Eyelid dermatitis is a condition that causes your eyelids to become inflamed, swollen or itchy. This occurs when you come into contact with an allergic material or an irritant. There are two types of eyelid dermatitis namely allergic or atopic contact dermatitis and irritant contact dermatitis. Eyelid dermatitis is also known as eyelid eczema. Eyelid dermatitis can affect your lower, upper, both of the eyelids or both sides.
Causes of Eyelid Dermatitis
There are many factors that can cause eyelid dermatitis. In some cases, it is challenging to identify the right cause of your symptoms. The skin around your eyelids is made up of blood vessels, fat and is thin. This makes it prone to allergic reactions and irritants.
The following are some causes of eyelid dermatitis:
- Allergy: People suffering from atopic contact dermatitis are allergic to certain substances. Your immune system reacts to materials you are allergic to by producing antibodies called immunoglobulin E. The antibodies produce chemical reaction within the cells which causes itching and redness in your eyes.
- Irritants: Irritant contact dermatitis occurs when you come into contact with an irritating material. You do not need to be allergic to the material to develop this condition. For instance, when you come into contact with eye cream, you can develop irritant contact dermatitis even if you are not allergic to any of its composition.
Most of the materials that cause irritant contact dermatitis also cause atopic contact dermatitis. This is due to the difference in peoples’ immune system reaction to those substances.
Symptoms of Eyelid Dermatitis
Eyelid dermatitis symptoms can affect two eyes or one. The symptoms can occur infrequently or chronic. In some cases, the symptoms can affect the surrounding areas of the eyelids.
Patients with eyelid contact dermatitis can experience swelling and itching on the eyelids. This is accompanied by pain or burning sensation. The eyelid skin can develop a red rash and scales. The skin of the eyelids is creased and thick.
Diagnosis
Eyelid contact dermatitis can be diagnosed by a dermatologist or an allergist. Your doctor assesses your symptoms and asks you questions so as to find out the possible triggers of the symptoms. You will also tell your doctor any allergic reaction you have had and this includes the materials you are allergic to. You will inform your doctor your previous health history and if you have had medical conditions such as hay fever, asthma, atopic eczema and other skin conditions.
In case your allergist suspects you have an allergy, several tests will be done to determine what you are allergic to. Your allergist will conduct the following tests:
- Patch test: In this test, your allergist selects some potential allergens you are allergic to. Small amounts of each allergen are placed on your arm and enclosed with hypoallergenic tape to form a patch. You will put on the patch for two days and after that your allergist will remove the patch to find out if there was any reaction.
- Intradermal allergy test: This test is simple and takes about 30 minutes. Your allergist uses needles to inject little quantities of potential allergens under your arm. Your allergist can test many substances at one time. Each site is checked for allergic reaction symptoms such as swellings and redness.
- Radioallergosorbent test: This is a blood test done to identify specific immunoglobulin E. It can help your allergist determine the materials you are allergic to.
Treatment for Eyelid Contact Dermatitis
The first treatment for eyelid contact dermatitis is to identify all substances you are allergic to and avoid them. You can do this by keeping a list of all substances you use including personal care products. When you experience a reaction with any of these products, record in the list and avoid them completely.
Corticosteroid medications: Your allergist may suggest oral corticosteroid drugs to help ease swellings and inflammation in the eyelids. You can also try over-the counter topical medications to treat these symptoms. But you need to be careful and check their ingredients first before purchasing. Avoid topical medicines that have the following: lanolin, parabens and added fragrance.
There are a number of simple self-care tips you can use to lessen eyelid contact dermatitis symptoms. They include:
- Clean your eyelids regularly to get rid of materials that may cause an allergic reaction.
- Avoid rubbing or scratching your eyes because this can worsen your symptoms.
- Avoid using makeup until your symptoms improves.
- Clean your hands before touching the eyelids.
- Put on protective spectacles if exposed to dust, cold, wind etc.
Homemade remedies: There are some homemade remedies you can use to alleviate the symptoms of eyelid contact dermatitis. These remedies require you to try all of them so that you are able to get the best solution to your condition. These remedies include:
- Use milk– Dip a clean cloth in milk and apply on the eyelid to ease inflammation and swellings.
- Apply oatmeal paste- Take a half of a cup of oatmeal and blend it in a food processor. Add two teaspoonful of honey to oatmeal to form a paste and add some water. Apply the paste on your closed eyelids and leave it there for about two minutes and wash it off with clean water.
