Are Swollen Eyes an Allergy Symptom?

Seeing some swollen eyes looking at you from the bathroom mirror is never pleasant but is it a signal of an allergy? Swollen and red eyes certainly mean that there's some kind of irritation and inflammation in the tissues in and around the eye but what could it be?

There are many possibilities. The swelling means that there is some fluid build up but does not tell us the cause. Here are some possibilities.

Glaucoma is a condition in which there is a high pressure in the eye which forces it forward and gives the eye a swollen and prominent look. This is a condition needing expert examination and treatment and not home treatment.

Pink eye is the common name for allergic conjunctivitis in which there is an allergic trigger making the front of the eye red and inflamed. Obvious culprits would be airborne allergens like pollen, dander, dust and dust from industrial plants and construction sites. Perhaps an air filter at home would help. Simply removing allergens from air may give enough relief so a H.E.P.A. filter is worth thinking about.

Contact lenses can also cause problems. Perhaps a slight infection is causing irritation and a review of how you look after your lenses is needed. Well worth checking with the expert who provided them

Make up allergies are common. There are many different chemicals in make up and personal care product that affect people with sensitive skin. Try using different make or even none!

Dry eyes are common too and cause people to take eye drops. Not infrequently those eye drops irritate the eyes and swelling is the result. A different eye drop formula may do the trick.

Sinusitis, the inflammation of the sinus cavities is often accompanied by pain, puffiness and swelling around the eyes and your normal allergy remedy should reduce the swelling as the anti-histamines do their work.

Swollen eyes are an indicator of an irritation, an inflammation in or around the eyes but in themselves are a very general sign that you need to give yourself some extra care and perhaps get some expert health advice. It may just be that a natural product like vitamin C would do the trick, by pushing your histamine level down and you look and feel fine again in a few hours or maybe it is a sign of something deeper like fluid retention. If the swelling persists the meaning is clear, go see your family healthcare professional.