Swollen Eyes Causes

Got up with a hangover after the evening party and suddenly you feel slight pain in your eyes? Wondering what would have possibly caused your eyes to swell up suddenly? Well it can be the excess of tequila shots you consumed with salt and lemon. Excessive consumption of liquor and salt is one of the main causes of eye swelling, but there are other common causes as well. Eye infection, fall of foreign particles in the eye or excessive strain can also be probable causes of swollen eyes. The skin around the eyes is quite thin and full of blood vessels, which makes it one of the most sensitive parts in your body. Eye swelling can be quite annoying and disturbing. Though swelling of the eyes is not generally painful, it can obstruct your vision and lead to uneasiness. Read on further to learn about some of the common causes of swollen and puffy eyes.

Causes Of Swollen And Puffy Eyes

Conjunctivitis or ‘pink eye’ is a common cause of eye swelling. Conjunctivitis is referred to the inflammation caused to the conjunctiva of the eye and is associated with constant irritation and redness of the affected eye. Conjunctivitis gained the name ‘pink eye’ because in this condition, the white portion of the eye turns red or pink, due to the inflammation of the blood vessels. Patients suffering from conjunctivitis suffer from constant irritation, pain and become sensitive to bright light.
Allergic reactions can also be the cause for swelling of the eye. If you are allergic to seasonal pollen, you can also experience swelling in your eyes. Pollen can cause irritation to the eyes, making them dry and itchy. The condition normally leads to incessant rubbing of the eyes. Though pollen allergies can be treated with some over-the-counter allergy medications, if the allergy causes excessive problems, seeing a doctor is advisable.
Insect bite is another common cause of eye swelling. Insects do not bite or sting the eyeball, but they sting the eyelid or the skin surrounding the eye. This bite can cause irritation in the surrounding area, which if scratched, will lead to swelling. The swelling can be treated with bug-bite medicines, unless you have severe allergic reaction.
Sinusitis can also cause eye swelling, because the sinus cavities are located all around your eyes. When the sinuses around the eyes get infected, they swell up putting pressure on your eyes. You can treat sinusitis with antibiotics, but adhere only to only those antibiotics that are prescribed by your doctor.
Rare, but one of the possible causes of eye swelling is any contact with the irritants from the poison ivy plant. Poison ivy irritants can lead to severe swelling. In such cases, calamine lotion and products similar to these can be used to treat rashes caused due to poison ivy.
Any injury or trauma to the eyes can also cause bruises around the eyes and eye swelling in turn.
Your hectic lifestyle can also lead to eye swelling. With the amount of stress you undergo in day to day life, along with inadequate sleep, you can experience puffy and swollen eyes. A change in lifestyle with improved sleeping habits might reduce this type of eye swelling.
Regular use of contact lenses without properly cleaning of the lenses can also be a possible cause for swelling in eyes. You will have to extremely careful while using a lens. It should be worn and removed carefully and always cleaned before and after use.
Exposure to foreign particles can also cause swelling in the eyes. Wear shades while you step out of the car or home. This would restrict any foreign particle from entering as your sunglasses would as a protective shield.

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