Swelling of eyes is a frequent finding. It may involve the whole lid or may come in form of nodule. The frequent swelling of eye lid looks unsightly but also has its own repercussions. It may lead to thickening of eyelid, loss of eyelashes, change in eye power etc.
What are the possible causes?
Allergic tendencies : People with tendency for skin allergy tend to have more of lid swelling, crust formation and nodular swelling.
Oily skin : People with extra sebum secretion are prone for acne and meibomian gland block. This altered drainage leads to swelling of eyes.
Poor vision: Yes , poor vision also leads to such issues. Such people have tendency to rub their eyes or touch the eyes as they face strain while work. Frequent touching increases the chance of infection and thus swelling over eyes.
Improper cleaning of eyelids: This problem is common with females who wear heavy eye makeup. It is very important to completely remove the eye make before leaving for bed. This not only cleans the daily dust on your eyes but also protect one from infection.
Poor diabetes control: Poor control of diabetes increase the tendency for boil formation.
Hormonal therapy: Females on OCP have higher tendency for skin eruptions and hyper secretions of glands.
What should be done to avoid such situation?
It is not possible to have guarantee that one will never suffer from lid swelling in his or her life. But certain precautions and healthy lifestyle will definitely decrease the frequency.Stay away from allergens and take prophylactic anti allergics before the season begins. Focus on cleaning the eyelids whenever one washes the face. Remove the eye make up completely before going to bed. Reduce oily food consumption and drink at least 6-8 litres of water in summers. Get your eyes tested regularly to reduce the eye strain. Have a good control of your systemic illness and improve lifestyle if you are on hormone therapy.
What treatment options do I have?
Hot fomentation to the area gives relief in pain and swelling. Required oral and topical antibiotics with anti-inflammatory medicines are given to patients with moderate to severe swelling. Lid massage as told by ophthalmologist also plays role in relief. If you develop any such problem, do not wait for swelling to burst on its own as it may lead to troublesome infection of surrounding area and scarring of involved area.
Dr.Lakshmi Kuniyal
Ophthalmologist and Lifestyle advisorMathura