability.
One of the effective ways to restore the tear film is the use of Delfanto® in capsules. They contain a record amount of antioxidants (at least 35%), which help stimulate the production of your own tears.
Treatment
Pre-hospital assistance
In case of burns, rinse the eye with running water. The use of alkalis and acids to neutralize the effects of chemicals is prohibited. For trauma patients, a bandage should be applied to provide rest and eliminate eye movements and visual strain. You cannot remove foreign bodies yourself, so as not to aggravate the damage. For all eye diseases, it is important to observe the rules of personal hygiene.
Conservative therapy
Conservative treatment tactics are determined by the cause of swelling under the eyes. The following drugs can be used:
- Painkillers
. Analgesics in drops are administered to reduce pain during the examination. Subsequently, tablet forms are prescribed. - Antibiotics
. In the first days, broad-spectrum antibacterial agents are used. After receiving the result of the microbiological study, the treatment regimen is adjusted taking into account antibiotic sensitivity. - Antiseptics
. Indicated for conjunctivitis, after removal of superficial foreign bodies. - Reparation stimulants
. Necessary for corneal damage due to wounds, erosions, post-traumatic defects. - Antihistamines
. Recommended for allergic diseases.
According to indications, parabulbar, retrobulbar, subconjunctival injections are performed. Physiotherapeutic techniques are used and eyelid massage is performed.
Surgery
Taking into account the nature of the pathology, the following surgical interventions can be performed:
- Traumatic injuries
: suturing the eyelid, conjunctiva or cornea, removal of foreign bodies of the conjunctiva and cornea, necrectomy and keratoplasty for burns. - Purulent processes
: opening of barley, dacryocystorhinostomy, vitrectomy, evisceration, enucleation of the eyeball. - Other eye diseases
: penetrating keratoplasty, corneal transplantation.
In the long-term period after injuries and purulent diseases, some patients require elimination of ptosis, correction of eversion or entropion of the eyelid, antiglaucomatous operations for secondary glaucoma, and other interventions.
What diseases can cause swollen eyes?
This symptom accompanies not only ophthalmological pathologies. It may be associated with systemic diseases. For example:
- gastrointestinal diseases;
- pathologies of the pituitary gland, thyroid gland;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- infectious, viral diseases;
- liver and kidney diseases.
The list goes on, because there are more than 70 diseases that are accompanied by swelling of the eyelids. This could indicate problems with almost any organ.
Tests and diagnostics
Examination of a patient by an ophthalmologist. This is usually enough to identify the disease and make a diagnosis. If necessary, additional examinations are prescribed:
- Culture of eye discharge.
- demodicosis is suspected .
- Ultrasound.
- Biochemical tests to assess kidney and liver function.
- Determination of the level of specific IgE in allergic diseases.
- Tests with allergens (nasal/conjunctival) in case the results of determining allergen-specific IgE are questionable.
How to remove puffiness under the eyes?
It is difficult to immediately determine the cause of swelling. But you can try to eliminate provoking factors, for example, normalize your daily routine, diet, and get rid of bad habits.
If swelling is persistent, you need to seek medical help. Only a specialist can determine the reason why the eyelids are swollen and prescribe therapy.
If there is reason to believe that swelling of the eyelids is associated with everyday factors (crying, working at the computer, sleep disturbances, etc.), you can try to cope with this problem yourself. For example, using cold compresses. Cold causes blood vessels to contract, which reduces swelling.
Sometimes chilled tea bags can help relieve swelling quickly. Tea contains caffeine, which helps remove excess fluid from tissues. Tea bags must be applied for 15-20 minutes.
You can also try to remove swelling with massage (10-15 minutes a day). You also need to get good rest. Sleep should last at least 7 hours a day, and it is advisable to go to bed at the same time.
If swelling still periodically reminds itself, then you need to seek help from a specialist. Early detection of pathologies that cause swelling of the eyelids helps prevent serious complications.
If swelling is accompanied by a burning sensation, dry eyes, itching, irritation, you should take Delfanto® capsules regularly. They help increase the production of tear fluid by 89%, due to which the cornea and conjunctiva receive natural hydration.
Pathogenesis
In the pathogenesis of any edema, the following are important:
- increased permeability of the vascular wall;
- high intravascular pressure;
- a decrease in the level of proteins in the blood that hold the liquid part of the blood inside the vessel;
- increased concentration of salts in tissues;
- disruption of the outflow of venous blood and lymph.
The development of swelling of the eyelids is facilitated by the increased extensibility of the skin in this area, good blood supply, loose fatty tissue that can accumulate fluid and poor development of the muscles that provide elasticity to the eyelids. If we consider allergic edema, then all allergy symptoms, including swelling, are associated with the release of mediators from mast cells and basophils. The main mediator of the immediate response is histamine . Through H1 and H2 receptors, this mediator causes vasodilation, increased vascular permeability and the formation of prostaglandins (inflammatory mediators). These mechanisms explain the development of allergic tissue edema .
List of sources
- Kucherova A.A., Osidach N.V., Pobedennaya G.P. On the issue of differential diagnosis of conjunctivitis / Clinical immunology. Allergology. Infectology. 2015.— No. 1 (80), p. 49-51.
- Zaikov S.V. Allergic conjunctivitis: clinical picture, diagnosis, treatment/ Clinical immunology. Allergology. Infectology. – 2011. – No. 1. – P. 38–43.
- Avetisov S. E. Ophthalmology. National leadership. Brief edition 2021, 736 pp.
- Sidorenko E. I., Dubovskaya L. A. Eye diseases 2010.
