Yes, we’ve raided grandma’s grimoire again, but it was for a good cause!
Among Grandma Solo’s many remedies, there are plenty of tips, simple methods, and natural remedies to decongest your swollen eyelids.
So stay here and take advantage of her ancestral wisdom to finally get that eye to deflate!
Swollen eyes, but why?
Swollen eyelids (also known as eyelid edema) are linked to an excess of lacrimal fluid and/or inflammation, or even infection of the eyelids and the area around the eyes.
In practice, this translates into one or more symptoms:
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Swollen eye: the most obvious one, of course, when suffering from eyelid edema
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Red eyes: a sign of inflammation
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Itchy eye: itching can accompany eye swelling
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Burning sensation: you may have a burning eye (just the sensation, put that fire extinguisher down right now) or feel tingling
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Excessive tearing: in some cases, you may also find your eyes water more easily
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Light sensitivity: this is called photophobia, a symptom that can accompany swollen eyelids and a sudden urge to invest in ancestral real estate in the Carpathians
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Eye pain
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Eye discharge that is clear or colored
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Blurred vision: if your vision is blurry and your eyelids are swollen, they are surely linked
In any case, if the symptoms persist, head to the doctor, hop hop hop!
Swollen eyelids: the main causes
Before revealing grandma’s remedies for swollen eyes, a little theory on this oh-so-annoying symptom that can be a sign of certain conditions.
Because yes, it is important to understand the causes of eyelid swelling to know which strategy to adopt and be sure not to do anything risky with your eye health!
So, why are your eyelids swollen? There are multiple causes:
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🤧 Allergic reaction: if you suffer from seasonal allergies, you know what we're talking about. Indeed, a reaction to a product or even the famous hay fever often leads to edema in the area around the eye
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👁️ Conjunctivitis: an inflammation like conjunctivitis is often the cause of swollen eyes
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😣 Chalazion or stye: behind these strange words lie lumps that appear on the eyelids. The stye has a bacterial cause that inflames the gland located on the follicle of an eyelash, while the chalazion is due to the obstruction of these glands.
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💧 Water retention: in some cases, water retention can lead to eye swelling
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🤕 Eye injury: after an injury, a blow, or even eye surgery, it is common to have swollen eyelids
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👀 Eye strain: yes, that one is everywhere! If you are exposed to blue light from screens too often, you risk suffering from digital eye strain and having swollen eyes
Frequent causes also include excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages, dehydration, tobacco, lack of sleep, and pollution.
Grandma’s remedies for swollen eyes
Now that you are an expert on the subject of swollen eyelids, let’s finally get to the topic that interests you and open Grandma Solo’s grimoire to put an end to this cursed edema.
🧊 Apply cold to your swollen eye
One of the best tips for decongesting and activating microcirculation is cold! Since the eye contour area is very rich in blood vessels but also very fragile, just remember not to shock it with extreme temperatures.
You can use cold water, compresses, or chilled cucumber slices. Leave them on for a few minutes and you’ll be rid of bags under the eyes and swollen eyelids!
🥄 The teaspoon technique
Grandma is even more talented than McGyver; with a teaspoon, she can build you a nuclear reactor, solve world hunger, and treat swollen eyes.
The process is very simple:
Equip yourself with a teaspoon that you have previously put in the fridge. You can then apply the spoon to your eye or place one on each eye at the same time if both have swollen.
The advantage of this technique is that it combines thermal shock with a shape that fits the eyeballs well, for an anti-bag and decongestant action in less than 20 minutes.
The disadvantage is that doing it in public is not exactly stylish; I don’t even have the appropriate metaphor to say what you would look like.
We obviously advise you to close your eyes beforehand; it is more comfortable.
🫖 A little tea for your bags under the eyes?
A compilation of the best granny remedies for swollen eyes wouldn't be complete without talking about tea and infusions! You can use tea or herbal tea in several ways to relieve a swollen eye:
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Using tea bags: steep two green tea bags in hot water for 5 minutes, let them cool for a few moments, and place them in the fridge. Then, place them on your closed eyelids for 10 minutes before rinsing with lukewarm water. Anti-inflammatory properties of theine + antioxidant action of green tea + its benefits on blood circulation + decongestant effect of cold = boom, soothed eyes in one single move.
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As compresses: here, we would rather use chamomile herbal tea to soak two cotton pads or washable wipes and leave them on your swollen eyes for 10 to 15 minutes.
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By drinking a herbal tea good for your eye health: this one is more about prevention, but it allows you to both hydrate and enjoy the soothing virtues of green tea or chamomile. If you want to know all the infusions and teas good for your little peepers, we have prepared a complete file on the best teas and herbal teas to relieve irritated eyes!
👀 Compresses against swollen eyelids
We mentioned it just above; you can use compresses to soothe your swollen eyelids.
We particularly recommend cornflower water or rose water for their decongestant properties. You can even test cold milk compresses: the effectiveness is not scientifically proven, but that never stopped grandma, after all.
💆 Massage to deflate your eyes
Did you know? Eye massage can help deflate your eyelid by dilating the blood vessels in the eye contour area and thus decongesting it.
In addition, this simple gesture reduces bags under the eyes, prevents fine lines, eliminates toxins, and reduces headaches and eye strain!
Okay, put like that, an eye massage might seem scary, but don't panic, we have prepared a complete guide to help you do it right. You’ll see, it's easy!
💧 Use eye drops
In case of swollen eyelids, what can also help is putting eye drops or saline solution into the eye. We still recommend asking a pro (pharmacist or ophthalmologist) for advice so as not to do anything risky with your eyes.
💡 Good to know: if you don't know how to do it, we explain how to put drops in your eyes step-by-step in yet another complete guide.
🩺 See a specialist
If the swelling persists, grandma advises you to quickly make an appointment with a doctor who will be able to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe treatment.
Our basic tips for relieving your eyelids
Because prevention is always better than cure and you don't want to end up with a swollen eye, here are some tips against eyelid swelling:
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🏋️♀️ A good lifestyle = healthy eyes. We advise you to drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol and tobacco
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😴 Quality sleep: nothing like it for rested eyes! Because sleeping well is the key to preventing (among other things) eye swelling
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👩⚕️ Regular check-ups for eyes and vision: consult your ophthalmologist regularly, especially if you are prone to inflammation
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👀 Take care of your eyes, especially if you wear contact lenses: avoid eye infections by carefully following the hygiene instructions given by your optician
Protect your swollen eyes (or not) from blue light
This tip really needed its own paragraph because it is super important.
Remember: eye strain caused by blue light emitted by screens is a cause of eyelid edema.
To avoid having puffy eyes, you must protect yourself from it! And for that, the most suitable solution (besides reducing your screen time) is quality anti-blue light glasses, to be worn whenever you are exposed to the harmful waves of artificial blue light.
💡 Good to know: to help you make your choice among our fabulous pairs of glasses, we offer a complete guide on how to choose your anti-blue light glasses to find THE ultimate protection.
Final word: swollen eye grandma remedy
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Eyelid edema can be accompanied by pain, burning, and tearing of the eye.
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It can be caused by several factors: allergies, eye infection (stye), eye inflammation (conjunctivitis) or inflammation of the eye contour, eye strain, eye injury, lack of sleep, dehydration, and pollution
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To deflate your eyes, grandma has plenty of tricks up her sleeve: especially applying cold (compresses, tea bags, cucumber slices, and even a teaspoon can help). If the swelling does not decrease, we strongly encourage you to consult a doctor, because grandma has a doctorate in botany and potato cooking, but not in ophthalmology.
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You can also massage your eyes for a few minutes or use eye drops or cornflower water to deflate your congested eyelid
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It is still better to avoid this inconvenience than to have to treat it: to prevent swollen eyes, remember to drink plenty of water, get good sleep, take care of your peepers, and if you spend a lot of time on screens, protect them effectively from blue light.
