At my wits' end with puffy, watery eyes :-( am I allergic to something? What will help?

[Greensleeves]

I'm only moderately wrinkly for 41, I have a fairly good skincare routine and moisturise, use night cream and a nice eye gel etc. But I wake up every morning looking like my dad (he's 80!) with huge puffiness under and above my eyes. There's a horrible wrinkle about an inch under the eye which is only visible for the first couple of hours of the day while the puffiness is at its worst, and I really don't want it to become permanent . Also my eyes seem to water constantly which makes eye makeup a bit of a farce.

Am I allergic to something? Is it an ageing thing?

Have you tried cutting the eye gel for a week? I find some of them manage to work their way into my eyes at night. Usually the lighter more gel-like ones seem to migrate more easily, the heavier creams not so much. Could also be your night cream or other products so might be worth cutting them one at a time to see whAt makes a difference.

If none of that works, you could try a loratidine tablet every day for a week, if it's an allergy that should help.

Although I will ask my MIL about the eye watering as hers started watering constantly a few years ago and she has to wipe them a lot now.

Sounds weird but I have really watery eyes and the Optometrist said its actually cause they're so dry they get sore and then watery! I use Hycosan eye drops and love them!

I have the same if I use eye gel/eye cream. It has quite the opposite effect that I'm hoping to achieve. Also some face creams (night creams) make my eyes itch like mad at night.

sounds like blepharitis and something is irritating your eyes. Google eye hygeine - sounds weird I know, but I was under a specialist for severe blepharitis, there are 'exercises' you can do with your eyes to stimulate the natural oils. Also get something like hyloforte and intense eye lubricant as it's likely your eyes are dry and irritated. Vit-a pos to put in a night is also very good.

Oh no, Greensleeves! It sounds like an allergic reaction. The thing is that you can suddenly become allergic to anything even things that were fine before. Try to work out what it is - food, dust, pet, cleaning product, beauty product.

Personally, I would bin any eye makeup and eye products in a pot. Clean brushes too.

Take antihistamines, leave the window open a little at night time and place something cool over the eyes (refrigerated teaspoons even) - these will help in the meantime. I always clean my eyes with a fresh flannel that has been run under cool water, especially the inner corners of the eye.

I hope you find out what the cause is soon!

It will almost certainly be the eye gel. I used one for while (can't remember which make) and it smoothed out wrinkles noticeably but that was because it puffs up your skin. If I put it on overnight, I looked like I'd gone (altogether now...) ten rounds with Mike Tyson.

I also find if I take off eye make up at night (which of course one should do), it makes my eyes puffy so it stays on until the morning. And that Nivea oily make up remover that you have to shake to mix really made my eyes sore - whatever time of day I used it.

And the final ingredient for eye puffiness for me is often the first night on holiday (no matter where in the world). Possibly reacting to different pillows and whatever's been used to launder them?

OK, so I will stop using the eye gel, wash with cool water and a flannel and take a low dose of anti-histamine and see if that helps. I hope I'm not allergic to my cats, I adore them I think I would have to put up with having eyes like piss holes in snow if the kitties were the cause.

Thank you MNers!

You can get an eye mask you can warm in the microwave for blepharitis.