Swollen eyelids: causes and remedies

Who, one morning in front of their mirror, has never noticed that their eyelids have swelled during the night? This is a very common ocular phenomenon which can be the consequence of many underlying causes. Lack of sleep or hydration, pollution, allergies, illnesses? Here, we take a look at the different factors that are likely to trigger swelling of the eyelids before revealing you some grandma’s tips and remedies to counter or even prevent this eye reaction. The good news is that swollen eyelids will soon be a bad memory for you! Now it’s time for some explanations that will help you see more clearly …

What causes swelling of the eyelids?

We talk about swollen eyelids when the eye area is prone to inflammation. This ocular phenomenon may in particular result from an excess of tear fluid in the lower and / or upper eyelids and may be accompanied by redness, pain, or itching. Daily, a poor lifestyle perhaps the main factor behind this kind of inconvenience. Indeed, lack of sleep or hydration, stress, excess salt or alcohol, prolonged exposure to tobacco or pollution, or even visual fatigue … are causes that can have a direct impact. on the quality of the skin in general and therefore inevitably on swelling of the eyelids. We remind you, the area around the eyes is extremely sensitive: the skin is thin, delicate and therefore inevitably more subject to attacks of any kind. Swollen eyelids are just one of the most obvious symptoms.
If it is particularly in the morning when you wake up that you observe this kind of centralized eye swelling in the eyelids, it is simply because the lying position accentuates them. But that’s not all ! Indeed, the inflammation of one or more eyelids can also be induced by the wear of the contact lenses applied or a lack of hygiene during their installation. The eyelid is also likely to swell if there is a foreign object in the eye.

Swollen eyelids: what to do to stop the inflammation?

If you have swelling, start with restrain yourself from rubbing your eyes (even if it itches) so as not to make your eye problem even worse. Also, avoid putting on make-up or wearing contact lenses – preferably glasses – until the inflammation of your eyelids decreases. Beyond that, you can also:

• Using saline solution which will help you rinse and clean your eyes, ridding them of any residue that may be there.
• Apply a cold water compress on your eyelids to activate blood circulation and reduce fluid build-up. You can also opt for the option of two small spoons placed in the freezer for a few minutes. The fact of placing them five minutes on your eyes will be enough to decongest and refresh your eyes.
• Remove makeup every night, so that the eye area is completely free of all impurities that may accumulate there during the day at bedtime. Absolutely essential, the make-up removal step cannot be skipped under any circumstances!
• Use an appropriate eye contour treatment who will have the art of providing the gaze with its daily dose of hydration and activating blood circulation in the eyelids. For this, we recommend that you bet on anti-fatigue formulas.
• Avoid excess, whether in salt, fat or alcohol. These are all causes that can lead to water retention in the eyes.
• Drink more water! We cannot repeat it enough, hydration is our best health and beauty ally. When it is sufficiently hydrated, the body is better able to eliminate toxins that accumulate around the eyes, which can cause eye swelling.
• Sleep more and with your head slightly elevated: nothing better than a good night’s sleep to relieve swollen eyelids.

Swollen eyelids: three remedies to overcome swelling

Without seriousness, this type of eyelid swelling can be alleviated with home remedies. Here are three to remember:

• Cornflower water : thanks to its moisturizing, soothing and decongesting properties, cornflower water is an excellent treatment for swollen eyelids. To use it, simply place it on a compress (and not a cotton ball, at the risk of ending up with fibers in the eye) before applying it to the eyelids. You can repeat this gesture morning and evening in case of inflammation of the eyes.
• The cucumber : it may sound very cliché, but cucumber slices placed on the eyelids for a few minutes really help reduce swelling in the eyes, limit irritation, stimulate the tissues and hydrate the skin around the eyes. If this is possible, it is thanks to the decongestant and astringent properties of cucumber.
• Tea bags : tea is a very good relaxer for the eyes. To enjoy its benefits, nothing could be easier. Infuse two tea bags for about ten minutes before placing them on your eyelids once cooled slightly. So wait a few minutes and you’re done. Know that the green tea is ideal for combating swelling.

Other causes that can cause eyelid swelling

If, despite your best efforts, the swelling of your eyelids does not diminish over the days, in this case, it may mean that it is due to something else … More often, the allergies (pollen, cat hair, dust, certain cosmetic products, etc.) are the cause of such eye inflammation. Indeed, in contact with an allergen, the eyes release histamines which causes swelling of the eyelids.
If you have an allergic reaction causing eye inflammation, you can use eye drops or eye gel containing antihistamines to relieve your eyelids. If you are often confronted with this type of inconvenience, consider carrying out allergy screening tests in order to know the cause (s) of the swelling of your eyelids and thus be able to avoid them. Swollen eyelids can also be one of the symptoms of a eye disease here are the main ones:

• Blepharitis : inflammation of the edge of the eyelids, blepharitis may be of infectious or allergic origin. Fortunately, it causes more discomfort than pain.
• The chalazion : caused by the encystment of one or more meibomian glands, chalazion is an inflammatory condition that forms a small red ball, which can be a source of pain, at the edge of the eyelid.
• The stye : similar to the chalazion, the stye is due to a bacterial infection of the eyelashes or glands located at their root. The risk of contagion from a stye is very high.
• Conjunctivitis : this is an inflammation of conjunctivitis of the eye (the transparent membrane covering the white) which may be of viral, bacterial, allergic or irritative origin.

These eye diseases can affect only one eye, like both eyes. If only one eyelid is swollen and not the other, then this can be an indicator. Most of the time, eye drops cope with this type of benign eye disease. However, if the eye swelling persists despite your efforts, we advise you to consult a doctor or an ophthalmologist who could potentially put you on better adapted treatment. For example, if you have a bacterial infection, you may be prescribed antibiotics.

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