What Causes Puffy Eyes?
Dec 31, 2021
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Cui Xin
Introduction
1. Irregular sleep patterns—chronic late-night sleeping deprives the eyes of adequate rest, leading to bloodshot eyes and periorbital edema.
2. Excessive fluid intake before bedtime—consuming too much water prior to sleep can cause fluid retention in the superficial layers of the skin.
3. Poor circulation—reduced blood circulation impairs metabolic efficiency, resulting in accumulation of excess fluid in the body.
Periorbital edema refers to abnormal swelling around the eyes—visibly protruding and often accompanied by pain, even upon blinking. Facial edema commonly occurs in individuals with poor circulatory and metabolic function. Impaired circulation reduces the body’s ability to efficiently eliminate excess fluid, causing water to accumulate within capillaries and even leak back into surrounding skin tissue—resulting in visible swelling.
What Causes Periorbital Edema?
1. Irregular Sleep Patterns
Some patients develop periorbital edema due to inconsistent sleep schedules. Chronic sleep deprivation or frequent late-night activity deprives the eyes of adequate rest, leading to conjunctival injection (bloodshot eyes) and subsequent swelling.
2. Excessive Fluid Intake Before Bed
Most cases of periorbital edema stem from drinking excessive fluids before bedtime. During sleep, organ systems—including those regulating fluid balance—enter a reduced-activity state. Consuming large volumes of water shortly before sleeping can cause fluid retention in superficial skin layers. The delicate, thin skin around the eyes is especially prone to expansion when excess fluid accumulates there, resulting in noticeable swelling.
3. Poor Circulatory Function
Individuals with inherently compromised circulation often exhibit diminished metabolic efficiency, impairing the body’s ability to process and excrete excess fluid. This retained fluid may leak backward from capillaries into surrounding tissues—including the periorbital region—causing localized edema.
4. Unbalanced Diet
Consumption of highly salted or heavily seasoned foods over time may disrupt normal fluid and toxin elimination. Excess sodium promotes water retention, which frequently manifests as periorbital swelling.
5. Vitamin D Deficiency
Eye swelling may result from ocular dryness or vitamin deficiency. In children, whose skeletons are actively developing, daily vitamin D supplementation is essential. The duration of fish liver oil administration should be determined based on the child’s physical development. Dosage for infants is typically one-quarter that recommended for adults; precise dosing must follow adult guidelines and physician recommendations. Once clinical improvement is observed, dosage should be promptly reduced—or discontinued entirely—as advised. For associated ocular dryness, preservative-free artificial tears may be used: one drop per eye, twice daily.
6. Renal Dysfunction
In children, kidney disease often first presents as periorbital edema. Huahua, only five years old, was diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome and renal failure. Initially, he exhibited only mild eyelid swelling—a symptom his parents overlooked. Six months later, facial and lower-limb edema developed, and subsequent evaluation confirmed advanced nephrotic syndrome and renal failure.
The above outlines common causes of periorbital edema. We hope this information proves helpful.
