Symptoms
The symptoms of swollen eyelids, like the causes, can be varied. The main symptom is of course a swelling of the entire eyelids or parts of the eyelid. This may be visible to the naked eye or, in less pronounced cases, may be palpable only with the finger.
The duration of the swelling is of course not always the same. Thus, a distinction is made between acute and chronic events on the eyelid. They can affect the entire eyelid, including the area around the eyes, or only the upper or lower eyelid.
It can also occur, as in the case of a barleycorn or hailstone, that the swelling is clearly distinguishable only on the nose side of the eyelids or on the outer edge of the eyelid. In addition, the swollen area may be slightly reddened or the affected person may complain of unpleasant itching, burning or a feeling of tension. The swelling may feel either soft or hard and like a small rough knot in the skin of the eyelid.
Depending on what has caused the swelling of the eyelids, adjacent areas of the eye may also be affected. It is also important to note whether the eye itself, next to the eyelid, is affected. The eyes can then be reddened or dry, for example.
Of course, there are also congenital swellings of the eyelids, such as those found in haemangiomas, the so-called capillary hemangiomas. Also unfavorably developing liver spots can rise above the skin level and thus cause unevenness and swelling of the eyelid. Moreover, liver spots do not necessarily have to be brown, so that they are sometimes only recognized as such relatively late.
Diagnosis
Because the causes of swollen eyelids are so varied, the decision whether a doctor’s visit is necessary may not always be easy at first. As a rough rule of thumb: as long as it is only a harmless swelling of the eyelids and you already know that it was once again a short night, you have drunk a glass or two over your thirst or perhaps cried, the thick eyelids will most likely disappear completely after a short time, at the latest one hour after getting up. However, if this is not the case, or if there are no explanations for the swelling of the eyelids, a visit to a doctor is advisable.
In any case, it is important that in the case of a swelling of the eyelids with an unclear cause, the eyelid is left alone and no manipulation is carried out. If it is an infection of the eyelids or other bacterial processes, the pathogens can get from the eyelid into the eye itself and cause an inflammation. If the affected persons are contact lens wearers and the problem of swollen eyelids occurs more often, it would be advisable to consult an eye doctor.
