Puffy eyes, dark circles, red and burning eyes

Everything you need to know about possible causes and how to prevent them

Do you ever have puffy eyes, dark circles under your eyes or red or burning eyes? It is not pleasant and there are many reasons. BETTER VISION explains: What causes puffy eyes, dark circles and red and burning eyes – and how to prevent them?

Lack of sleep, unsuitable glasses, allergies, eye infections or too much time spent in front of the screen – there are many causes of irritation to our sensitive eyes. It is therefore no surprise that puffy eyes, dark circles under the eyes, and red and burning eyes are commonly complained about by a large number of people. However, there are effective ways to prevent them. And we’ll tell you how.

Puffy eyes

Symptoms of puffy eyes:

The eyes and eyelids become thick and swollen, and from time to time they also become red and sensitive to pressure. The eyes often itch, water and burn. Both eyes are usually affected. Rarely, only one eye suffers from symptoms.

Causes of puffy eyes:

You probably already know some of the common causes of puffy eyes – it’s enough to look in the mirror in the morning to remember the night before: our eyes are strained and puffy due to lack of sleep, exhaled air (e.g. when it’s too hot or windy), but also when you will shed too many tears in a romantic movie. The skin around the eyes is much thinner than in other parts of the face. It follows that the symptoms of stress and fatigue are much more visible around the eyes. However, puffy eyes can also be hereditary or caused by aging – and it doesn’t end there, there are many more causes:

• If you ate too much salty or high-protein food for dinner, you may have puffy eyes the next morning. Swelling also occurs when you sleep for a long time, because less lymphatic fluid flows to the eye area when you sleep. Fluid accumulates during the night and this leads to swelling.
• Swollen eyes can also cause allergy (usually to pollen, dust or animal dander) and intolerance to certain medicines or foods.
• The eyes may also be swollen, sore and/or dry due to acute neurodermatitis.
• Swelling can also be caused by eye infections, e.g conjunctivitis or barley grain.
• Eye problems can also be a symptom of another disease. Swollen eyes can be a symptom of, for example, kidney or heart disease, an underactive thyroid gland, or high blood pressure. The eyes often swell with a cold, especially if the sinuses are also affected.
• Dehydration can also cause puffy eyes.
• They can also be the cause of swelling dry eyes e.g. due to long-term wearing of contact lenses, exposure to warm air or computer work.
• Some can also dry out the eyes and cause swelling medicines.
• Your eyes will also swell in the event of an impact or a blow to the eyes.
• Many women notice water accumulation around the eyelids also due to the production of the hormone estrogen during menstruation.

How to get rid of puffy eyes:

A variety of treatments are available depending on the cause of the swelling. If the symptoms do not go away on their own, a visit to an ophthalmologist is recommended to determine their cause. The same also applies to recurrent symptoms or symptoms that appear suddenly and remain for a long time.

There are a number of simple and tried-and-tested home remedies and procedures that will provide quick relief from puffy eyes. As with other swellings, a cold compress can work wonders. Try placing a cooled tea bag on swollen eyelids (green tea reduces swelling). A cooling cucumber face mask might also help.

Warning: Some individuals may be allergic to black tea bags. In this case, remove the tea bag immediately. A viable alternative can be to use two teaspoons, which you place in the freezer for five minutes. After that, place the teaspoons with the bulging inside on the swollen eyes. The cold is not only pleasant, but also reduces swelling. Important: Make sure that the spoons are not too cold in the freezer for too long. Laying spoons should never be uncomfortable on the eyes. If the spoons on your eyes are uncomfortable, remove them from your eyes immediately. Wait for the metal to heat up a bit more.

If you often suffer from puffy eyes, we recommend using a cooling eye mask (available in pharmacies and beauty salons). This gel-filled mask is pleasantly cooling and soothes and refreshes the sensitive skin around the eyes. If the swelling is caused by dry eyes, special eye drops are usually given to stabilize the tear film and keep the eyes moist. This will also reduce irritation. If eye swelling is caused by allergies, antihistamines (available in pharmacies) can provide quick relief from acute symptoms. Special medications are used to treat allergies that work by reducing or preventing allergic reactions. It is also possible to fight allergies by reducing sensitivity. This procedure is also known as specific immune therapy. In this case, a person suffering from an allergy is given a very weak form of the substance to which they are allergic every week. This is repeated for six months to three years. Ideally, the body thus gradually “accepts” the allergen without creating defensive reactions. If your eye swelling is caused by high blood pressure or heart or kidney disease, your doctor will help determine the most appropriate treatment.

If the swelling is caused by neurodermatitis, a cortisone cream is usually prescribed if your symptoms are acute. Since not all creams and ointments are suitable for all parts of the skin, always consult your doctor before using a cream or ointment on the sensitive area around the eyes.

Eye infections can also cause eye swelling. Depending on the type of swelling, different treatments are available.

 

Read on to learn more about the most common eye infections and how they can be treated and/or prevented.

Prevention of puffy eyes:

Since puffy eyes can have a number of causes, there are also a number of ways to prevent them. If possible, avoid common causes – such as drinking alcohol in the evening or eating foods high in salt or protein. You can also prevent puffy eyes by following the following advice:

• Get as much sleep as possible and try to establish a regular sleep pattern. For most people, the ideal amount of sleep is seven hours.
• Do not have too much heat in the bedroom, it could irritate the eyes. Each of us prefers a different temperature in the bedroom, but in general, the temperature should be around 16 to 20 degrees.
• Since bad air can also irritate the eyes, regularly ventilate all rooms to prevent dry, irritated and swollen eyes.
• Dehydration can also cause dry and puffy eyes. That is why it is important to drink enough fluids – ideally up to two liters of water per day. You can also prevent puffy eyes by limiting sugar consumption.
• Puffy eyes and dark circles can be the result of many things allergies.
• The skin can also be irritated by excessive consumption of sugar and alcohol, or the use of perfumed cosmetics or cosmetics containing preservatives. It can also lead to eye swelling in people with neurodermatitis. If you suffer from neurodermatitis, it is recommended to lead a healthy lifestyle and avoid using harmful skin care products.
• If it causes swelling eye infection, depending on the type of infection, several methods of prevention are available.

Circles under the eyes

Symptoms of under eye circles:

The skin under the eyes darkens. Depending on the severity, your eyes and your overall appearance can look tired or sickly. Affected areas may be colored brown, blue, gray, or bluish-purple. The cause of under-eye circles is usually harmless and should not be confused with a monocle, which is a bruise caused by an external force.

Causes of under-eye circles:

In most cases, dark circles are just a cosmetic and temporary defect. There are two main causes:

1. Excess of stored pigment in the skin (hyperpigmentation)

Skin color depends on several factors, one of which is a pigment called melanin. It is a substance contained in cells that significantly affects the color of our skin. The more melanin we have, the darker our skin is. When a large amount of melanin is deposited around the eyes, it appears as blue or blue-gray circles under the eyes. In medicine, this phenomenon is known as hyperpigmentation or melasma. Circles under the eyes caused by hyperpigmentation can be hereditary. Other causes include:

• infections, diseases and rashes (neurodermatitis, contact allergy)
• frequent and intense exposure to UV radiation
• drugs and certain medications

2. Transparent vessels

The second most common cause of dark circles under the eyes is transparent blood vessels. Under the eye there is very thin skin and subcutaneous fat tissue – in some people it is so thin that blood vessels can be seen through the skin. Therefore, this area looks darker and the circles under the eyes take on a brown color. The less oxygen is delivered to the blood vessels, the more they are visible through the skin. Deoxygenated blood is darker than oxygenated blood. Other factors that cause dark circles in conjunction with transparent vessels include:

• kidney and thyroid disease
• pollutants (e.g. polluted water, exhaust gases)
• dehydration
• poor diet, iron deficiency
• consumption of drugs, alcohol and nicotine
• stress
• lack of sleep

How to get rid of dark circles:

We can easily get rid of under-eye circles using simple home procedures. One of them is a cloth soaked in cold water. When you place it on the under-eye circles for five to ten minutes, the coolness causes the blood vessels to constrict, making the under-eye circles appear lighter. Just like when treating swollen eyes, you can also achieve the same effect using gel-filled glasses or a mask (available in pharmacies and beauty salons), or using green or black tea bags. Just take two green or black tea bags, pour hot water over them, let them cool, gently squeeze the bag and place it on the affected area. The caffeine in the tea will promote the clotting of the blood vessels under the skin, which will lighten the dark circles under the eyes. Warning: Some people may have allergic reactions to flavored black tea bags. In this case, remove the tea bag immediately. It is also possible to combat dark circles by gently massaging the affected area, which will promote blood circulation.

You can hide under-eye circles quickly and easily – all you need is a concealer. Concealer should ideally not dry out the skin, but rather moisturize it. If you have sensitive or allergic skin, we recommend using an unscented concealer. Tip: Choose a color that is one shade lighter than your skin or makeup.

Prevention of under-eye circles:

Depending on the cause, there are a number of ways to prevent the formation of circles under the eyes. If dark circles are caused by a poor diet, a healthy diet can be an effective form of prevention. If the cause is lack of sleep, stress or drugs, alcohol or nicotine consumption, you will benefit from a more balanced and healthy lifestyle. Another common cause of under-eye circles is dehydration. Sufficient fluid intake is therefore an effective prevention.

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Red or sore eyes

Symptoms of red or sore eyes:

One or both eyes are either very or slightly painful. People often complain of itching, burning and excessive watering of the eyes.

Causes of red or sore eyes:

The redness is caused by dilated blood vessels and increased circulation in the conjunctiva or sclera below. These blood vessels are clearly visible against the white background of the sclera, and there are so many of them that the eyes suddenly look red with increased circulation. In medicine, this phenomenon is called increased vascular pattern. Sore eyes can be caused by the following factors:

• Eyelid infection caused by e.g. allergies
• High intraocular pressure
• dry eyes e.g. due to dry ambient air
• Lack of sleep
• Eye switching, eg spending too much time working on the computer and/or not blinking enough
• A ruptured blood vessel, e.g. due to pollution or injury to the eye
• Uncorrected or insufficiently corrected refractive error
• Wearing contact lenses for too long
• Viral diseases, e.g. herpes
• Cosmetics, e.g. make-up and mascara (can cause the edges of the eyelids to stick together)
• Conjunctivitis

How to get rid of red or sore eyes:

There are several methods of treatment and they depend on the cause of red or sore eyes. The eye is a very sensitive organ – if in doubt, always consult a doctor and do not try to cure the problem on your own. If the eyes are too dry and therefore red or sore, artificial tears can help, which supply enough tear film to the eyes. If the cause is an allergy, antihistamines or eye drops and gels containing cortisone can provide quick relief. In the case of a bacterial infection, your eye doctor will prescribe antibiotics. If red or sore eyes are caused by an uncorrected visual defect, an eye doctor or optometrist will perform a vision test and recommend appropriate glasses. If you wear contact lenses that often cause your eyes to be red or sore, reducing the amount of time you wear your lenses or switching brands of contact lenses and related products may help.

Prevention of red or sore eyes:

Since red or sore eyes can be caused by a number of factors, there are also a number of prevention methods. Avoid the usual causes such as dry air or drafts, chlorinated water, cigarette smoke and dust. The mentioned causes can lead to inflammation of the conjunctiva and therefore to red or sore eyes. Women who use makeup on a daily basis are advised to regularly clean the glands of their eyelids. It’s simple: just place a warm, damp cloth over your eyes for ten minutes. Then gently massage your eyelids with non-abrasive cotton pads. If fluid is leaking from the glands of the eyelids, it can be caught with a damp cotton swab. If you wear contact lenses, always read the instructions for using lens care products and do not exceed the time of wearing the lenses recommended by the manufacturer. If you have red or sore eyes as a result of spending too much time at the computer, you can prevent this by taking regular breaks (eg looking out the window or blinking repeatedly after a short while). Special ones can also provide you with increased visual comfort computer glasses.

Burning eyes

Symptoms of burning eyes:

The eyes itch, burn, are irritated and sometimes painful. Burning eyes are often accompanied by other ailments, such as red or sore eyes, the feeling that you have a foreign body in your eye, itchy eyelids, sensitivity to light and excessive tearing.

Causes of burning eyes:

They often cause burning dry eyes (dry eye syndrome) [Link zu “Die fägtsten Augenentzündungen”]. When there is not enough tear fluid to keep the conjunctiva and cornea moist, it leads to irritation and therefore burning of the eyes. This may mean that the quality of the tear fluid is not optimal or that not enough is being produced. Other factors can also cause burning of the eyes, e.g.:

• Allergy
• Too much eye strain, e.g. spending too much time in front of a screen
• The use of certain medicines
• Uncorrected or insufficiently corrected visual impairment
• Conjunctivitis and corneal inflammation
• Diseases such as a tear film disorder caused by thyroid disease, diabetes or rheumatism

How to get rid of burning eyes:

Depending on the cause of burning eyes, there are a number of treatment options available. If you suffer from burning eyes, special eye drops can provide quick relief. They stabilize the tear film and soothe the conjunctiva. If the cause is an allergy, antihistamines or eye drops and gels containing cortisone can provide quick relief. In the case of a bacterial infection, your eye doctor will prescribe antibiotics. If uncorrected or undercorrected visual impairment is causing the burning eyes, your doctor or optometrist may recommend better glasses. If you wear contact lenses and often experience burning eyes, it may help to reduce the amount of time you wear them or try a different brand of lenses and related products.

Prevention of burning eyes:

Avoid the usual causes such as dry air or drafts, chlorinated water, cigarette smoke and dust. These can cause conjunctivitis and associated burning of the eyes. If you wear contact lenses, always read the instructions for using lens care products and do not exceed the time of wearing the lenses recommended by the manufacturer. If your eyes burn from excessive computer work, taking regular breaks can help. For example, look into the distance from time to time and moisten and relieve the eyes by repeatedly blinking. Special computer glasses can help you improve your visual comfort.