Eyelid swelling
introduction
Swelling on the eyelid is relatively common. They are based on numerous causes that need to be clarified, especially if the symptoms do not improve relatively quickly.
Read more on the topic: Swollen eyelids
General
A distinction is made between the upper and lower eyelids, which are jointly responsible for the tight closure of the eyes and fulfill a protective function of the eye. Both the upper and lower eyelids can be affected by swelling, although in the most common cases there is swelling of the upper eyelid (see also Inflammation of the upper eyelid). The swelling can be so severe that the entire eye swells up and even the field of vision is restricted. The swelling of one of the two eyelids can also lead to a feeling of pressure or a foreign body in the area of the eye.
Read more on the topic: Swelling of the eye
Causes of eyelid swelling
There are numerous causes of swelling in the upper or lower eyelid area. Usually it is harmless causes that lead to swelling in the area of the eye. But more serious causes should also be clarified. This is especially true if there is no rapid improvement in the symptoms.
These are common and harmless causes of upper and lower eyelid swelling Fluctuations in blood pressure. If the blood pressure falls physiologically at night, fluid escapes into the tissue, which can lead to swelling, especially in the face and the eyelid area. However, the swelling of the eyelids is usually not so severe that the field of vision is restricted. It also declines within a few minutes or at most an hour. The swelling of the eyelids is always symmetrical in this case.
If a one-sided swelling of the upper or lower eyelid is seen, another cause must be looked for. A common cause of one-sided upper or lower eyelid swelling is infections of the conjunctiva (Conjunctivitis - see also Conjunctivitis). In addition to an upper or lower eyelid swelling, there is also a severe redness and a strong tear and Burn of the eye to observe.
Swelling of the upper or lower eyelid on both sides can also be caused by a Albumin deficiency occurrence. The body has a certain concentration of proteins. These are found in the blood on the one hand and in the soft tissue and cell tissue on the other. When the albumin concentration drops, there is an outflow of liquid in the direction that is denser. If the albumin concentration in the blood is low, liquid escapes to the outside into the tissue, which would lead to swelling, especially of the face and eyelids. Protein deficiency symptoms occur, for example, with malnutrition, but also with severe kidney failure. For this reason, the body is always given protein supplements in kidney diseases to prevent such swellings, among other things.
Read about this: Symptoms of renal insufficiency
Other causes of unilateral upper or lower eyelid swelling are Barley- or Hailstones. This is inflammation of the hair or sebum glands, which then swell. The reason is often bacteria (in this case mostly Staphylococci) that are on the skin and migrate into the hair cell canals. The stye is a mostly painful and rough swelling of the upper or lower eyelid, which in addition to pain can also lead to swelling. The stye is almost always one-sided.
Further causes of swelling of the upper or lower eyelid are trauma, i.e. blows to the eye or accidents (e.g. falls). A mostly dull impact leads to a hematoma and swelling in the area of the eyelid. Immediate cooling of the affected eye can reduce the swelling or make it less pronounced.
Read about it too Black eye - what to do?
Unilateral or bilateral eyelid swellings can also often be an expression of severe allergic reaction of the body. Complex and severe allergic reactions, which often lead to swelling of the eyelids, can occur, especially when eating foods to which the body is allergic. Immediate treatment is usually necessary here because it is not clear at this stage how far the allergy is progressing.
More information can be found here: Eyelid Pain - What Is The Cause?
Swelling of the eyelids from pimples or stye
Quite often, changes in the skin of the eyelids lead to swelling of the eyes. Especially pimples or so-called Barley grains can lead to an inflammatory process with simultaneous swelling of an eyelid.
Pimples are small, inflamed changes in which white blood cells migrate as the body's immune response. The pimple in the skin level is caused by the purulent filling of small blisters. As a rule, such a pimple heals very quickly. Under no circumstances should those affected manipulate the pimple in the eye area and try to push it open, as the hands are never sterile and further bacteria can be rubbed into the skin.
Inflammation in the area of the pimple can lead to inflammatory swelling of the upper or lower eyelid. This is relatively seldom the case, but it is still not without risk. Because if bacteria have penetrated the skin area of the eyelid, they can also spread further and thus lead to a systemic infection. Rapid antibiotic treatment should be initiated immediately in this case. Sometimes antibiotics are enough eye drop off, but often has to be treated with an antibiotic tablet.
At a Stye it is an inflammation of the sweat or sebum glands in the area of the eyelid margins. There is a swelling of a coarse and often painful small lump, which can cause the upper or lower eyelid to swell and make you feel like a foreign body when you blink. The treatment of such a stye can sometimes be omitted entirely because it usually limits itself. In some cases, however, it may also be necessary to use an antibiotic eye ointment or antibiotic eye drops. If there is no improvement here either, the stye must be pierced with sterile tweezers. At the same time, however, antibiotic eye drops or an eye ointment should always be put into the affected eye.
Also read: Stye - what to do?
Cause swelling of the inside of the eyelid
The swelling of the inside of the eyelid is often mechanically conditionally. In most cases, a foreign object such as a speck of dust gets under the eyelid and creates a rubbing effect by closing the eyes and blinking.As a result, the cornea of the eye is irritated, which leads to severe irritation with an uncomfortable feeling. This can result in swelling of the inside of the eyelid if countermeasures are not taken. One of the countermeasures is the rapid removal of the foreign body causing the irritation. This can be done by so-called ectropioning (the eyelid is folded up) or by rinsing the eye. Sometimes anti-inflammatory ointments or eye drops can be used to help the skin heal more quickly.
Treatment of eyelid swelling
Treatment for eyelid swelling depends entirely on the cause of the swelling. The treatment strategy must also be selected accordingly. If the blood pressure is reduced at night, no treatment usually needs to be carried out, as the eyelid swelling will subside after a few minutes or at most an hour as soon as the blood pressure has returned to normal.
Is the swelling due to a Conjunctivitis triggered should be treated with antibiotic ointments or eye drops. Here, for example, eye drops come with the active ingredient Gentamycin for use. These should be entered into the affected eye every four hours. You should see improvement within two to three days. Sometimes antibiotic eye ointments are also used.
also read Treatment of conjunctivitis
The swelling of the eyelids caused by kidney disease is mostly caused by an albumin deficiency. This ensures that fluid is drawn from the blood into the tissue, causing swelling. With the intake of albumin, this imbalance is eliminated and the swellings subside relatively quickly. However, it is important to closely monitor the blood count, kidney and protein values in order to prevent swelling of the eyelids caused by protein again.
Grains of barley or hailstones, which lead to the formation of one-sided swelling of the eyelids, usually do not have to be treated separately, as the grains of barley or hailstones often disappear on their own. In some cases it makes sense to give antibiotic eye drops or ointments in parallel, as it can always happen that additional bacteria settle on the barley or hailstones.
It can happen that the grains increase in size despite therapy and cause discomfort, especially when closing the eyes or blinking. Those affected then often have pain or a foreign body sensation. In this case, the stye or hailstone should be surgically removed. Here, the stye is pierced with a sterile, small needle. After that, a parallel antibiotic treatment should definitely be carried out to prevent further inflammation and infection in this area.
For more information, read Operation of a Hailstone
If the eyelid swelling is caused by a blow or an accident, immediate cooling with an ice pack is necessary. If done quickly, it can prevent major eyelid swelling. If the swelling does not decrease after an accident or if it gets even worse, an ophthalmologist must be consulted in any case. It must reflect the fundus of the eye in order to rule out damage to the eyes. In the event of severe swelling and previous serious accidents, an x-ray of the facial skull should be performed. This should show whether it is a sub-floor fracture. An MRT examination can also be useful, as it shows the space behind the eye much better.
Read more about this under Fundoscopy
If the swelling of one or both eyelids is unclear, imaging must always be carried out so as not to overlook serious causes.
In the case of an allergic cause, a cortisone preparation should be used, for example, in order to contain the allergy as quickly as possible. It should be noted here that a gradual tapering of the preparation is necessary for long cortisone treatment.
Homeopathy for eyelid swelling
When choosing the right homeopathic remedy, not only the cause and symptoms are very important, but also the corresponding accompanying complaints that must be taken into account. The following preparations are most often used for swelling of the upper or lower eyelid: Apis, Arsenicum album, Causticum, Kalium carbonicum and Phosphorus. Here you should pay attention to different dilution series. The higher the drug is potentized (e.g. D12), the more diluted it is. The rule of thumb is that you should take the homeopathic globules in a dosage of 3x5 pieces a day until the symptoms improve.
Eyelid swelling in the child
Swelling of the upper or lower eyelid occurs more often in children and toddlers. Blood pressure-related causes are less likely to be responsible for this, especially in the morning after getting up. A relatively common reason for eyelid swelling in children or young children is conjunctivitis. Most often, children rub bacteria into their eyes, which then leads to inflammation with reddening and severe tearing of the eyes. Pus formation is also possible. Treatment in young children, as in adults, is carried out with an antibiotic eye ointment or with antibiotic eye drops. Symptomatic swelling of the eyelid in children can be treated by placing an icepack wrapped in a towel.
Read more on the topic: Pus in the eye
Allergic causes are less common in young children. In older children, however, eyelid swelling can occur more frequently due to allergic reactions, such as hay fever, and thus swelling of the upper or lower eyelid.
When children fall, eyelid swelling can also occur. Here, too, the affected eye should be cooled immediately to reduce the swelling as quickly as possible.
In children, as in adults, a stye is often the cause of eyelid swelling. Treatment is initially wait-and-see and symptomatic. However, an attempt can be made to achieve faster healing by administering antibiotics at the same time. Sometimes it may also be necessary to pierce a barley or hailstone. Here, too, parallel treatment with an antibiotic should be carried out to prevent additional infection.
L.eat more on this subject Hailstone in the toddler
