Swelling of the upper eyelid of one eye - causes and treatment in adults, swelling of the upper eyelids of the eyes: causes

Swelling of the upper eyelid of one or both eyes is a common ailment that can develop in both adults and children. The development of pathology can be caused by many reasons, including infectious diseases. In addition, reactive edema can develop against the background of inflammation in adjacent areas, for example, in the appendages of the sinuses. Swelling of the eyelid requires immediate treatment, since it not only creates an unpleasant cosmetic defect, but can also provoke the development of side diseases. Let's figure out why the eyelid is swollen and what to do if the eyelids are swollen.

Why does swelling occur?

There are many reasons why this symptom appears. To accurately determine the nature of the pathology, the doctor focuses on additional manifestations of the disease.

Inflammatory processes

Most often, the upper eyelid swells due to ophthalmological disorders. This occurs much less frequently in other pathologies not related to the organ of vision.

Main ocular causes:

Viral conjunctivitis.

This disease leads to swelling of the mucous membrane of the eye and its eyelids. It appears due to the introduction of viruses into the conjunctiva and the development of an inflammatory process there. The patient complains of a feeling of sand in the eye, lacrimation, photophobia, and decreased visual acuity. It happens that the patient cannot open his eyes due to increasing swelling. Most often, one eye is affected first, and after a few days the infection spreads to the other.

The infection affects the edges of the eyelids, causing them to become hyperemic and swollen. Severe itching and discomfort appears. The cause of the disease is an inflammatory process caused by bacteria and mites.

The disease develops acutely with inflammatory damage to the hair follicle of the eyelid. Over time, a swelling forms, which gradually turns into a “bump”. It contains purulent contents. After a few days, the formation opens with the release of pus. The patient's eyelid is locally hyperemic and swollen.

It is a chronic inflammation of the eyelid margin, affecting the meibomian gland and cartilage. It develops when a duct becomes blocked. A secretion begins to accumulate in it, which is an excellent breeding ground for pathogenic microbes.

As a result, a dense round formation is formed in the thickness of the cartilage, painless on palpation. The chalazion becomes noticeable from the skin and creates an aesthetic defect.

Dacryoadenitis.

This is an acute inflammation of the lacrimal gland. The causative agents of infection are viruses or bacteria. Most often this is a secondary process. It develops against the background of other diseases - acute respiratory infections, mumps, tonsillitis, measles, rotavirus and others.

The patient has severe swelling of the upper eyelid. The pathological area is hyperemic and painful. Severe, continuous lacrimation appears.

Other inflammatory causes are acute respiratory infections, frontal sinusitis.

Useful video

What is Dacryoadenitis:

Possible diseases

There are several eye diseases that often cause swelling of the upper eyelid. Often, a defect is formed as a result of an infection or virus entering the mucous membrane, which causes inflammation to develop and normal blood and fluid circulation to be disrupted. When exposed to all these factors, unilateral, less often bilateral, edema is formed.

Find out why your upper eyelids swell in the morning here.

Barley

Most often it causes swelling of one eye, which is caused by inflammation of the hair follicle of the eyelashes. The main cause of stye is the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms onto the surface of the eyes, usually Staphylococcus aureus. The disease develops against the background of reduced immunity during colds or viral diseases, vitamin deficiency. In severe cases, swelling is accompanied by the release of pus, which is strictly not recommended to be squeezed out with your hands - this can lead to various complications (meningitis or orbital phlegmon).

Dacryocystitis

This disease is associated with inflammation in the lacrimal sac, which causes a number of side effects, including swelling of the eyelid. There is an acute and chronic form, which often develops against the background of prolonged blockage of the nasolacrimal duct. The disease has many side symptoms, for example, pain and inflammation of the affected areas, profuse lacrimation. Dacryocystitis responds well to drug therapy if the disease is diagnosed in the early stages. Massage also has a good effect on dacryocystitis.

Unilateral blepharitis

This is a severe inflammatory disease of the eyelid margin, which has many clinical forms (typical, ulcerative, scaly and others). In some cases, the cause of the disease is parasitic ticks. If left untreated, the disease may actively develop, which leads to defects in the cornea, conjunctiva, and can also lead to loss of visual acuity.

Conjunctivitis

In this case, swelling of the eyelid is caused by inflammatory processes in the mucous membrane of the eyeball. The disease is always accompanied by many side symptoms, for example, burning in the eye, discharge of pus, and profuse redness of the eyelids. Timely treatment is extremely important due to the tendency of the disease to become chronic.

How to treat conjunctivitis in adults, read the material.

Allergic edema

Pathology of this type most often develops at lightning speed, but if first aid is provided in time, the symptoms begin to subside within 12 hours. Edema of this type appears due to an allergic reaction of a local or general nature. With Quincke's edema of large volume, the swelling can spread from the eyelids to the cheeks, right up to the corners of the lips. In severe cases, low-grade hyperthermia occurs, a general deterioration in health, as well as the discharge of pus. If left untreated, the disease can lead to chemosis of the conjunctiva, the development of glaucoma, and prolonged swelling of the eye area in rare cases results in the formation of exophthalmos and displacement of the eyeball.

Regardless of the causes of swelling of the upper eyelid, it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor to avoid the development of side effects. Early therapy is always more effective than treating an already advanced disease.

Possible reasons

All factors under the influence of which the eyelid under the eye is swollen are conventionally divided into physiological and pathological.

Physiological

Physiological reasons include unfavorable external factors that affect the human body. Eliminating them is much easier than various pathologies. Discomfort, hyperemia and pain can be disturbing for certain reasons:

Violation of basic hygiene rules. When you touch your eyes with unwashed hands, various microbes enter the mucous membrane and accumulate under the lower eyelid. An infectious process begins in one eye, which is accompanied by the appearance of signs such as swelling, edema and redness of the mucous membrane. On palpation, severe pain and significant narrowing of the palpebral fissure are noted.
Constant overwork and lack of sleep. In such situations, patients' blood pressure decreases, blood vessels narrow and their blood supply is disrupted.
Accumulation of too much fluid in the body. Problems with the functioning of the kidneys lead to the fact that they are not able to process large amounts of fluid drunk in a timely manner.
Using low quality cosmetics. When purchasing cosmetics, it is imperative to monitor their expiration date, since there is a high risk of developing allergic reactions and tissue swelling.
Eyelash extensions or tattooing. Constant blinking during such procedures can cause injury and damage to the skin. As a result, a person’s lower or upper eyelid swells greatly and pain develops.
Damage or injury. With any mechanical damage to the organ of vision, a tumor develops under the eye and hemorrhage occurs, accompanied by the formation of a bruise. If an open wound appears on the eyelid, scarring of the tissue is possible.

Pathological

The causes of severe swelling in the eye area and pain can be various non-infectious pathologies:

Kidney diseases. With such pathologies, the patient may swell both the upper and lower limbs, as well as the face. The symptom is complemented by the appearance of problems with urination, pain in the lumbar area and deterioration in general well-being.
Hormonal imbalance. In addition to eye swelling, signs such as mood swings, changes in voice and a feeling of constant cold appear.
Diseases of the heart and vascular system. Most often, swelling and swelling under the eyes are observed in the evening and are complemented by general weakness of the body and heart pain.

Swelling of the eyelid can appear due to viral diseases. It can be provoked by tonsillitis, tonsillitis and ARVI. In some cases, the lower eyelid of the eye swells as a result of the body's allergic reaction to exposure to various chemicals and contact with plant pollen.

Various types of infections, for example, pathologies of the eyes and nasopharynx, can provoke an unpleasant symptom. In most cases, the lower eyelid swells with barley, conjunctivitis, sinusitis and endophthalmitis. Sometimes the symptom occurs with boils formed on the cheek.

Rules for caring for eyelid skin prone to swelling

The first rule is to maintain water balance every day - drink at least 1.5-2 liters of clean water.
In the age of computer technology, people sit for hours at work computers and home laptops. Periodically you should take breaks for eye exercises.
Everything salty, fried, spicy, smoked is very tasty, but it has an adverse effect on the skin, and therefore their consumption should be minimized.
Before going to bed, be sure to wash off your makeup.
Nicotine is one of the main causes of puffiness under the eyes. If quitting smoking is not an option, then you should at least reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke per day.
Healthy, restful sleep is the key to not only a good mood, health, but also beauty. We are talking about night sleep and its duration should be at least 8 hours.

Beauty is work and natural gifts alone are not enough. You need to constantly work on yourself if you want to enjoy your own reflection in the mirror and catch the admiring glances of people around you.

The first step towards rejuvenating the skin of the face, and the eyelids in particular, is a good night's sleep, proper nutrition, water balance, regular exercise, and giving up bad habits. Compliance with these rules affects not only a person’s appearance, but also has a beneficial effect on the entire body as a whole.

Diagnosis of edema

If eye swelling does not disappear for a long time or is accompanied by additional symptoms, the patient should consult a doctor for advice. The doctor collects a thorough medical history. He may ask questions like these:

Are there any concomitant pathologies of the heart, kidneys, thyroid gland or digestive system?
Was there any contact with allergens the day before? Did any insects bite you?
What additional signs are there? For example, itching, fever, severe pain in the area of swelling.
Did you perform various cosmetic procedures the day before?
Was there a trauma of the century?
Does the patient abuse salt?
When does swelling occur? Are they present on other parts of the body?

Then the specialist begins the examination. If this is an ophthalmological disease, the doctor checks vision, performs biomicroscopy of the anterior segment of the eye, and, if necessary, takes a scraping smear from the conjunctiva. Sometimes it is necessary to do an OST, an ultrasound examination of the organ of vision.

For other pathologies, the doctor may perform the following additional examination methods:

radiography of the paranasal sinuses;
Ultrasound of the heart, kidneys, thyroid gland;
ECG;
general urine analysis;
clinical blood test;
blood chemistry;
blood test for thyroid hormones (determining the level of TSH, T3, T4);
allergy test.

Attention! If the swelling is not of an inflammatory nature, you may need to consult a specialist - a cardiologist, endocrinologist, nephrologist, allergist and others.

Causes of edema

If a woman’s eyes often swell in the morning, then first of all, she needs to reconsider her lifestyle. The reason for this phenomenon may be a large amount of coffee, tea or strong alcoholic drinks drunk the day before. Cosmetics can also cause such a defect, especially if they are not washed off at night. No matter how high-quality cosmetic products are, they are absolutely not intended to remain on the skin for a long time. Therefore, it is quite natural that swelling appeared on the face in the morning.

The skin in the eyelid area is delicate and vulnerable, so it is sensitive to any changes in the body. In addition, the problem is especially clearly visible on this part of the face due to the large number of small blood vessels in the eye area.

Many people are wondering why swelling of the upper and lower eyelids is especially visible in the morning, but by lunchtime the problem disappears? The explanation for this is quite simple. During sleep, people are in a horizontal position, so all the biofluids in the body are distributed more or less evenly throughout the body. In people who like to sleep on a soft pillow and throw their head back strongly, swelling of the upper eyelids is even more pronounced, as there is a strong rush of blood to the head.

Disorders and diseases of the visual organs

Diseases of the visual organs can also provoke swelling of the eyelids above the eyes. The most common causes of swelling are the following diseases:

Conjunctivitis. The eyes become swollen, red and itchy; in the morning it is difficult for the patient to open his eyes, since the eyelids are glued together with purulent masses. Conjunctivitis can be viral, bacterial, fungal and allergic. Treatment is selected by the doctor, depending on the root cause of the problem.
Barley. Barley can be external or internal. Often only one eye is affected. Initially, redness appears on the eyelid and severe itching occurs. As the abscess develops, a painful compaction occurs. If the abscess is external, it usually ruptures within a week and the patient’s condition immediately improves. With an internal abscess, surgical intervention is often necessary.
Dacryocystitis. With this disease, severe swelling of the eyelids is observed. The disease is characterized by obstruction of the tear duct. As a result, the outflow of tear fluid is disrupted, which leads to infection and the development of conjunctivitis. Treatment can be conservative or surgical.

Blepharitis and various eye injuries can cause swelling of the eyelids. The appearance of bags under the lower eyelids can be caused by a speck that gets on the mucous membrane.

Problems and diseases of other organs

Serious diseases of the internal organs can also lead to severely swollen eyelids in the morning:

Diseases of the kidneys and urinary system.
Heart failure.
Various heart defects.
Cirrhosis of the liver.
Vascular diseases.
Endocrinological diseases.
Circulatory disorders.

Swelling occurs with diseases of the brain and cancer. Typically, all these diseases are accompanied by a number of other symptoms that are difficult to ignore.

Treatment

The choice of treatment methods for eyelid edema depends entirely on the nature and type of pathology identified through diagnostic studies.

Swelling with severe inflammation, which is caused by infection, is treated with various forms of antibacterial or antiviral drugs. They may come in the form of drops, ointment, or eye wash solution. Physiotherapy procedures with an antiseptic effect demonstrate greater effectiveness. Treatment of edema of an infectious nature must be comprehensive to avoid the development of secondary defects;
In case of an eye injury that causes swelling of the upper eyelid, local treatment is always prescribed . This may include cold compresses, treatment with antibacterial agents, and the application of anti-inflammatory drugs. When a hematoma develops, it is necessary to use external agents to normalize circulatory function. Broad-spectrum antibiotic ointment is often used.
Treatment of edema of an allergic nature can be at home or in a hospital setting, depending on the severity of the case. Local or external antihistamines and drugs to prevent complications from the nervous and cardiac systems are always prescribed. During treatment, it is important to identify the source of the allergic reaction in order to avoid relapses in the future;
Non-inflammatory edema must be treated depending on the causes of the defect. As a rule, a complete health examination is necessary to detect possible diseases of the internal organs. When identifying congenital structural features of the eye, it is necessary to select preventive measures;
In rare cases, swelling is treated surgically, usually in the case of complications of a fatty hernia. The operation can be performed traditionally or invasively.

Okuflesh eye drops with instructions
Pain-relieving eye drops are described in this article.
Treatment of stye on the eye https://eyesdocs.ru/zabolevaniya/yachmen/chem-lechit-na-glazu-medikamentoznaya-i-narodnaya-praktika.html

Treatment with drugs and folk remedies

If the eyes are swollen due to the development of inflammation, the doctor prescribes the following groups of drugs:

Antibiotics. Broad-spectrum drugs are used if the causative agent of the infection is bacteria.
Antiviral agents. Indicated when the disease is caused by viruses. Can be used in the form of tablets, ointments and eye drops.
Antihistamines. They eliminate swelling, itching and discomfort. Indicated for allergic conjunctivitis, dermatitis, Quincke's edema. Available in the form of eye drops and tablets.
Glucocorticosteroids. Prescribed for allergic pathology. They quickly cope with swelling of the upper eyelid and eliminate unpleasant symptoms.
NSAIDs. The drugs are indicated for severe eye pain and high fever. Medicines in this group fight the inflammatory process.

How to relieve swelling with folk remedies

Alternative medicine recipes can be helpful in combating eyelid swelling. However, they should be used as an auxiliary, and not the main method of therapy. Before using folk remedies, it is recommended to consult a doctor.

Symptoms of eyelid swelling in one eye

For your information! In the absence of other symptoms, swelling of the eyelid in only one eye may be a temporary disorder due to an uncomfortable sleeping position or injury.

But this can also be a consequence of pathological conditions of any origin.

Swelling is usually accompanied by redness of the eyelid and eyeball, and based on additional specific symptoms, we can more accurately determine the cause.

Often swelling of only one eye is associated with a structural feature of the eyelid , the skin of which is thinner than it should be.

In any case, such a violation is not considered normal and is a reason to visit a doctor if the swelling is accompanied by:

persistent itching;
pain;
redness of the skin of the eyelid;
increased lacrimation;
discharge of purulent or mucous discharge.

Know! Puffiness in one eye may also indicate lack of sleep, but if the disorder does not go away within several hours after sleep and is permanent, we can talk about serious pathological causes.

How to remove drooping eyelids using cosmetology

You can get quick and effective results by contacting a cosmetologist.

One of the most common procedures is collagen lifting. The essence of the procedure is that a special collagen serum is applied to the skin of the upper eyelids, which nourishes the skin and makes it more elastic. The first results will appear in a month, with regular, at least once a week, visits to a cosmetologist.

Lymphatic drainage is another procedure that perfectly tones the skin of the eyelids and relieves swelling. This procedure is carried out both manually and using a special device.

Salons, like cosmetologists, in pursuit of clients, invent all kinds of masks, creams, and procedures to help fight drooping eyelids and puffiness around the eyes.

Prevention

To prevent swelling of the upper eyelid, the patient should follow simple rules:

Lead a healthy lifestyle.
Eliminate bad habits - smoking, drinking alcohol.
Do not eat a lot of salty and pickled foods.
Choose decorative cosmetics carefully. Before going to bed, be sure to remove your makeup.
Do not touch your eyes with your hands.
Protect your eyes from injury.
Treat all infectious diseases in a timely manner.

Puffiness under the eyes

Most often, the cause of this pathology is ailments of the internal organs. This swelling of the eyelids occurs to a greater extent in the morning. It is caused by a disease of the cardiovascular system or kidneys, impaired lymph flow or severe hypothyroidism, as well as diseases of the thyroid glands. Sometimes the causes of puffiness under the eyes are bad habits, poor diet or the use of low-quality cosmetics.

In most cases, such manifestations are bilateral, but sometimes they appear on one eyelid.

How to get rid of an impending eyelid

In the case where a drooping eyelid is a genetic gift, there is only one way to get rid of it - to go under the knife of a plastic surgeon. The procedure is called blepharoplasty, the essence of which is that a small area of skin is removed. Recently, this procedure has become very popular. However, before taking this step, you should check your health, since this procedure has contraindications, in particular problems with the thyroid gland, skin diseases, infectious diseases, etc.

What is drooping eyelid?

There is also laser blepharoplasty, but its purpose is to draw out a little fluid, but with this procedure you cannot get rid of fat or excess tissue.