What causes sunken eyes: causes and treatment

A distinctive feature of bulging eyes is a white gap, which is noticeable when looking down, between the upper eyelid and the iris. In addition, with bulging eyes, the color of the skin of the eyelids changes. It becomes somewhat darker and acquires a bluish tint.

Many people believe that an ophthalmologist should solve the problem of bulging eyes, but this is not always the case. Typically, the treatment of bulging eyes is carried out by other specialists: an endocrinologist, traumatologist, neurologist, otolaryngologist or oncologist. At the same time, the choice of treatment methods is directly related to the cause that caused this condition.

What are deep-set eyes?

Deep-set eyes are quite common. Among the star beauties, Kate Moss, Keira Knightley, Claudia Schiffer, Cate Blanchett and Eva Green have such eyes. With this feature of the facial structure, the eyes seem sunken, “pressed” inward, and the upper movable eyelid almost completely disappears from view. Therefore, the main task when creating makeup for deep-set eyes is to “bring” them to the fore. Never add dark shades of eyeshadow to the crease of your eyelid, this will only make the situation worse. Follow the basic eyeshadow pattern below.

Apply a light shade of eyeshadow with shimmer to the entire eyelid up to the outer corner of the eye, as well as to the area under the eyebrow. This will help visually “pull out” the eyes a little (use the same technique for small eyes).

Shade the shadows of the so-called intermediate shade in the area above the crease and along the orbital line.

Apply the darkest shade of eyeshadow along the upper lash line, as well as in the outer corner of the eye. You can also line the mucous contour of the lower eyelid with a light pencil to “open up” your eyes a little. And never darken your lower eyelid!

Mistakes that should not be made

The line of the eyebrows is extremely important: the lower they are, the better the imperfections are visible.
Moreover, you should not make the shape of a “house”, as you risk looking like a constantly surprised person.
We recommend emphasizing the lines of the eyebrows with basic shadows - they are applied first.
The “darkened eyelid” method does not work for this eye shape. A dark color will only “press” them even more visually.
Darkening of the moving fold is not recommended.
The eyeliner should be very thin, natural, directly at the lash line, only in this case you will be able to get the effect of a “fresh look”.

How to choose eye shadow for deep-set eyes?

The choice of shadows is influenced primarily not by the shape of the eyes, but by their color. So focus on the shades that best suit brown, green, gray or blue eyes - we wrote more about this here. But still, some tips can be given especially for girls with deep-set eyes.

Shadows with shimmer help make the eyes more prominent, add shine and volume. But you can also use matte light shadows if you don't like shiny shadows.

We recommend reading:

Smokey eye with shimmer
Makeup options with shimmer shadows
Test drive: shadows with shimmer

Use purple and pink eyeshadow with caution. Since in your case the eyes sit deeper, the effect of tear-stained eyes is much easier to achieve than usual: there is not enough space to separate the shadows of this color from the eye itself with eyeliner.

Diagnostics

Accurate, timely diagnosis of exophthalmos is very important to speed up the initiation of treatment for the underlying disease. Of course, bulging eyes may be false, but any suspicion of the presence of such a deviation should still force you to seek medical help from an ophthalmologist or therapist. And the doctor, based on the collected medical history, will recommend the right specialist.

With the help of modern diagnostic methods, the presence of exophthalmos or its absence is quickly established. To do this, do:

Ophthalmological examination;
Magnetic resonance or computed tomography.
Laboratory research.

Makeup for deep-set eyes: step-by-step photo instructions

To get beautiful winged eye makeup, follow this technique.

Using shadows of a medium shade (for example, golden with strong shimmer), outline the lower eyelid with a strip, starting from the middle towards the outer corner of the eyes and, as it were, continuing the line of the lower eyelid upward.

Using the same shadows, draw a clear line towards the outer corner of the eye, without leading it far into the crease.

Paint the resulting corner with dark shadows and blend it properly.

Add light shadows, starting from the inner corner of the eye to the border with dark shadows (shade the borders). Add the same shadows to the fixed eyelid.

Draw a classic arrow. Blend the shadows on the orbital line, pulling it upward, towards the eyebrow, so that the shading is wide and adds the missing relief.

Apply mascara to your eyelashes.

Symptoms

Variants of the course of the disease

During the course of the disease, three forms are distinguished:

An early form that occurs after a blow or injury. This is post-traumatic enophthalmos. It is characterized by the presence of fractures of the facial bones that form the orbit. It appears almost immediately after injury.
Late enophthalmos. Mainly associated with atrophic and sclerotic processes occurring in the orbital cavity.
Imaginary enophthalmos. It is also called apparent. It is always a pathology accompanying a certain disease. Atrophy develops, microphthalmos is pronounced.

The disease predominantly affects one eye. Externally, enophthalmos can be determined when the organ of vision subsides by more than 1 mm . The asymmetrical position of the eyes becomes more pronounced as the disease progresses. The early appearance appears a short time after injury. Late occurs due to hypoplasia, sclerosis, and atrophy of the tissue around the eye. The most common pathologies leading to this form are lesions of sympathetic neurons.

The main reasons are:

hemorrhage;
inflammation;
injuries.

Manifestations of the disease: how not to miss them

The main complaints of patients are decreased vision and disruption of the normal function of the affected eye. The most important thing that worries patients is that their eyes are sunken.

In addition, common symptoms may include:

loss of visual field area.
decreased visual acuity.
double vision
limited mobility of the damaged organ.
continuous constriction of the pupil.
strabismus
the appearance of a characteristic fold on the upper eyelid.
narrowing of the palpebral opening.
reduction in the size of the affected eye.

Enophthalmos is one of the manifestations of Claude-Bernard syndrome. The patient’s appearance is quite specific:

The upper eyelid is drooping while the lower eyelid is raised;
The palpebral fissure is noticeably narrowed;
Auxiliary symptoms: problems with sweating, clearly demarcated redness of one half of the face, hyperemia of the eye vessels;
The pupil does not react to light as before and is constantly in a constricted state.

Enophthalmos in a child

A child may have a congenital form of enophthalmos. It is caused by the pathological structure of the skull, the presence of microphthalmos or lipodystrophy.

Children may also have an acquired form of the pathology. In them, it is most often caused by traumatic injuries. Mechanical trauma provokes destruction of soft tissues or damage to the temporal lobe. This easily promotes eye misalignment.

The disorder is accompanied by drooping of the upper eyelid or miosis, which is accompanied by atrophy of the muscle tissue of the lens and constriction of the pupil, regardless of external factors. To cope with the disease and avoid serious deterioration in visual function, you need to show your child to a doctor as early as possible.

Causes

Smoking

Tobacco is far from a harmless substance that is abused by the majority of the population. Smoking causes many health problems, including problems with the optical system.

Nicotine has a detrimental effect on blood vessels, they gradually narrow, and oxygen circulation in the brain slows down. Due to its lack, the eyes become sunken.

In addition, according to statistics, smoking is the leading cause of age-related vision loss and total blindness.

Unstable sleep

The cause of the cosmetic defect is constant lack of sleep. If a person sleeps in fits and starts at different times of the day, and this continues for a month or more, the body responds with sunken eyeballs and pallor.

One theory says that the main function of sleep is the restoration of brain cells - oligodendrocytes. At rest, they are responsible for cellular generation, that is, it occurs throughout the body.

Emotional experiences

You can tell people's inner feelings by their eyes. Sunken eyes and eyelids may indicate that a person is experiencing stress. At the same time, the eyelids droop, this indicates a greater expenditure of nervous energy.

Optic nerve overstrain

This is one of the most common reasons why eyes sag. Overstrain of the visual analyzer occurs due to prolonged reading, working on a PC and due to long periods of watching TV.

Visual fatigue is manifested by periodic blurred vision, headaches, tearing, a feeling of sand in the eyes, double vision, increased sensitivity to light, difficulty focusing and keeping the eyes open.

Strenuous physical activity using force

Lifting heavy objects is dangerous for people who are prone to or have previously had eye diseases. Studies have shown that during intense physical exertion, compression of the optic nerve occurs, especially when holding the breath. This leads to short-term oxygen starvation.

If this is repeated regularly, the eyes begin to gradually fall inside the socket.

This applies to weightlifters and musicians who play wind instruments. Therefore, such individuals are given an annual referral to visit an ophthalmology clinic.

Dehydration

The first signs of dehydration:

poor appetite;
dry mucous membranes and skin;
cephalgia;
poor endurance;
rapid onset of fatigue;
cardiopalmus;
increase in body temperature.

If appropriate measures are not taken, dehydration will lead to sunken eyes, loss of consciousness, and convulsions. At this stage it is characterized by a complete absence of urine. A person's life is in danger.

The eyes become droopy due to the body's loss of moisture; they literally dry out. On the part of the optical system, dehydration is manifested by a deterioration in the acuity of visual perception.

Use of certain drugs

The organs of vision become depressed due to the oversaturation of the body with some components contained in the preparations. The resulting imbalance disrupts the functioning of organs.

Exhaustion

At the same time, sunken eyes and temples indicate an overexpenditure of internal resources. For normal functioning, the body needs to obtain nutrients from foods.

When a person starves himself, he tries to compensate for the lack of necessary components and draws them from stored resources. Protein consumption increases.

Atrophy of some tissues may occur, which leads to this symptom.

Age-related changes

Changes that occur in the body with age can also provoke this phenomenon. The tissues begin to sag, and the eye sockets may become enlarged. The eyes shift.

Bunny in the eye treatment

Lack of iron in the body

If the eyes have sunken and the lower eyelid has acquired a bluish tint, this indicates a lack of iron in the body.

The lack of this element is manifested by fatigue, dry mucous membranes and skin, and an addiction to spicy and salty foods. It is often impossible to determine iron deficiency visually; to diagnose it, it is necessary to undergo laboratory tests.

Possible diseases

Many signs of some diseases that can provoke this phenomenon may go unnoticed, especially when occurring in the early stages.

Pathological causes of sunken vision organs:

hypothyroidism;
hypotension;
heart attack and stroke;
childhood hypoxia;
congenital anomalies;
injuries;
diseases of the kidneys, liver and gall bladder;
trachoma;
changes in hormonal levels;
heart and vascular diseases.

If such eyes appear in a child, the cause may be hypoxia or a hereditary predisposition. In any situation, it is important to carry out diagnostics and determine what caused the defect.

Treatment

Treatment methods:

Fatigue and lack of sleep cannot be treated with medication. The body needs proper rest. 8 hours of sleep and walks in the fresh air will help overcome these problems. Reflexology and yoga help relieve fatigue.
If the cause is long-term use of medications, you must stop using them. The symptom will go away after stopping the medication after some time, when all the substances are eliminated from the body. You shouldn’t wait for a lightning-fast result, it won’t happen.
In case of emotional distress, an appointment with a psychologist is scheduled. It is important to analyze the problems that have arisen and find a solution. In case of severe psycho-emotional disorders, appropriate treatment is prescribed. Drugs that calm the nervous system are prescribed.
If your eyes are sunken due to dehydration, there is only one way out - to restore the water balance. Treatment is based on adequate fluid intake. Sometimes infusion therapy is required. It is important to control the amount of fluid entering the body.
In case of exhaustion, treatment is carried out in a hospital. Patients are prescribed a diet rich in nutrients, prescribed vitamin complexes and the use of nutritional mixtures.

Sometimes special implants help solve the problem. They are installed if there are no contraindications and in most cases with age-related changes that cannot be cured with medications.

In other cases, complex treatment of the cause is indicated. After this, the eyes will take their previous shape.

Prevention

Many defects can be prevented by following simple preventive measures.

In this case it is:

complete rest;
eight hours of sleep (go to bed and get up at the same time);
rejection of bad habits;
strengthening the immune system;
regular walks in the fresh air;
vitamin complexes (at least 2 times a year, even for absolutely healthy people).

The correct approach to treatment and implementation of preventive measures is not the last thing that needs to be done in case of eye problems. It is important to visit an ophthalmologist at least twice a year; if the cause is overexertion or stress, make an appointment with a psychologist.

Classification of enophthalmos

Ophthalmologists classify several types of enophthalmos, these include:

early;
late;
apparent.

The early form of the pathology is caused by traumatic injuries to the orbit. In this case, a fracture and displacement of its walls occurs. In such a situation, enophthalmos can be detected immediately after injury or within a short period of time after injury.

Late enophthalmos can be traumatic in nature or occur due to atrophy of the orbital tissues. The disease appears due to the resorption of hematomas and inflammation. It may also be caused by damage to the sympathetic nerve.

The apparent form of the disease is caused by atrophic lesions of the eyeball. It can also be a consequence of microphthalmos.

Preventive actions

To prevent the formation of dark circles under the eyes, it is recommended:

adhere to a regime of wakefulness and rest;
eat a balanced diet;
maintain water regime;
take vitamin and mineral supplements;
to refuse from bad habits;
do eye exercises;
avoid direct sunlight to reduce insolation;
use high-quality perfumes and cosmetics;
walk in the fresh air more often;
avoid stressful situations.

Difference between exophthalmos and enophthalmos

Enophthalmos and exophthalmos are displacements of the eyeball. The key difference lies in its direction. Exophthalmos is a forward movement of the eyeball. At the same time, the person’s eyes become bulging. Sometimes they move to the side. In medicine, exophthalmos is often called proptosis, protrusion of the eye, or bulging eyes.

To determine the degree of pathology, a special device is used - an exophthalmometer. The disease can be true or false. The first form indicates the development of anomalous processes. It is detected with tumor lesions of the orbit or brain, inflammation in the nasal sinuses or orbit, aneurysms or thrombosis of cerebral vessels. Also causing problems are damage to the orbit, Graves' disease, fractures of the base of the skull, and trichinosis. True exophthalmos can be constant, intermittent and pulsating.

A false form of pathology is typical for people who have congenital asymmetry of the bone tissues of the facial skeleton. There is also a natural asymmetry of the eyes. However, in most cases it is weakly expressed and therefore almost invisible.

To cope with exophthalmos, you need to eliminate the underlying pathology. In this case, the person needs to be examined in detail. One of the treatment methods is plastic surgery.

Exophthalmos can also be observed with thyrotoxicosis. This form of pathology is associated with the accumulation of glycosaminoglycans in retrobulbar tissue. They have a high ability to bind water.

Associated symptoms

Most often, the blurred vision is accompanied by other symptoms, the analysis of which can accurately determine the disease. Associated symptoms include:

The appearance of flashes and lightning before the eyes (damage to the retina);
frequent appearance of headaches and rainbow circles from light sources (acute attack of glaucoma);
manifestation of redness, excessive tearing, unpleasant discharge from the eyes (keratitis, etc.).