Causes and Treatment of Swollen Eyelid
By: Mark MonteiroTotal Views: 56, Word Count: 758,
Eyes along with its nearby areas are very fragile and a smallest amount of discomfort in that area can be extremely troublesome. One such condition is a swollen eyelid. At times a swollen eyelid can be difficult to deal with and sadly, most people deal with this problem at some point during their life. Causes and treatment for swollen eyelid can be known when you consult a professional, but it's important to have some preventive measures so that the infection doesn't spread.
Swelling of eyelid is uncomfortable and at times painful. Infection is generally the cause for a swollen eyelid; it's a blockage that leads to an allergic reaction or an infection. Though seeing a doctor depends on the cause and the severity of the symptoms, it's highly recommended to see a specialist before it worsens.
What is a Swollen Eyelid?
Swollen eyelid is an inflammation in the lower and upper eyelids and has two forms. It could be painful or at times non painful also and as mentioned earlier, some kind of infection is the most common cause of a swollen eyelid. Some allergic reactions that cause blockage of glands present in the eyelid can also result into swollen eyelid that doesn't have any pain.
Children are the most affected by swollen eyelid, as they tend to rub or touch their eyes with unclean hands. Eye problems such as stye, blepharitis, conjunctivitis or pink eye, chalazion, and orbital cellulitis can crop up when you've pain in the swollen eyelid.
Causes of Swollen Eyelid
Painful, swollen eyelids can be caused by several things such as:
- Conjunctivitis: The protective membrane facing the eyelids and uncovered regions of the eyeball known as conjunctiva itch and become red and swollen.
- Infection: These can be caused by many different things ranging from chemicals to allergies and can range from bacterial to virus infections.
- Blepharitis: Swollen eyelid is mostly caused by a bacterial infection or skin disorder known as Blepharitis.
- Orbital Cellulitis: It involves an infection of the tissues close to the eyes
- Chalazion: It looks like a stye, grows away from the edge of the eyelid and is caused by eye duct blockage that gets developed in the lubricating glands of the eye.
Swollen eyelids that are non painful can be caused by things such as:
- Sinuses: Sinuses can become irritated due to allergies or water retention that can result into swollen eyelid.
- Blockage of Gland: This results due to excess production of fluids inside the eye or an infection.
- Solutions or Contact Lenses: Some types of cleaning solutions or dirty lenses can result into swollen eyelids.
Treatment of Swollen Eyelid
Causes and treatment of swollen eyelid are important to know for effectively treating this infection. However, you might or might not want to seek medical attention depending on the harshness and cause for the swollen eyelid.
Regardless of the reason of your swollen eyelid, the first thing you can do is avoid touching, rubbing, or looking at the swelling. You'd be tempted to touch and rub your eyes if you constantly stare at the swollen eyelid, thus it's better to stay out of the mirror. Try not wearing makeup, including base and powders as the particles in them can fly through the air and infuriate your eyelids even more. You can place a cold cloth or even cucumbers on your eyes, twice a day. Splashing cool water on your face can also help lessen facial swelling. Swelling in and around the eyes can be also lessened by use of gauze pads soaked in milk.
If you know the causes and treatment of swollen eyelid and you seek medical attention, then your doctor would possibly prescribe you a special eye drop or a cream to treat the swelling that can be extremely effective.
About the Author
Dr. Mark Monteiro is graduated from the Hazard University and done his MBA from the he University Of Illinois College Of Medicine. Currently he is working as general physician at Elmhurst Loyola Center for Health. For over 15 years he has been a pioneer in the field of physician health. He has contributed to the treatment of many diseases like- ASTHMA, TUBERCULOSIS, HIV, HEPATITIS AND ITS TREATMENT
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