Very dry, puffy and sore eyes

[Passmethecrisps]

Hello,

Just as the title says actually. I have been prone to bouts of very sore and dry eye lids on and off for a few years. I find the effect pretty miserable really as my eyes now look incredibly puffed and age me terribly. I get constant flakes on my eyelashes and glass and it is just generally very unsightly.

When it is really bad I get cracks which bleed and sting even just when wet.

Does anyone have any experience of creams which might help clear this up.

I have attached pictures to show. I have a slight crack in my tear duct and generally the skin is raised and puffy. Not very pleasant at all.

Weleda skin food is excellent and very gentle, you could try that - but you need to be referred either to a dermatologist or ophthalmologist to identify the cause.

You have scaling, dryness, swelling - it could be various things but if it keeps happening you need to get to the bottom of it.

My eye lids do get dry and I get swelling and crustiness, but I have blepharitis which also means they get incredibly sore, red lid margins and sclera, blocked glands and other issues. But everyone is different.

Do you clean your eyelids well to remove the flakes?

A regime of cleaning your lids might help if it's bleph that but if it's eczema, dermatitis, rosacea or another condition the advice will be different so definitely worth looking into what's causing it.

Thank you for your reply. I could probably do more to clean my eyes. I tend towards using just water and a face cloth when they are like this. I use clinique make up and remover but even that it clearly causing a reaction.

This has gone on and off for some years. Every time I think I have got to the bottom of it it flares up again.

I will speak to my GP and see about a referral

Is it take the day off? That caused one of the worst reactions I've ever had - try something gentler maybe.

That’s the one! In the bin.

Could be blepharitis. You can get specialist cleansing wipes from boots and opticians

I suffered with a similar issue last year. GP wasn't much use, gave me some eye drops which didn't help.
Went to Optician and they were really good. Diagnosed blepharitis and dry eye. Suggested much better drops than GP prescribed and a regime of cleaning, either with cooled boiled water or Blephaclean wipes ( quite pricey but convenient). Also suggested a warm gel mask. You can get them on Amazon or in Boots. Use 10 mins every day. Stick with it, it works.
When I've tried any "normal" cleaning products since they all cause flare up again other than Simple. HTH.

Protopic! It will change your life - ask your GP about it but I had same as you and protopic was miraculous

My D.C. had dry skin around the eyes when little. This helped:

www.skinshop.co.uk/hydrosil/dry-skin-eye-gel

Do you wait bail varnish or get gels fine? GP said that can cause it as you touch your eyes loads and the chemicals in nail varnishes are v toxic.

Sorry phone and fat fingers! Nail varnish etc

Glad you've thrown that make up remover out - honestly I swear my eyelids actually swelled and split when I used it, one was weeping fluid it was awful.

A possible sensitivity to nail polish or gel is a good shout - it's been found to be linked to some issues with allergic reactions around the eye (as has gold jewellery strangely enough).

If it's blepharitis, the treatment is going to be different to say dermatitis, rosacea or any other condition so do get it checked out.

In the meantime perhaps stay make up free if you can, clean your eyelids gently with water like you are doing or fragrance free wipes (water wipes for example) but be cautious if you're using anything new, in case it's an allergy.

Protopic does have some warnings associated with it so you might want to look into that but I've heard people have good results from it.

Also may sound weird but hair products. Do you have a fringe? Do you spray hairspray or other sprays around your face?

It's worth considering anything that goes near your eyes as a potential allergen - your eyelid skin is the thinnest and most sensitive on your body so things can affect your lids that won't necessarily affect other parts of your face.