I've had problems with puffy eyes for a couple of years. I did eventually go to see an eye specialist who told me I'm allergic to preservatives, which does rule out the use of most make-up and make-up remover. If I do want to use make up for a special night out then I know my eyes will be puffy and dry the next day. I've also noticed some fine lines on my upper lid but then I am in my early 40s so this probably has more to do with age than stretching the skin.
I also have Blepharitis which can cause swelling of the lids as well. The cure for this is daily bathing the eye lids with a hot wet face cloth and massaging the lids until the blocked oils have been released. It does work but you have to do this on a daily basis otherwise the swelling returns.
I've tried using antihistamines which don't really help as they can make dry eye worse which in turn makes the swelling increase and take 1000mg of Vitamin C a day ... I may try increasing this as it seems to work for some of you out there!
:-)
I also have Blepharitis which can cause swelling of the lids as well. The cure for this is daily bathing the eye lids with a hot wet face cloth and massaging the lids until the blocked oils have been released. It does work but you have to do this on a daily basis otherwise the swelling returns.
I've tried using antihistamines which don't really help as they can make dry eye worse which in turn makes the swelling increase and take 1000mg of Vitamin C a day ... I may try increasing this as it seems to work for some of you out there!
:-)
Had the same problem with puffy eyes for last six months, until I start drinking a Noni Juice (organic 100 %) , after 2 weeks of consuming, puffiness was gone. Noni Juice is great for detoxification and internal cleansing. It worked for me. Hope it will work for you too!
From your description it would seem logical to me that you are having an allergic reaction to something in your bed. Perhaps dust mites. When you go to work and get away from the allergen the puffiness goes away.
Have you been tested for Celiac disease? Its an intolerance to gluten. I am 25 and had the same symptoms. I was told I had dust mite allergies, which was true, but I also recently found out I have Celiac disease. It is often misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia or allergies.
I have fibromyalgia too, and have the puffy eye thingo started a few months ago......
I don't have allergies. but been taking heaps a salt to increase my blood pressure as extremely low at the best of times.
I also have bursitis now.....
I don't have allergies. but been taking heaps a salt to increase my blood pressure as extremely low at the best of times.
I also have bursitis now.....
Thank you for this site! I thought I was the only one suffering from this situation! I had an overactive thyroid in the past - with a lot of eye problems, had it treated, and now I am underactive. Eyes were OK for several years, however, for the past 4 years, it seems around Christmas time, my eye lids start to itch, eyes become irritated, face gets red and irritated, and steadily gets worse with March being my worse month - my eye lids are actually so stretched from itching, I am thinking of surgery.
Anyway, the first weekend in April this year was very warm so I laid out for several hours hoping the sun would dry up the scales, etc. - lo and behold, it worked! The scaling and itching were very much improved! It started me thinking that since I am most affected during the winter months, perhaps I had a Vitamin D deficiency. I usually spend a lot of time in the sun during the warm weather and am stuck inside from November on. If I should notice signs next winter, I may start on a Vitamin D supplement, or maybe a tanning booth to see if this helps. - will keep you posted - and Good Luck to everyone out ther - please keep me posted and let me know if anyone else suspects a Vitamin D deficiency.
Anyway, the first weekend in April this year was very warm so I laid out for several hours hoping the sun would dry up the scales, etc. - lo and behold, it worked! The scaling and itching were very much improved! It started me thinking that since I am most affected during the winter months, perhaps I had a Vitamin D deficiency. I usually spend a lot of time in the sun during the warm weather and am stuck inside from November on. If I should notice signs next winter, I may start on a Vitamin D supplement, or maybe a tanning booth to see if this helps. - will keep you posted - and Good Luck to everyone out ther - please keep me posted and let me know if anyone else suspects a Vitamin D deficiency.
I am 40 and have been dealing with this for about 10 years now. It used to happen a couple times each year, but I have been dealing with it for the last 2 months non-stop. My eyelids are swollen and crusty, sometimes burning and seeping. I also have the stretching of the skin and wrinkles. I had to wear sunglasses in stores and dr. offices due to how bad my lids were. I went to my allergist and she saw some of it and thought it could be due to grass pollen being high right now. She gave me some topical ointment and some pills to knock it out, neither of which I have used. I was researching tonight online and it seems like what we all might have is blepharitis. It makes sense because when I was at the eye dr. last year he told me I had blepharitis and I wasn't having any problems at the time. He told me it was no big deal, just an bacteria in the eyelashes, gave me some pads to clean my eyes with and sent me on my way. I tried them once, but noticed no difference. In reading up on it, you have to wash with baby shampoo daily and keep the crusting from happening by using warm compresses. It is a chronic condition. Please read up on blepharitis. I hope this helps us all!
To the person who said they could see small blisters; when i went to the doctor to ask about my one puffy eyelid, she checked for cold sores of the eyelid as apparently this is a common affliction. Maybe check that out?
I'm copying the following post because it turned out to be the same diagnosis for me: "Doctors FINALLY found out my eye swelling, itchiness, and dry eyes was caused by strep germs--or staph, BOTH can do this to your eyes, and it's nearly impossible to tell which without a biopsy or something, but they are both treated the same way--with oral antibiotic. It is dangerous (in rare cases) to let this go on without treatment, for fear of spreading the strep/staph into the brain, my eye doctor said. For me, it took two courses of antibiotic pills to clear it completely up. I never knew until this that the same germs that can cause strep throat can cause eye infection! That, and staph, can enter your skin around the eye area through the slightest scratch or opening. (In my case, I suspect it was from my tweezer. Now, I sterilize it in the dishwasher once a week.) I tried over the counter antibiotic cream, and that made it worse. The doctor said I should have used ointment, not cream... but he preferred I just take the oral antibiotics. Also, because of the damage done from getting this more than once, I now have dry eyes. This good eye doctor I found who helped me discover the strep/staph (instead of just writing it off as blepharitis) also advised me to only use eye drops containing "cellulose" since that helps soothe dry eyes the best. Just like with blepharitis, strep or staph eye infections is soothed during healing, by soaking your eyes in clean bath water/shower as warm as you can stand it, and/or moist hot compresses, such as a soft washcloth and very warm water. Eye drops help the soreness. Anti-inflammatories of your choice (aspirin, ibuprofen) help the swelling and the pain. But if your body can't fight off the strep or staph on it's own, you will require oral antibiotics. Remember, strep and staph germs are EVERYWHERE. If they invade your eye, you will get symptoms and need treatment."
i am 47 year old female..have been waking up with one swollen eye a couple of days a week for about the past year now. This usually occers over the weekend and by the time Monday morning arrives i am dreading walking into work with puffy eyes ( left eye) always conderitally more swollen, not sure if it is more so on one eye because of the way I sleep or not. I am very health consuious though the week..mostley eating fruit ..veggies..and skinless chicken..whole grain breads..egges ect...I take in zero salt though the week. On the weekends I pretty much eat what I want...I call it treat days..I am pretty sure after reading everyones messages though here on puffy eyes that "Salt" is my problem...I am going to try next weekend with no salt like though the week and see if I wake up looking like my old self again. "fingers crossed"
I would wake up looking like a monster with my puffy eyelids. My head would fill very full and sometimes, if I slept in even just a bit, they would get really big and my sinus area would hurt! This problem went on for an entire year and many doctor visits to try to find a cure. I was crushed finding this blog and so many others suffering with no cure. It was after reading all of your words that I noticed we were all somewhat close in age 35-47 and got thinking, wondering if it could be night products we might be allergic to. About a week ago I stopped using a certain popular moisturizer found in every drug store, grocery store in the USA (afraid to mention the name, red bottle) and my eyes are almost not swelling at all! I am going to toss out all of my old pillows and see if that will get the remaining very minor swelling to go away. For the record, I switched to Neutrogena "Deep Wrinkle" Anti Wrinkle serum after hearing about it on the Today show. I promise I do not work for any facial product company. My eyes were so bad that my cell phone is full of photos of really bad days in an attempt to get my doctors to try harder at finding a cure. I know this won't help all of you but I am hoping it might help someone.
I feel like I've found my people! I've been struggling for a year now... been to multiple doctors, had an MRI, tried every medication from antihistimines to GERD meds to steroid eyedrops. I went on a 10 day cleanse, I've stopped wearing makeup, bought all new sheets, mattress, hypoallergenic, and on and on...
I wake up every morning with huge, puffy eyelids and the later I stay up at night, the more they go away. If I stay up until 2 in the morning, they are back to normal! I see my crease (Oh how I miss thee). I can sleep for 5 hours or 8 hours and they are always puffy. I take photos to document it all. The longer I sleep, the puffier they get.
I am at my wit's end.
My daughter is 18 and this has been happening to her-one eyelid, always the same one swelling. It first started in the late summer/early fall and so we attributed it to allergies. Then her pediatrician said perhaps it was swelling because that was the side she was sleeping on.
She went on a yeast free/sugar free diet for about a month because of a chronic cough. The diet helped the cough and I realized that the eye lid did not swell during this time either! She has been off the diet for several weeks and last week the eyelid swelled once again. Oddly enough this time it was not when she had awaken but a couple of hours after she had been up. I am encouraged and discouraged by finding this site. Encouraged to know that more than likely it isn't caused by something like a brain tumor (you know how us mom's can think the worst.) And, yet discouraged to see that there are so many others suffering from this same thing with little or no relief.
I believe we will try the vitamin C thing and adding vitamin D to her diet as well, and perhaps eliminate salty foods. I have been trying to encourage her to go back on the yeast free/sugar free diet, too. Do any of you have a history of yeast/candida overgrowth? Just curious, as this seemed to eliminate her swelling. Praying we all find the answer to this problem.
Have your Thyroid checked!! My co-worker went through this and has graves disease!
I've been diagnoses with blepharitis too. Also known as acne of the eyelids. Ingrown eyelashes associated with it cause irritation.