Associated symptoms
The accompanying symptoms of a swollen conjunctiva are mainly pain and itching. Increased lacrimation and fluid in the eye can also be symptoms of chemosis. Vision problems can also occur.
The visual disturbances manifest themselves in blurred vision or double vision. It can happen that the eye cannot be closed completely because the swelling of the conjunctiva takes up a lot of space. The complete closing of the eye is “blocked”.
The itching also causes the affected person to rub the eye more intensely, but this can further increase the appearance of the swelling. However, the accompanying symptoms mentioned above do not necessarily occur. It is also possible that no symptoms occur.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of a swollen conjunctiva is usually a gaze diagnosis of the ophthalmologist. This means that the ophthalmologist can directly express the suspicion of a chemosis by simply looking at it. The use of a special slit lamp is helpful here, allowing the conjunctiva to be viewed more clearly.
Afterwards it should be clarified whether allergies are known, which can cause swelling of the conjunctiva in the form of an allergic reaction. In addition, an irritation of the conjunctiva, for example by foreign bodies, should be excluded. If the swelling is caused by a tumor that blocks the outflow pathways of the conjunctiva, the diagnosis is more complicated and is mainly based on imaging techniques such as an MRI.
What to do in case of swollen conjunctiva?
Since the swelling of the conjunctiva can have various causes, it is difficult to find a generally valid measure to improve the symptoms. In principle, an attempt is made to eliminate the cause. To counteract the swelling, cold compresses can be applied to the eye for a few minutes.
The cold causes the vessels to contract and the swelling to subside. It is important not to rub the eye, as this can increase the symptoms. If the cause is unclear, an ophthalmologist should be consulted, who can clarify the cause of the swollen conjunctiva.
An allergy test can then be performed, for example. If the allergy is the reason for the swollen conjunctiva, anti-allergic medication is used.You should also stay away from the source of the allergy triggers. There are also homeopathic therapy approaches for a swollen conjunctiva.
It is reported that Euphrasia C5, globules from the Euphrasia officinalis (common eyebright) can help with swollen conjunctiva. There are also Euphrasia eye drops which can be used as a treatment method. The use of Apis mellifica (honey bee) is also common and is supposed to fight the swelling.
