Dry Eyelids

Dry eyelids is thankfully a relatively rare condition that people need to deal with. However, for people who are suffering from it, know how discomfiting the condition can be. Dry itchy eyelids are especially a cause of worry, as they are not only difficult to hide, but do not allow makeup to stay for long and as a result, cause immense irritation. However, there are many different eye problems that cause dry eyelids, and it is imperative that you understand the causes before getting down to treating them.

Causes

• The most common cause of dry skin on eyelids is blepharitis. Blepharitis is the condition where there is chronic inflammation of the eyelids, which causes dry eyes. There is also redness, itchiness, dryness and irritation of the eyelid.
• Corneal problems can also cause dry eyelids.
• Allergies, like a bee sting etc. can also cause dryness to eyelids.
• Malfunctioning of the lacrimal gland, that is the tear gland, is a condition where there is insufficient production of tears, which leads to severe dry eyes and irritation of the eyes and eyelids.
• If a lot of shampoo enters the eyes, there can be irritation, leading to eyes burning and dryness.
• Eyelid dermatitis, which is a skin condition that causes inflammation of skin of the eyelids, presenting symptoms similar to those seen in contact dermatitis on other parts of the body.
• Use of excessive eye makeup, like eye shadow, mascara, eyeliner. Also the use of faulty cosmetics, very old cosmetics, or cosmetics that do not suit your skin can lead to dryness of eyelids.
• Some people may have the habit of eating food and then touching their eyes or other parts of their face without washing their hands. In such cases, there may be contamination of the eyelid surface.
• Even other eye infections, like pink eye or eye styes can cause dryness of eyelids due to constant itching and scratching.

Symptoms

• Itching of eyes
• Redness and irritation of eyes
• Swelling and soreness around eyes and other areas of the face
• Peeling of skin of eyelids

Treatment

Eye Drops: For people suffering from dry eyelids due to blepharitis or eyelid dermatitis, or any other medical condition, need to consult an ophthalmologist and get the condition properly diagnosed and treated. The ophthalmologist will most probably prescribe eye drops, which will help treat the root cause of the condition.

Aloe Vera: For people who would rather try out some home remedies, using aloe vera is the perfect dry eyelids remedy. Just take an aloe vera leaf, approximately the length of your palm. Then, slice it lengthwise and take the thick pulp portion and place it on the dry eyelids for a few minutes. Aloe vera is a natural germicide, hence helps soothe the irritation and infection, if at all. Placing the aloe vera leaf gives instant relief from itchiness and dryness. You can also use creams that contain aloe vera, but be careful to ensure that it does not go into your eyes.

Eye Moisturizer: There are certain eye moisturizers that are available, which help to treat this dryness of eyelids. These moisturizers are different from face moisturizers, in that, they contain higher levels of moisture than even face moisturizers for dry skin, so they help to provide instant relief from dry eyes. They are available at most stores, but be sure to read the ingredients and the instructions before using these products.

Thus, treating dry eyes is not very difficult, and until the condition has completely healed, you can use some good quality eye makeup to camouflage the redness and itchiness. However, ensure that the eye makeup being used suits your skin type. But the best way to deal with this problem, is practice proper and regular eye care and to find out the underlying causes, so as to treat it completely.