Beware of Eye bags

You may see puffy eyes when you get up in the morning. Normally, it will be disappeared after a couple of minutes. Sometimes it persists due to several reasons. And it is risky! Puffy eyes or eye bags, is a disease in which the skin beneath the eyes become puffed or bulged, making difficult to blink. This time he or she may experience itching sensation followed by inflammation in eyes. Puffed area of the eyes becomes slightly darker. 

Symptoms: Swollen eyelids, itching in the eyes, puffing of the eyelids, redness of the eye region and also difficulty in opening or closing the eyes are the common symptoms. 

Causes: Skin around eyes is thinnest compared to skin of any other part of body. For this reason, it is very delicate. This area of skin is filled with blood vessels. It makes it a highly sensitive region of face. It also have tendency to dry out as there are very few oil producing glands in this region. Muscles in upper and lower eyelids and the fat pads around eyes, hold the skin in place.  This condition of swelling of eyes occurs due to many factors. Eyes can be puffy due to trapping of fluid in eye tissue or accumulation of fat can cause permanent puffiness. Eyes can become puffy due to allergies, fluid retention, stress, hormone changes and many more factors. A very simple cause is crying. When we cry, eyes become puffy. This is because on response to emotions, there is larger flow of blood through eyes. Sometimes, when we wake up in the morning, we get puffy eyes. It may happen because of excess of sodium in diet, not having adequate sleep, drinking too much alcohol. Puffy eye condition may be due to some kind of allergy, dermatitis or sinus.

Graves' disease: Graves’ disease is an auto immune disease which affecting the thyroid function, it can affect eyes causing bulging of the eyes., aging, persons suffering from high blood pressure, less consumption of water, long term use of antibiotics, intake of excess salt.salt contains sodium, the imbalance of sodium which affect the lymphatic drainage system which causes puffiness of eyes. and irritation from contact lenses (allergy) 

What can we do?

Chronic under-eye bags are difficult to remove. But puffiness can be cured by herbal home remedies.

Tips to prevent

• Sleep at least 7-8 hours in a day.

• Rinse face with chilled water a couple of times.

• Don’t drink too many fluids before going to sleep.

• Wear sunglasses

• Reduce intake of sodium contained salt.

• Avoid applying wrinkle removal cream near the eyes. Using this cream will lead to hydration and puffiness. The cream may close the pores in the skin which leads to hydration at that area and puffiness of eyes.

• Avoid anything that triggers allergic reaction. For example, sleeping on a feather pillow can cause puffiness under the eyes. To few people this cause allergy and in turn puffiness of eyes

• Use tea bags soaked in cold water, and rest them on the eyes for several minutes.  

Eye pads

Take cotton wool and make two thick square pads. They can be soaked in cucumber juice or rose water. Lie down and place the soaked pads. Keep them for 15 minutes.

Used tea bags can also be used as eye pads.

Grated potato or potato juice or very thin raw potato slices can also be used over the eyes, like eye pads to reduce puffiness.

Press the region of the eyebrow and the eye socket with middle finger. This method is effective in curing puffy eyes as it stimulates the lymphatic system and drains the excess fluid.

Ayurveda medication

1. Apply Rasnadi choornam  or Kachoradi choornam as lepa: Mix 3-5 gm of Rasnadi choornam or Kochoradi churnam with buttermilk to make a paste form and apply over the puffy eyes. Wet the surface with the same paste when it gets dried. Later, wash with cold water after 30mts.

2. Use Karutha gulika: Karutha gulika has to be crushed and make as a paste by adding buttermilk. Then apply it over the eye bags and retain for 30mts.

3. Wash the eyes with ‘Triphala’ decoction: Amalaki (Emblica officinalis), Bibhitaki (Terminalia blerica) and Harithaki (Terminalia chebula) are the three fruits contained in Triphala.

4. Apply juice of Aloe vera or Muringa leaf (moringa oleifera) over the eye bags.

If the problem persists even then, consult a physician at the earliest.

Do eye exercises

• Put your hands over the eyes, with the base of your palm resting over the cheeks and the fingers on the forehead. Your palms create hollows over the eyes. Look into the darkness for a minute. This is very relaxing.
• Press the base of your palms gently on the eyes. Release the pressure and repeat. Do this three to four times.
• Open the eyes wide and look at the four corners of the room. Close the eyes and repeat, going the other way.
• Do the same exercise by rolling the eyes in a circle. Repeat going the other way around.
• Hold a pencil in front of the face. Look at it. Slowly extend your arm, taking the pencil further and further away from the face, while you are still looking at it. Bring the pencil back slowly and repeat.
• Look out of the window as far as you can see. This is a very good exercise for the eyes.

Drinking alcohol or eating salty foods before going to sleep can lower the anti-diuretic hormones (ADH) in the body, causing temporary puffiness.

Puffy eyes caused due to allergies by using feather pillows, linen fabric, face-creams, dust, pollen or food, need   medical treatment. After getting proper treatment for their allergy, they will get rid of the puffiness of eyes.