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Edema of eyelids
Last reviewed: 19.11.2021
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Edema of the eyelids is a condition of abnormally high water content in the subcutaneous tissue of the eyelids, which is often encountered in medical practice.
The edema of the eyelids rises under certain conditions: high skin extensibility, very loose texture of subcutaneous fat, the ability of subcutaneous adipose tissue to accumulate fluid, abundant blood supply to the eyelids. Systemic pathology (heart, kidney, thyroid gland diseases) and local causes that lead to edema of the eyelids: trauma, insect bites, lymphatic drainage, leakage of craniocerebral fluid.
There are inflammatory and non-inflammatory (passive) edema of the eyelids.
Inflammatory eyelid edema occurs in the following diseases: inflammation of the eyelids (barley, blepharitis, purulent inflammation of the eyelids, abscesses, contact dermatitis, insect bites), inflammatory diseases of the conjunctiva (purulent, membranous and pseudomembranous conjunctivitis), lacrimal sack (dacryocystitis, phlegmon of the lacrimal sac ), diseases of the lacrimal gland and orbits (abscesses, pseudotumor), diseases of the eyeball (acute iridocyclitis and endophthalmitis). Reactive oedemas of the eyelids are noted in inflammation of the accessory sinuses.
Inflammatory edema of the eyelids has the following symptoms: marked reddening of the skin, increased local temperature, tenderness of the eyelids during palpation; swelling is almost always one-sided. In a number of all possible cases, the regional lymph nodes are enlarged and painful.
Dense edema of the eyelids can occur with cyclic exacerbations of erysipelatous inflammation, manifested by a greater density of surrounding tissues.
Non-inflammatory eyelid edema has the following symptoms: the skin of the eyelids is paler, "cool", the palpation of the eyelid is not painful. Edema of the eyelids, in most cases, bilateral, most pronounced in the morning, is often combined with edema of the legs and ascites.
Allergic (angioedema) edema of the eyelids is usually one-sided, much pronounced, occurs unexpectedly, is not accompanied by pain and abruptly disappears. The development of edema is often preceded by headaches, a sense of weakness, rapid fatigue. The prerequisite for its development is the allergic reaction of sensitized opranism to some stimulus, both as specific (drug product, milk, citrus, chocolate, pollen), but also nonspecific (cooling). Essential expansion of capillaries causes their increased permeability.
Treatment of edema of the eyelids consists in eliminating the root cause of the origin of the edema or contact with the stimulus.
The prognosis for swelling of the eyelids depends on the underlying cause of the origin of the edema. Non-inflammatory (passive) edema of the eyelids arises from the action of local (head trauma, angioedema) and cumulative (cardiac or renal failure, severe anemia) factor.
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