Puffy Eyes

Puffy eyes, also referred as eye puffiness, is the swelling of the tissues and the blood vessels around our eyes. Swollen eyes, itchy, irritated eyes, bags under the eye skin, are some of the symptoms of puffy eyes. Sometimes the symptoms are also accompanied by dark circles. There are several reasons that can cause puffy eyes. Puffy eyes lack luster and you look very tired due to them. Before knowing the treatments for puffy eyes, let us take a look at the various causes.

Causes

There is a myriad of causes that can lead to puffy eyes, since the skin that is present around our eyes is very sensitive. Puffy eyes in the morning is quite common and is not a cause of concern. Given below are a few causes of puffiness in eyes.

• Fluid retention under the eyelids
• Increased blood flow to the eyes due to crying
• Changes in hormonal levels in women during menstrual cycle
• Administration of certain medications
• Hormonal changes during pregnancy
• Inadequate amount of sleep
• Too much consumption of salt and very less water intake
• Allergic reaction
• Consumption of tobacco or alcohol
• Mononucleosis and other viral infections
• Dermatitis
• Irritation due to contact lenses
• Genetic factors

Remedies

Usually the symptoms disappear without any treatment. But prolonged puffiness may need some home remedy to treat. But this happens only when the cause is not severe. The remedy is completely dependent on the cause. You can go for the home remedies only when the puffiness is not a result of any health condition. If inadequate sleep is the cause, then the obvious remedy is to get enough sleep! It is necessary that you sleep for at least 8-9 hours every night. Moreover, the time you go to sleep and wake up in the morning should remain the same everyday. You need to drink lots of water when dehydration is the cause of puffy eyes. 8-10 glasses on daily basis is the recommended water intake.

If your eyes are sensitive to allergies then avoid rubbing of your eyes and frequent touching of the eyes. You must visit a physician to solve the allergic problem. Cold treatment is the best home remedy for puffy eyes. Grab some ice cubes and place them in a towel and place them over your closed eyes. You can also go for cucumber slices, potato strips, chilled spoons, cold tea bags, etc. for the same. This application of cold substance on the eyes alleviates the symptoms and gives a relaxing effect. Always remember to remove your contact lenses before going to sleep. Decrease your salt intake in the diet, if it is the cause of puffy eyes. Immediately stop alcohol and tobacco consumption, which leads to fluid retention in the eyes.

If the symptoms do not alleviate with the help of home remedies, then you must seek a doctor. Eye puffiness is rarely a serious medical condition, but you should not take a risk. So, if you are experiencing any of the symptoms, then use the appropriate remedy, or consult your doc!