Possible causes of and 9 tips for helping swollen eyes
Some people wake up in the morning with swollen eyes; for others, their eyes swell up over the course of a busy day. Apart from their aesthetic aspect, such swelling can be very unpleasant, particularly when associated with other symptoms such as burning and itching. Read here what is behind it and how you can help yourself if you have swollen eyes.
What's the cause of swollen eyelids?
Swelling of the eyes develops when lymph fluid collects in the eyelids. This causes the fluid to accumulate in the tissue and the eyelids to thicken. There can be completely harmless reasons for this, but it is sometimes also an indication of an eye disease. Swollen eyes are often caused by:
- a too short, sleepless night
- crying
- being in a smoky room
- working at a computer screen
- being in air-conditioned rooms
- a cold
- an eye inflammation
- allergies
- dry eyes (sicca syndrome)
Some people are only affected by it every now and then. Others, however, suffer from the symptoms every morning. Then an eye specialist should be consulted to identify possible diseases. Eye inflammations or dry eyes definitely need treatment by a doctor.
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What can be done about swollen eyelids?
If the swollen eyes have developed after a short night’s sleep or due to smoke, there are a few first-aid tips which help the swelling go down again quickly.
9 tips for caring for swollen eyes
- Sleep: If you had a late night at a party, you should go to bed earlier the next day to give your eyes enough rest. Ensure that the room temperature in the bedroom is not too warm. This is because the heat makes your eyes swell up even more.
- Fluid: You should drink enough fluids every day to prevent water from accumulating in the tissues. Ideally, drink 1.5 to 2 litres of water or unsweetened tea.
- Cucumber slices: Cucumber slices placed over the swollen eyes help after a short night. Apart from their cooling effect, they also provide moisture.
- Cooling: If your eyes are swollen in the morning, then cooling is an effective measure. You can use a cooling eye mask for this, or even a teaspoon taken from the ice box. Tea bags (e.g. black tea or green tea) stored in the fridge overnight can also be used as cold compresses.
- Eye rollers: There are even special roll-on sticks for eye care which pleasantly cool the eyesand also have a decongestant effect due to ingredients such as witch hazel or caffeine.
- Take a break from contact lenses: Wearing contact lenses is pure stress for irritated eyes. So it is better to wear your glasses until the swelling has gone down.
- Massage: If your eyes are not only swollen but also red, sebum may have accumulated in the glands overnight. In this case, gently massaging your eyelids can help to relieve the swelling. Make gentle circular movements around your eye with your fingers, stroking gently towards the inner corner of the eye. You can remove encrusted sebum residues with a cotton pad.
- Reduce salt consumption: Too much salt can promote water retention. You should therefore restrict you salt consumption if you often wake up with swollen eyes. The German Society for Nutrition recommends ten grams of salt as the daily upper limit for adults.
- Take a break for your eyes: If you generally do a lot of work at a computer screen, you should give your eyes a break now and again. This is even quite simple: Close your eyes when you are on the phone for example, or look out of the window into the distance for a few minutes.
If swollen eyes have already become a permanent problem, then sicca syndrome could be the cause. Here, for example, regular wetting with lubricating eye drops helps by covering the surface of the eye like the tear film and giving the eye protection.
What helps to deal with swollen bags under the eye?
Many people know the problem: swollen bags under the eye. Women in particular suffer from this and try to conceal the puffiness under their eyes with makeup. Above all, cooling, drinking plenty of fluids, reducing stress and getting enough sleep are the best ways to reduce bags under your eyes and make them look fresh and bright again.