Eye puffiness, characterized by fluid retention around the eyelid and under the eyes, can be caused by a number of different factors. The reasons may be as simple as not getting enough sleep or eating too much salt. You can get rid of eye puffiness in many ways, from improving your sleep or applying cold compresses to using topical medications or undergoing plastic surgery.

The terms “puffy eyes” (sometimes known as “puffiness under the eyes”) and “puffy eyes” are sometimes used interchangeably, but refer to two different states. Swollen eyes result from an inflammatory response to allergens, infection or injury, while bulging eyes have soft, swollen eyelids due to water retention, lack of sleep, or genetic traits such as age-related sagging or swollen eyelids.

Symptoms of puffy eyes

You may experience eye puffiness after late at night, from eating certain foods, or from crying. Sometimes called periorbital edema or puffiness around the orbit, swollen eyes are characterized by swelling under the eyes, on the eyelid, or all the way around the orbits – the bone cavity that houses the eye.

Puffy eyes may be accompanied by dark circles or bags under the eyes and sagging or flabby skin.

Causes

The cause of puffiness in your eyes may be obvious. If you’re crying, allergic, or had salty snacks the night before, the cause of your puffiness in your eyes may be obvious. But this condition can also be the result of other reasons that are not very obvious.

Diet

A number of items in your diet can cause puffy eyes. These foods and drinks inflate the tissues around your eyes because they make your body retain water. The most common culprit is salt or sodium. Foods and drinks that are high in sodium can cause fluid retention and swelling throughout the body. Sodium can be hidden in a lot of what you eat, and you may not realize it – sodium doesn’t always make things salty.

If you have eye puffiness, be sure to read the food and drink labels carefully. Try to keep your total daily sodium intake below 2300,<> milligrams — about a teaspoon of table salt — or even less if you have certain health conditions.

Some foods and drinks that can mask sodium and make you retain water include:

• Processed or packaged foods
• Fast Food
• Alcoholic beverages
• Soft drinks
• Sauces and seasonings
• Meat Food
• stew

The FDA provides guidance on how to locate sodium in food labels and how to reduce the sodium content of your foods. Some tips include: 1

• Cook from scratch.
• Limit the intake of processed foods.
• Rinse some canned foods, such as beans to reduce the sodium content.
• Choose low-sodium versions of products, such as low-sodium soy sauce.
• Reduce servings of salty foods.
• Allergies

Allergies can also cause puffy eyes, including seasonal allergies and more serious allergic reactions. They can cause fluid buildup around the eyes and sinuses. Allergies can cause hay fever or a reaction to foods, chemicals or other irritants or allergens.

Some common allergens include: 2

• soil
• Musty
• Pet dander
• vaccine
• Walnut tree
• wheat

Apart from allergens, caution should also be exercised when using certain topical treatments such as cosmetics, creams, or chemicals around your eyes.3 These substances can cause irritation or even eye injury. Be sure to use goggles when spraying chemicals or other irritants, and be careful with cosmetics and tools such as eyelash curling tools.

genetics

• You may have inherited the tendency towards puffy eyes and dark circles from your family. If there are many members of your family who have swollen eyes, it could be a sign of a genetic condition that causes eye puffiness.

Aging

• As we age, many parts of our bodies lose muscle strength, hardness, and flexibility. Your eyes are no exception. The collagen in your skin, which gives the skin its firmness and elasticity, decreases with age. This happens all over your body, but the thin skin around your eyes may show collagen loss more prominently than in other areas.
• The muscles around your eyes also age, causing the tissues in that area to sag. When the tissues sag and become lax, the layers of fat beneath those tissues may begin to swell and create a swollen appearance.

Sleep problems

When you have trouble sleeping, you may notice puffiness in the eyes the next morning. You may be angry, have trouble concentrating, or have a lack of energy. One study found that people around you can tell if you’re sleep deprived just by looking at your face, specifically in your eyes.

• Ptosis
• blushing
• Swelling around the eyes
• Dark circles under or around the eyes
• What to do to solve deep lack of sleep
• Hyposis of fat in the lower eyelid
• Lower eyelid fat prolapse is the main cause of puffiness of the lower eyelids. This condition occurs when connective tissue weakens as a result of aging or surgical trauma and fat around the eye socket can progress and appear in the lower eyelids.

Medical conditions that cause swollen eyelids

As already mentioned, puffy eyes and swollen eyelids differ, the latter may be a sign of an underlying condition, such as:

• Blepharitis (blepharitis)
• Burda (clogged gland at the base of the eyelashes)
• Conjunctivitis (inflammation or infection of the transparent membrane lining the eyelids and whites of the eye)
• Diabetic retinopathy (a complication of diabetes)
• Thyroid eye disease (such as Graves’ disease)
• Hereditary angioedema (skin reaction affecting the deep layer of the skin)
• Orbital cellulitis (inflammation of soft tissues and fat that traps the eye in the cavity)
• Ocular herpes (a condition caused by the herpes simplex virus that affects the cornea)
  Infections
• Keratitis (keratitis)
• Optic neuritis (inflammation of the optic nerve)
• Cheese (inflammation caused by a blocked gland or follicles on the edge of the eyelid)
• Injuries
• Uveitis (inflammation of the middle layer of eye wall tissue)
• Eye cancer
• Kidney failure
• Lymphedema of rosacea, or Morbihan syndrome (late complications of rosacea or acne)
• Transition of the filler (when cosmetic fillers, such as hyaluronic acid or fat, move away from the injection site)
• The main causes of swollen eyelids

Complications

Persistent or worsening swelling of the eyelids can lead to serious complications, including:

• Blindness or visual impairment
• Blepharitis
• You should get a thorough eye exam if you have blurry vision, poor vision, pain in your eye, floaters, or a sensation that something is stuck inside your eye.

diagnosis

Eye puffiness can usually be diagnosed through a physical examination. Your health care provider may:

• Ask you about any creams or lotions you use around your eyes
• Ask about exposure to chemicals or other environmental pollutants
• Discuss workplace hazards
• Review your allergy history
• Have a complete health history
• Have a physical exam
  If your healthcare provider thinks you have swollen eyelids and not swollen eyes, they may perform additional tests to determine the cause of your symptoms.

If the swelling is caused by exposure to allergens or contaminants or from traumatic injury, a physical examination with standard eye examination tools may be sufficient. However, if the cause of your eyelid swelling is less clear, your healthcare provider may need to have other tests, including:

Blood action to check electrolytes and kidney or liver
function Blood action to check for inflammatory conditions

• Imaging studies such as computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Treatment

• Puffy eyes are generally harmless and do not require treatment, but there are ways to reduce swelling and improve the appearance of your eyes. Depending on the cause, you may be able to get rid of eye puffiness completely.

Home remedies

There are some strategies you can try at home to lighten or eliminate puffiness under your eyes and the appearance of shadows, including:

• Using a cold compress: Moisten a clean cloth with cold water and place the wet towel around your eyes for a few minutes, pressing very gently. Do this while sitting upright.
• Allergy control: Avoid allergens whenever you can. Also talk to your health care provider about allergy medications.
• Lifestyle
  Lifestyle changes can also help reduce puffiness around the eyes, such as: 5
• Make dietary changes: Avoid drinking fluids before bed and reduce salt intake in your diet. This can help reduce fluid retention overnight which can lead to puffiness under your eyes.
• Quit smoking: Smoking can contribute to collagen loss faster.9 This makes the thin skin under your eyes thinner, resulting in increased clarity of blood vessels.
• Get enough sleep: Most experts recommend sleeping seven to nine hours a day. Also, sleep with your head slightly raised. This can help prevent fluids from settling around your eyes while you sleep. Support your bed head a few inches, or add an extra pillow.

Medications

• If your eye swelling is caused by allergies or irritation, you may want to try over-the-counter antihistamines. You may also want to see an allergist to find out exactly what you are allergic to. Some allergic reactions can be life-threatening, and you should seek immediate medical attention if you begin to have difficulty breathing or swallowing.
• Non-surgical cosmetic treatments
  Outside of cosmetics, there are a number of non-invasive options that may help with puffy eyes or puffiness, such as laser peeling. area and stimulate the growth of new collagen, resulting in firmer skin. Results can last for years, depending on your skin type and sun exposure.
• Injectable doxycycline, or tetracycline antibiotic, is thought to help with the drooping of non-invasive lower eyelid fat.

Plastic Surgery

If you have tried all these repairs and they are still not enough, surgical procedures may be an option. Each surgery comes with its own risk set. You should talk with your healthcare provider about whether surgery is right for you.

Blepharoplasty is the procedure of lifting the lower eyelid. This is usually done on an outpatient basis, either under local anesthesia or general anesthesia. The surgeon resets the fat in the lower eye area and tightens the muscles and skin to give a smooth appearance during this surgery.

What to expect after blepharoplasty surgery

A word from Ibsar Specialized Center

• 
  Eye puffiness can be caused by a number of factors from lack of sleep to too much sodium in your body to genetic factors. If you’ve tried home remedies and your puffy eyes haven’t gone away, you may want to see your healthcare provider for a more thorough examination to make sure you don’t have swollen eyelids, which can be a sign of a more serious medical condition.
• While bulging eyes are annoying, they are generally not life-threatening. They also do not require treatment unless you want to improve the appearance of your eyes.
• There are many options, including over-the-counter products, lifestyle changes, and surgeries, which can help you lift and stabilize the tissue around your eyes. Talk to your healthcare provider if your puffy eyes are a constant problem or if you have any changes in your vision.