Pain, burning and discomfort in the lower eyelid often indicates inflammatory processes in the tissues. Most often it is barley, but even it is not a harmless inflammation and requires special treatment. If the lower eyelid hurts, you should definitely come for examination and consultation of an ophthalmologist. In some cases, a similar symptom can cause a decrease in vision.
Anatomy of the eye and eyelids
The eyelids provide protection to the eyeball. As soon as a threat appears, a person blinks involuntarily. This is an instinctive movement that has repeatedly saved eyeballs and the cornea from damage.
The structure of the eyelid:
- the mucous membrane, which is adjacent to the eyeball and performs the function of moisturizing and reducing the dryness of its surface;
- the cartilaginous tissue of the upper and lower eyelids provides the skeleton; meibomian glands are located in it. They produce a special secret, thanks to which the eyeball is moisturized;
- epidermis, which is covered on the outside of the eyelid.
Healthy motor activity of the eyeball is provided by the muscles. If we talk about raising the upper eyelid, then it will be associated with motor spasm of the small muscle. The activity of the lower eyelid is simpler - due to its own gravity and the absence of muscles that could resist. A person can squeeze his eyes tight with a circular muscle. Thus, any movement of the eyes and eyelids occurs due to the muscles.
Why does the lower eyelid hurt?
The exact reason can only be reported by an ophthalmologist after an examination. List of common reasons why the lower eyelid hurts:
- Barley is an inflammation of the eyelid that is characterized by severe soreness, redness, and pitting swelling.
- A furuncle is in some cases a painless formation, which is characterized by the presence of a purulent rod inside the abscess.
- An abscess that most often occurs due to infection or complication of the carbuncle.
- Phlegmon is a formation that often affects the face sections adjacent to the eyelid.
- Erysipelas, in which not only the lower eyelid hurts, but also part of the face becomes inflamed.
- Conjunctivitis with the formation and excretion of exudate.
Barley - an inflammatory process in the tissues of the eyelid
This is a very common pathology that occurs in both men and women. Barley is a common reason that the lower eyelid is swollen and sore. First, a small red tubercle is formed, which almost does not bring pain.
As he grows, the patient experiences more and more discomfort - a white dot may form in the center of the tubercle. This is the rod that intends to go outside. In no case should barley be squeezed out on its own! The red tubercle as it ripens will become larger and eventually break through, the contents will come out.
If for a long time the barley does not break through, and the pain intensifies, you should consult an ophthalmologist who will write out a direction for surgery. In a hospital, in complete sterility, the barley will be dissected using a special surgical instrument. As a result, the doctor will remove the purulent root and the sacrum, which can become a source of repeated inflammation.
Boil in the lower eyelid tissue
The boil visually is very similar to barley. The difference is that in barley the root usually does not exceed the size of several mm, and in a boil it can even reach two centimeters. Of course, such a huge root is rarely formed in the lower eyelid region. But about one centimeter - it may well. If the eye hurts and the lower eyelid is swollen, while there is a formation resembling a pimple, then this can be a boil.
You can try to cure a boil at home, without having to go to a surgeon. If you try to squeeze the boil yourself on the eyelid, then the purulent rod will most likely go inside, as a result, infection will develop, which will lead to furunculosis, streptoderma and other dermatological diseases. The boil should mature and break out by itself. If the abscess does not go away and causes severe pain, then, as in the case of barley on the lower eyelid, it is best to seek professional medical help.
Methods for treating a boil at home
List of effective methods, the use of which will help to cure a boil on the lower eyelid at home:
- Make a square bag of dense, natural cotton fabric. Heat salt in a pan. Pour into a bag. Check that it does not burn the skin too much - barely enough heat is enough. Apply a bag of salt to a sore eye. This will accelerate the maturation of the boil and the rod will break through within a day. Use this method three to four times a day for half an hour.
- Baked onions are an excellent remedy for boils. In order not to damage the mucous membrane of the eye, use as carefully as possible a piece of onion baked on fire, which should be applied directly to the boil. If you touch the mucous membrane of the eye, a burn may form.
- Heparin ointment is an excellent remedy for boils. You can buy this tool in any pharmacy, it costs about fifty rubles. Relieves pain, relieves swelling, promotes the rapid discharge of purulent contents.
- "Levomekol" is another popular ointment for boils. If the lower eyelid hurts and there is a suspicion of furunculosis, it is necessary to apply the agent on the skin surface as carefully and with a thin layer. If there is a chance of ointment getting on the mucous membrane of the eyeball, it is better to refuse to use.
Phlegmon: what is it and how is it manifested
If the lower eyelid hurts when blinking, then there is a chance that the cause is phlegmon.
One of the dangerous skin diseases is phlegmon, most often proceeding in an acute form. This is either a complication of inflammatory and purulent diseases, such as an abscess, sepsis, pneumonia and others, or an independent disease.
Medicine distinguishes phlegmon of the eye socket, neck, mouth, etc. Depending on the location of the bacteria, the intensity of the symptoms and the well-being of the patient differ. If the lower eyelid swells and hurts, while the person feels weak, the temperature rises, it can be just a phlegmon.
Phlegmon is most often triggered by the activity of pathogenic staphylococcus. It can get into the tissues of the skin of the face and eyelids in various ways:
- with the flow of lymph and blood from other inflamed organs;
- when a carbuncle breaks, an abscess;
- through damage to the skin and mucous membranes.
Phlegmon treatment methods
Upon transition to the stage of exacerbation (in medicine it is called purulent), phlegmon gives the following symptoms:
- temperature increase up to forty degrees;
- severe chills, fever;
- delusions and hallucinations;
- tachycardia, arrhythmia;
- headache, loss of consciousness.
To prevent this, treatment should be started as soon as possible. It consists, as a rule, in taking anti-infective drugs. In some cases, you have to take a course of antibiotics. The exact dosage and name of the drug can be reported by a dermatologist, ophthalmologist or surgeon. If the purulent stage of the disease has already begun, it is better to call an ambulance.
Erysipelas with signs of general intoxication
This is a common disease of an infectious-allergic nature. It occurs in both children and adults. It is a common cause of pain in the lower eyelid and the area under it. It is accompanied by fever, chills, weakness. If it hurts under the lower eyelid, while the skin turns red, this is possibly an erysipelatous inflammation.
In most cases, the disease proceeds with symptoms of general intoxication. A person not only suffers from pain and swelling of the eyelids, but also feels chills, nausea, aching in the joints, indomitable vomiting can begin. If the disease has taken an acute form, you should contact an ambulance. If you manage to get a doctor’s consultation at the very beginning of the development of the disease, then exacerbations may not occur. For treatment, hormonal ointments are most often prescribed to remove puffiness and redness from the face and eyelids. Often it is also required to take a course of antibiotic drugs.
Conjunctivitis: causes and symptoms
This is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye. It occurs most often due to an infection that can get on the eyeball due to dirty hands, contact lenses, and cosmetic accessories. Symptoms of the disease are as follows:
- severe swelling, swelling and sore eyes;
- the lower eyelid is inflamed - it is red and painful when touched;
- pus is secreted from the lacrimal ducts - after sleep, the eyelids cannot be torn apart, since they stuck together from the discharge;
- blurred vision;
- it’s like a veil in front of our eyes - in fact this is only a subjective sensation of the patient.
If conjunctivitis is not treated, then over time it will provoke permanent visual impairment and serious corneal diseases.
Conjunctivitis Treatment Methods
depending on the type of disease - viral, bacterial or allergic - the treatment will be different. The most commonly prescribed drugs are:
- drops "Levomycetin" - the cheapest local antibiotic that will help with any type of conjunctivitis;
- Acyclovir tablets are effective if the pathology is caused by a manifestation of herpes infection;
- drops "Artificial tear" will help relieve symptoms and have a local vasoconstrictor effect, so that swelling and itching subside;
- drops with antibiotics are used when the patient has already begun serious complications.
The exact dosage and name of the drug can only be reported by an ophthalmologist after a full-time examination. In some cases, additional analyzes will also be required.