Seeing swollen eyes when you wake up in the morning and look in the mirror may cause both aesthetic concern and be a sign of underlying health problems. Eyelid swelling, medically known as periorbital edema, occurs as a result of excessive fluid accumulation or inflammation in the tissues around the eye.
What is Eyelid Swelling?
Eyelid swelling is a condition in which the eyelids appear larger and tighter than normal, resulting from fluid accumulation (edema) or inflammation in the connective tissue surrounding the eye. Since the eyelid skin has the thinnest skin layer in the body, the slightest increase in fluid under the tissue is immediately noticeable from the outside.
What Causes Eyelid Swelling?
The most common causes include eye allergies, conjunctivitis, styes, chalazion (oil cyst), and eyelid inflammation (blepharitis). Additionally, trauma, excessive salt consumption and poor quality make-up may also cause bloating.
- Stye (Hordeolum): It is a bacterial infection of the sebaceous glands at the base of the eyelashes. It starts as a painful, red bump
- Chalazion: It is a generally painless but hard cyst that occurs as a result of the stye not healing.
- Cellulitis: It is a deep infection of the tissues around the eyes; It may cause pain in eye movements and fever, requiring urgent medical attention.
- Allergic Reactions: Reaction to pollen, dust, pet dander or cosmetics; accompanied by intense itching and watering
Why Are Eyelids Swollen When You Wake Up In The Morning?
Because we stay in a horizontal position throughout the night, body fluids collect around the head and eyes. Since there is no blinking movement during sleep, lymphatic circulation slows down and fluid drainage decreases. When excessive salty diet, alcohol consumption or insufficient water drinking is added to this, waking up with an edematous face in the morning becomes inevitable.
Which Diseases Are Swelling of the Eyelids a Symptom?
In particular, kidney failure causes excess fluid that cannot be removed from the body to accumulate around the eyes. Thyroid diseases (Graves disease), heart failure and liver problems are also among the serious underlying medical causes of chronic eye swelling. If the swelling continues not only in the morning but all day long and there is edema in the legs, care should be taken.
How to Treat Eyelid Swelling?
Methods that can be applied at home:
- Cold Compress: Ice wrapped in a clean towel reduces edema by constricting the veins. It is especially effective for allergies and morning swelling.
- Warm Compress: Only if there is a stye or chalazion, a warm dressing should be applied to open blocked glands.
- Salt Restriction: Reduce salt consumption to relieve edema in the body
- Sleeping with your head elevated and drinking plenty of water
If the cause of eyelid swelling is a bacterial infection, your doctor will prescribe antibiotic ointments. In allergic cases, cortisone drops may be required. In cases of swelling originating from the kidney or thyroid, the swelling in the eye does not go away permanently without treatment of the actual disease.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is eyelid swelling dangerous?
If swelling is accompanied by vision loss, pain with eye movements, fever, or protrusion of the eye, immediate medical attention should be sought. Orbital cellulitis (deep infection around the eyes) is an emergency.
Are a stye and chalazion the same thing?
No. A stye (hordeolum) is a painful and red bacterial infection. Chalazion is a generally painless and hard cyst that occurs as a result of the stye not healing.
How to prevent swollen eyelids in the morning?
Restricting salt consumption, drinking plenty of water, not drinking alcohol, sleeping with your head elevated and getting enough sleep help reduce morning swelling.
