What Causes a Swollen Eyelid—And How Can You Make It Better?
Tharakorn / Getty Images
Medically reviewed by Kashif J. Piracha, MD
An eyelid can become swollen for many different reasons. Common causes of a swollen eyelid include blepharitis, styes, and pink eye. It can also be caused by skin conditions like eczema or a thyroid condition called Graves’ disease.
In many cases, a swollen eyelid may clear up at home with a wet, warm compress. In other cases, a healthcare provider may need to prescribe antibiotics or treat any underlying condition causing the symptom.
Swollen Eyelid Causes
Skin conditions, infections, and even an autoimmune disorder may cause your eye lid to swell. Very rarely, a swollen eyelid may be a sign of a serious underlying health condition, such as skin cancer.
Blepharitis
Blepharitis is an eye condition that causes swelling, irritation, redness, and itching of your eyelids. You also might see dandruff-like buildup along the lash line. Other symptoms of blepharitis you might notice are:
A burning, sandy, or gritty sensation in one or both eyelids
Crustiness or scaliness along the base of your eyelashes
Eyelashes falling out (in severe cases)
Scarring of the eyelids (in severe cases)
Blepharitis has several possible causes, including:
Allergies
Excess bacteria growth
Clogged oil glands
Skin conditions, such as rosacea or seborrheic dermatitis
Pink Eye
Pink eye, or conjunctivitis, is an infection of the tissue that lines the white parts of the eye and eyelids (conjunctiva). It can be caused by allergies, dry eyes, irritants (like smoke or dust), bacteria, or a virus.
When you have pink eye, your conjunctiva and eyelid can become swollen. Other common symptoms of conjunctivitis include:
Pinkness or redness in the whites of the eyes
Increased tearing
Eye discharge
Itchiness or irritation
Burning
Eyelids or eyelashes that are crusted over
A feeling that something is in the eye
Styes and Chalazions
A stye is a red, painful, pus-filled swollen bump that forms along the edge of the eyelid. A bacterial infection of an oil gland at the base of the eyelashes is what causes the lump.
A chalazion is a firm, painless bump that often appears on the inner part of the eyelid. It is not caused by an infection. Instead, chalazions develop after a blocked oil gland has been inflamed for a long time. Styes may lead to chalazions. Rosacea or chronic blepharitis may also cause a chalazion.
The swelling of a stye usually appears pretty quickly after bacteria infect the gland. The swelling of chalazion usually develops more slowly. However, the swelling will usually go away faster with a stye than a chalazion.
Eczema
Eyelid eczema, or eyelid dermatitis, refers to an inflammatory condition that affects the eyelid. It most often occurs due to a form of eczema called allergic contact dermatitis, which is a temporary reaction to an allergen or irritant, such as soap or makeup.
Eyelid eczema can also occur in people who have other more permanent forms of eczema, such as atopic dermatitis (inflammation of the skin) or seborrheic dermatitis (inflammation of the skin that affects the scalp, face, and body folds).
Besides a swollen eyelid, symptoms of eyelid eczema include:
Red, scaly eyelids
Itchiness
Burning and pain
Crusting on the eyelashes
Cellulitis
Cellulitis is a type of bacterial skin infection. It can cause swelling, pain, and redness in the affected area.
Two types of cellulitis can affect the eyelid: periorbital cellulitis, which affects the skin and tissue of the eyelid, and orbital cellulitis, which affects the fat and muscles around the eye. They are often caused by sinus infections or eye injuries.
Orbital cellulitis is typically more dangerous than periorbital cellulitis since it can have lasting effects to your vision.
The main distinction is that the swelling from periorbital cellulitis mainly only affects the eyelid. Swelling from orbital cellulitis might also affect the eyebrow and cheek. With orbital cellulitis, you might also experience eye bulging, decreased vision, and pain when moving your eye.
Shingles
Shingles, or herpes zoster, is a painful skin rash caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which also causes chickenpox. Anyone who has had chickenpox in the past can develop shingles later in life.
Shingles that affects the eye is known as herpes zoster ophthalmicus. Besides a swollen eyelid, herpes zoster that affects the eye can include symptoms like:
Light sensitivity
Redness and soreness in and around the eye
Small, painful, red blisters on the forehead and tip of nose
If left untreated, herpes zoster ophthalmicus can lead to serious complications, including vision loss.
Graves' Disease
Graves’ disease is an autoimmune condition that causes hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid). Around a third of people with Graves’ disease develop Graves’ ophthalmopathy, also known as Graves’ eye disease or thyroid eye disease.
Graves’ ophthalmopathy can make your eyelids puffy. You might also experience:
Bulging eyes
Blurry or double vision
Grittiness in the eye
Light sensitivity
Eye pressure or pain
Cancer
Infrequently, a swollen eyelid may be a sign of sebaceous carcinoma—a rare, aggressive type of skin cancer that usually begins on an eyelid.
Sebaceous carcinoma can make the skin where your eyelid meets the eyelash thick. You can also develop a firm, painless, yellowish lump on the eyelid.
Other signs of sebaceous carcinoma are:
An eyelid sore that doesn't heal or keeps coming back
An eyelid that crusts along the lash line
A pink eye-like appearance
Growth on eyelid that oozes
Eyelashes that fall out
Swollen Eyelid Treatment
The appropriate treatment for a swollen eyelid depends on its underlying causes.
Blepharitis
Blepharitis can often be treated at home by:
Applying wet, warm compresses to the affected area several times a day
Massaging the eyelids to clear out clogged oil glands
Avoiding using contact lenses and eye makeup until symptoms go away
Cleaning the eyelids gently with baby shampoo
In more serious cases, your healthcare provider may prescribe antibiotic eye drops, antibiotic ointment, or a spray that contains hypochlorous acid.
Pink Eye
Pink eye treatment depends on the cause. To treat allergy-caused pink eye, your healthcare provider might prescribe antihistamines to treat the underlying allergy. Steroid eye drops may also help. Meanwhile, antibiotic eye drops are typically the first choice of treatment for bacterial conjunctivitis.
You may also be able to treat your pink eye symptoms at home with artificial tears and cool or warm compresses. Avoid wearing contact lenses until your symptoms have fully resolved.
Styes and Chalazions
Styes and chalazions often resolve on their own in a month or so. You can also treat them at home by applying a warm, wet compress on the eyelid for 10-15 minutes, four or more times per day. Resist the urge to pop or touch the lump.
If a stye is particularly big, a healthcare provider might drain it. If a chalazion continues to grow, your healthcare provider may recommend surgical removal or steroid injections.
Eczema
Eyelid eczema is usually treated with prescription topical steroids and moisturizers known as emollients. These medications are very mild, as your eyelid skin is particularly thin and sensitive.
Until your symptoms resolve, avoid eye makeup, face creams, and other cosmetic products. Avoid touching your eyes as much as possible, and wash your hands regularly to avoid triggering another flare.
Cellulitis
Periorbital cellulitis usually clears up within a few days after a short course of oral antibiotics. Meanwhile, orbital cellulitis may require more aggressive treatment. If your symptoms persist, your healthcare provider may recommend hospitalization for intravenous (IV) antibiotics or surgery to drain the fluid from the infected area. If left untreated, orbital cellulitis could lead to complications like vision loss or meningitis.
Shingles
Like other kinds of shingles, shingles of the eye is usually treated with a course of antiviral medication. This should help to reduce the severity of the rash and lower the risk of serious complications.
You might also be prescribed corticosteroid eye drops to manage inflammation. other types of eye drop may prevent eye complications and reduce pain.
Graves' Disease
The symptoms of hyperthyroidism caused by Graves’ disease are treated with antithyroid medications, such as Tapazole (methimazole). To treat your eye-related symptoms, you may have to try:
Using artificial tears
Taking prescription medications, such as Tepezza (teprotumumab), Rayos (prednisone), or Rituxan (rituximab)
Wearing sunglasses to help with light sensitivity
Sleeping with your head raised to prevent puffiness
Cancer
Most cases of sebaceous carcinoma are treated by removing the tumor. They will cut out the tumor along with some healthy tissue to make sure they've removed all affected parts. You may also need radiation therapy or surgery to remove your lymph nodes if the cancer has spread.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
In many cases, eyelid inflammation clears up on its own with time. However, you should see a healthcare provider, such as an eye specialist like an ophthalmologist, if:
Your symptoms get worse or aren’t going away
You are experiencing sensitivity to light (photophobia)
Your eyelid, eye, or the surrounding area is very red, blistering, or crusting over
Your vision is affected
The swollen area is bleeding or extremely painful
You are tearing up excessively
In addition to reviewing your symptoms and medical history, the healthcare provider may perform a physical examination to get a closer look at your eye and eyelid. They may also perform blood or imaging tests as part of the diagnostic process.
A Quick Review
Swollen eyelids are typically not serious. They are usually due to common issues like pink eye, blepharitis, styes, and chalazions. Symptoms usually go away in a week or two with at-home treatment, such as a warm compress. However, if the swelling persists, keeps coming back, or is accompanied by concerning symptoms, your healthcare provider may run diagnostic testing to check for conditions like Graves' disease or cellulitis and to offer you additional treatment options.
For more Health news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on Health.
