Treating Puffy Eyes

Help For Puffy Eyes

What causes puffy eyes? Puffiness under the eyes is also commonly known as swollen eyes. The term puffy eyes can also be used to describe swollen eyelids.  It should be noted however that puffy eyes and bags under the eyes are not the same thing, medically speaking. 

The most common cause of puffiness under the eyes is lack of sleep or stress. When that's the case, the simplest puffy eye remedy is rest and relaxation.

But someone with puffy eyes may also have an eye infection. Irritation, inflammation, allergies, environmental pollutants and injuries can also cause puffy eyes.

Puffiness under the eyes is often a short term problem, but under certain circumstances, it can turn into a long term threat to eye health. It could be a symptom of an eye disease. So check with your doctor for a professional opinion if puffiness under the eyes lasts more than a day or two, or you're experiencing eye pain or eye discharge along with the puffiness.

Here's a short list of the most common causes for puffy eyes and swollen eyelids.

The most obvious - and practically doesn't even need to be mentioned - is fatigue and lack of sleep. Overuse of alcohol can also be a cause.

Eye injury, trauma or damage almost always causes puffy eyes.. A blow to the eye or an abrasion on the cornea can trigger swelling and puffiness.

As mentioned above, many people suffered from various allergies that result in red eyes, itchy eyes, puffiness, swelling, and irritation. A condition called allergic rhinitis is common for those who are sensitive to pollen, seasonal changes, house dust-mites, molds, pet dander or pet hair.

Cosmetics and make up that are used near or around the eyes can trigger puffiness in certain individuals. This can include perfume.

There's a lot in the air that can cause puffy eyes: dirt, dust, grit, smog and other forms of air pollution.

Conditions like pink eye (also known as conjunctivitis) can also cause puffiness and itching.

Health conditions afflicting other parts of the body can sometimes affect the eyes. These include measles, herpes, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and lupus. Even arthritis can sometimes cause puffing and swelling. There are a number of sexually transmitted diseases that cause puffy eyes, including herpes.

Eye puffiness is not the same as bulging eyes, which may be the result of a thyroid problem known as Graves' disease.

Some people who overuse certain types of medications can get puffy eyes.

Puffy eyes can result from dirty contact lenses. Certain lens cleaning solutions may cause irritation.

Eye surgery can cause puffiness, but of course, this is usually temporary.

Puffy eyes may be a symptom of a vitamin deficiency, especially vitamin A.

Treating puffy eyes If the cause is obvious (fatigue or over indulgence in alcohol), the treatment is also obvious: time and rest.

Compresses may help in treating puffy eyes. Cold compresses reduce the swelling, while warm compresses may relieve any discomfort or pain your puffy eyes are causing. Make certain the cloth you use for the compress is clean. Use boiled water or purified water only.

Sometimes antibiotic eye lotions and drops, over the counter solutions, antihistamine tablets and corticosteroids may be in order. Be sure to talk to your doctor about possible side effects.

There are a number of puffy eye creams available commercially. Puffy eye creams may provide a temporary fix. It's not hard to find an eye cream for puffiness by doing an Internet search. They are produced by several reliable and well-known cosmetics manufacturers.

Puffy eyes surgery But in some cases, your best chance of treating puffy eyes remedy rests with a medical professional, although at this time no puffy eyes surgery is actually available. Plastic surgery under the eyes is available for bags, but bagginess and puffiness are medically different consitions and should not be used interchangeably. The procedure procedure for reducing bagginess is called blepharoplasty, which employs a laser to remove excess skin and fat deposits from the upper and lower eyelids.