Swollen Eyelid

Swollen eyelid or eyelid swelling, not only makes it difficult for the person to see, but is also quite annoying. Moreover, the tenderness around the eye can make application of makeup or face washing difficult. Eyelid swelling is, sometimes, accompanied by slight discharge from the corner of the eye. Usually, a swollen eyelid is an indication of some type of infection, which is why it is important to consult an eye specialist to curtail the spread of the infection. There can be two types of eyelid swellings: non-painful and painful. The non-painful type is caused due to allergies or due to gland blockage in the eyelid. Gland blockage can be the result of overproduction of fluid or an infection. In such cases, a simple operation to remove the fluid can be performed, so as to alleviate the swelling. Swollen eyelid can also be the result of various factors such as trauma or other infections. On the other hand, the painful type is the result of various eye problems such as conjunctivitis, orbital cellulitis, blepharitis, stye and chalazion. Swollen eyelid symptoms usually are inflammation, redness, itching, scale formation, etc. in the areas around the eye and the eyelid. Let's take a look at the different causes of swollen eyelid.

Swollen Eyelid Causes

Eye Allergies: Eyelid swelling is the result of allergic reactions. One can be allergic to anything from soap, makeup, body sprays to animals, plants or food ingredients. The allergy causative can be anything one comes in contact with, thus the identification has to be done carefully. One should try and find out the cause behind the allergies of the eye and then avoid coming in contact with that product.

Conjunctivitis: In this condition, the protective membrane lining the eyelids and exposed regions of the eyeball, called conjunctiva gets swollen, itchy and red. Conjunctivitis or pinkeye is caused due to environmental irritants, viral or bacterial infections, allergy, chemical (eye drops) etc., and can spread from one person to another.

Orbital Cellulitis: This infection is a rare but extremely serious condition, involving infection of the tissues surrounding the eyes. In this infection, a bacteria called Staphylococcus aureus enters the cavities of the eye via a sinus infection or trauma to the eye region. Inflammation, pain and swelling in the eyelid and eyeball accompany this condition. Moreover, the sufferer can even experience blurred vision and fever. At the onset of these symptoms, one should immediately consult a physician. If not treated on time, this infection can result in permanent vision loss and other neurological infections.

Blepharitis: This condition refers to the inflammation of the eye margin, and is mostly caused by bacterial infection or seborrheic dermatitis (skin disorder). Blepharitis is characterized by excess oil production in the glands situated at the base of the eyelashes. Moreover, the margins appear red with the base of the eyelashes attached with dandruff type scales. Some other symptoms of this infection are reddened and inflamed eyelid margins, crusty flakes at the base of the eyelashes, itchy eyes and burning eyes. Loss of eyelashes is also observed.

Stye: Styes are caused by bacterial infections occurring in the sweat or oil producing glands at the base of the eyelashes. This infection is also accompanied by swelling and pus, thereby causing the formation of a painful red lump at the edge of the eyelid. Besides the pain, swelling in the eyelid deters proper vision and sometimes, the infection affects the whole eyelid area. There is no particular reason as to why people get affected by styes. The bacteria Staphylococcus is responsible for causing this infection. This bacteria is generally found on the surface of the skin, and is normally harmless, however, sometimes it makes its way into the body and causes various infections. Styes are infectious and proper handwashing needs to be done, after touching the eyelids.

Chalazion: This condition resembles a stye, however, there's a marked difference between the two. A chalazion looks like a stye, but mostly grows away from the edge of the eyelid. Eye duct blockage developed in the eye's lubricating glands causes this condition. Swelling in the eyelid and tenderness are the symptoms of chalazion. The latter stages are accompanied by the formation of white cyst-like bumps within the lower and upper eyelids. Chalazions, usually disappear on their own, as time progresses.

Swollen eyelid can also be caused due to sinus problems. Renal problems can also spearhead eyelid swelling. People experiencing this problem on a regular basis should consult an eye specialist. One should discard all products (makeup) that have been used in the few days prior to the swelling in the eyelid. To reduce the swelling, one can place some cold cucumber slices on the eyelids, twice a day. Or else, one can also use ice cold milk to subside the swelling. Take gauze pads; soak them in the cold milk and place them over the eyelids. Remove and place the pads again, until the swelling subsides. After the swelling subsides, maintaining proper eye care can prevent from contracting an eye infection in the future.