Associated symptoms
Swelling of the eye can occur alone or be accompanied by various symptoms. The type of accompanying symptoms depends mainly on the cause of the swelling.In the case of an allergic reaction, redness, watery eyes, severe itching, sneezing and a runny nose are typical accompanying symptoms. Mosquito bites on the eye not only cause swelling, but also very annoying itching and redness at the bite site.
If the swelling on the eye was caused by trauma or injury, there may be other symptoms. These include fractures of the cranial bones, bruises, hematomas or skin injuries. The affected persons then often suffer from pain.
Swelling of the eye is in many cases harmless and does not cause pain. However, especially fractures in the cranial region or facial injuries that cause the swelling are often very painful. In such cases, careful cooling with ice packs can relieve the pain somewhat and ensure that the swelling is reduced.
When cooling, care must be taken that the ice pack is wrapped in a towel so that it does not come into direct contact with the skin. Ointments or tablets with pain-relieving active ingredients also help to alleviate the pain. Severe pain must always be clarified by a doctor and should not be treated on your own.
Treatment
The therapy of swollen eyes depends on the respective trigger. If the swelling occurs as a result of a short night or long crying, the first aid measure is to cool the eyes. Cold has a vasoconstrictive effect and causes the excess fluid to be removed from the tissue.
Normally, however, swollen eyes with harmless causes do not need further treatment. Swelling caused by inflammation should possibly be treated by an ophthalmologist. The use of antibiotics may be necessary for bacterial infections. Allergies are treated with antihistamines or preparations containing cortisone.
Diagnosis
The doctor makes the diagnosis of a swollen eye by examining the eye. The swelling is usually visible at first glance. The doctor may also perform various examinations, such as an eye test and a fundus examination, to diagnose the cause of the swelling. If an allergy is suspected, various allergy tests (prick test or provocation test) as well as a blood test are performed. After these tests, the doctor has at least a suspected diagnosis in most cases and can plan treatment accordingly.
