Same issues - mine is from living with mold spores that are unseen . swollen and circles under eyes - I can feel it swellin up both eyes throughout the day - from onr ryr to the next
On 9/13 I went to urgent care for the same problem....i was diagnosed with contact dermititis...got a scrip for prednisone and gentimyacin for the eyes....for two weeks i searched the internet for relief when the scrips did not work....i tried every thing recommended on the boards i mean EVERYTHING...from vaseline, to unrefined coconut oil to dry eye drops....no relief. I woke up yesterday morning and my right eye was almost swollen shut...i did not want to go out - i felt like i looked like the elephant man - i left work and went back to Urgent Care - they were able to get me into see an eye doctor....He stated that it was infact contact dermititis and sometimes the prednisone pills dont work...he gave me steriod cream and steriod eye drops - i used them yesterday and today my eyes are not swollen, they do not itch! i am peely yes, but i expect that to go away. The problem with contact dermitits is the first time you come into contact with what is going to cause the outbreak, nothing happens. It is the next time that the breakout occurs so it is very hard to pin point what it is that causes this for a person...my recommendations - wash your hands at every turn, go see an eye doctor and dont waste money on stupid items people have said they tried and worked - they don't. Good luck I hope this helps
That's great Asta that the steroid drops and cream worked for you. Unfortunately they did not for me.
We can only recommend what works for us, and since that worked for you you feel the same way I feel about one of those "stupid" items that worked for me.
I think many of us with this problem have tried the steroid drops and creams...one of the first things I was given way back when I first had the problem. The doctors prescribe this because they have seen success, as in your case.
But not for all of us, and, as well, I cannot be totally convinced I have contact dermatitis anyway (I can only speak for myself, as each of can only do...). Nor can the doctors I have seen be completely convinced of what it is I get.
The symptoms we all share can be symptoms of more than one cause.
These boards are great for people who truly care about others and want to share their ideas and what has worked. Any advice given out of kindness to help others should be appreciated, whether you agree with it or not. It is really disrespectful and downright rude to call other's well meant adivice "stupid."
I have had what appears to be the same problem that a lot of you describe. I had it 1st on 1 EYELID only...intense itching & redness. 2 diff derm docs did a lot of testing...both said it was definitely an allergic reaction, but all tests were inconclusive...after hundred's of $$ spent.
I have had this for quite a few yrs now...flares up, but never totally goes away. Lately its bad again & now is starting on the other eyelid...also there is now a patch of itchy redness above my eyebrow too Agh!!! The itching can get really intense! I agree it is an allergy...but to what? We have checked/changed all makeup, lotions, soaps, shampoos...anything that I apply to my face & I put a fresh towel over my pillow at night...it seems to get worse in the evening.
I'm going to try the coconut oil...I've never heard of this one before. I'm at my wits end w/this condition. I have been keeping my hands so clean I feel like I'm OCD.
I'm so glad that I stumbled onto this page tonight. Lots of interesting posts. I'm glad I'm not alone w/this.
After going to different doctors, I found out the reason for my symptoms is dry eye. The treatment is steroid drops and a steriod cream for the eyelids called FML. During the day I keep the eyes lubricated with Soothe eyedrops. Although I am not happy about having to use a steroid in my eye, at this point it is the ONLY thing that helped my symptoms. I'm not sure if this is what is affecting you also, but if it is...I tried all the oils and creams out there and none of them helped.
Thank you for posting the baking soda and coconut oil remedy. My eyelids do this crazy thing once or twice a year where the start to itch (more the right eye than the left), then they swell and behave as though they desperately need moisturizer. After keeping them coated with vasoline for a couple of days, the skin on my eyelids starts to peel as though it's been sunburned. It's all very uncomfortable and unsightly. I started the baking soda treatment this morning and the itching stopped for awhile but started back with a vengeance because the skin was drying out. So I went to the drugstore and bought organic, unrefined coconut oil and applied it (after another baking soda tx). My skin is so grateful. The itching and swelling have stopped and after two applications of the coconut oil, the skin even appears to be healing!!!
ok I have that on occasion and this is what I do, I wash my eyes with johnsons baby shampoo and before bedtime I put on an antibiotic cream prescribed by my eye doc called
tobrex ointment in 3-4 days it clears up, but I get this condition every time I use products on my eyes other than Almay......
My Dr. prescribed Restasis. It is very expensive though. Refresh optive is an over the counter eye drops that really helps. You get it at any drug store. The problem with your dry eye leaves the eyelid red and sore but the actual problem is the dry eye. My Dr. told me that when she prescribed the Restasis.
I've experienced swollen red itchy eyes every week or two since the end of March (now mid June). I initially thought I had an infection and got rid of all my make-up. Well, a week later my eyes flared up again, and it wasn't until the 4th time within a month that I decided to see a doctor.
He told me I looked like I got punched in the eyes and prescribed a low dose of prednisone. It worked wonderfully, but obviously it's not smart to stay on a steroid for a long period of time. I was referred to an allergist and am waiting to go for my allergy testing appointment in two weeks.
I have never had allergy issues my entire life (25 years old), however, this year I think they all came out and now I'm having major issues. First my eyes will get watery, the corners of my eyes will get red because I wipe them so much, my eyes will slowly start to feel as if there's a red burning rash, and I'll then wake up the next morning with insanely swollen itchy eyelids. This lasts for about 48 hours and then it fades. A week or two later, it'll happen again. I am hoping that after my testing I will be given something to prevent the swelling all together. The swelling is honestly the worst part, because its impossible to cover up in public and when the swelling goes down my eyes are left wrinkly and peeling for another day or two.
After a few months of buying loads of eye drops, creams, and different allergy meds I have finally found a good combination of products that's helps each time I feel the symptoms coming on.
1. Opcon-A is a great eye drop with antihistamine to control the horrible itching. When I went for my fist allergy appointment I was prescribed Paladay and given a free sample. That stuff is over $80 even with insurance, so I searched for a cheaper alternative. Opcon-A is just as good or better for less than $10. I put drops in my eyes every 6 hours and haven't had itchy eyes since I started. (Knock on wood)
2. I take one Zyrtec each morning which seems to manage my teary eyes.
3. Every 4 to 6 hours I rub Equaline Anti Itch cream with Healing aloe. This has been awesome controlling the burning rash feeling and inflammation/puffiness. Plus, it's less than $5. I love this stuff. Will bring it wherever I go as long as my eyes keep having issues. And aloe is great for rashes or any burning feeling.
4. I keep a bottle of Benadryl allergy pills in my purse just in case. I would not use the anti-itch Benadryl cream because it doesn't really soothe the eye itch, it just kind of burns initially.
Ok, sounds like a lot. But so far it's been worth it. Beats the fear of waking up with swollen eyes and so far this routine has prevented an outbreak all together. Will update if this streak of normal eyes ends while using these products. But I strongly recommend these things if you are experiencing red, itchy, burning, swollen eyelids.
I hope to god my terrible allergies this year is just a fluke and related to the ultra-warm /lack of a winter. I can't imagine having to go through this each spring, but at least I've narrowed down the products that seem to work.
I hope you are still around so I can tell you what has helped me. I had never had a problem with my eyes in any way until almost two years ago (will be two years in Feb). I woke up one morning and my eyes were itchy and swollen so bad they were darn near swollen shut. However, no gooey stuff like pink eye. It was not that. Just swollen and itchy.
By the next day they were red and scaly.
Well, for 3 months I suffered with this, wearing no makeup and spending hours a day online, reading posts and trying every remedy. Saw two different derms and one did an allergy test, testing me for everything imaginable, as I had to bring samples in of different things I was exposed to.
Meanwhile I had thrown out all my makeup and washed all of my brushes (which I do anyway, quite regularly). I thought it was an allergic reaction to nickel, to pink or purple eyeshadow, as well as a myriad of other things. Problem was, I removed these items from my life and nothing changed!
Finally, after 3 months of constant swelling (it sometimes went down as the day went on, but always swollen in the morning and always red and scaly and itchy), I read to try coconut oil. I was so desperate I bought some at Trader Joes, and after washing my face and eyes, slathered that stuff on! Well, overnight I had a huge improvement, and within a week I was completely cured of this.
Okay, cut to two weeks ago. No signs of anything coming back ever, until two weeks ago my husband and I were in the movie theater, after an afternoon of shopping. I had a little itch on my eyelid (right where one would wear eyeliner), and I scratched it. Almost immediately I could feel it swelling up. I panicked and ran to the bathroom and it was swelling, as well as the other eye swelling a bit.
By the time the movie was over and we were home, it was full blown swollen, and by the next morning all scaly again. I was devastated. Could not go through this again!
The itching was even more unbearable this time around than the first.
Well, I keep the coconut oil on hand anyway as it is a good moisturizer I discoverd, so I started using that on my lids again, and was back on the computer after a day because it didn't seem to have helped "overnight" this time. Did more reading, and did the warm washcloth compresses on the eyes to soften up the scales, and then washed with warm water and baking soda. Incredibly fine and not grainy, but it helped to wash off any scaly stuff that was loose. I kept at the coconut oil too. No makeup of course. Did this all day long...washing and more coconut oil. By the next day, I woke and hardly any swelling, and my eyes were so much better. All told, from day one at the movies to when it was COMPLETELY gone, was 10 days, but really I think I can say by 8 I was over it. I added two for good measure.
I credit the coconut oil mostly, but I think that using the baking soda and water probably helped a lot. I never had much look with baby shampoo, and I do have Thera tears eye wash, which I washed with first (oh and also started using Thera tears eye drops, as I read that "dry eye" can cause this problem, by making your eyes shed tears that cause a reaction on the skin).
Anyway, sorry this is so long, but I wanted to help with suggestions, as I know so very well how frustrating it is. I sit here over mine right now...in fear of another breakout. But, I am pretty convinced that I have it figured out now. Am going to continue with the baking soda a couple times a week, and the eye drops twice a day. I do not know if I have dry eye, but these can't hurt.
Hi Brooke,
I have had red itchy eyelids for about 6 Months. I have tried neosporin, baby shampoo (which worked the first time) then it made everything worse. Went to ER it was so bad. It's a long story and you have covered a lot. I have been told staph, allergic reaction, and contact reaction. I am going to try un-refined coconut oil.
Thank You
