For many people, our eyelids start to sag as we advance in age. This can cause a tired appearance and even reduce peripheral vision. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to improve the functionality and appearance of your eyelids.
To avoid eye issues caused by heavy eyelids, there are some helpful remedies you can use each day at home. In this article, we’ll discuss the factors that are responsible for sagging eyelids and what you can do to remedy the situation.
Factors That Can Cause Heavy Eyelids
There are many factors that can cause heavy eyelids, particularly as we age. These include but are not limited to the following:
Blepharitis
Blepharitis refers to the inflammation of the eyelid, which causes it to feel tired or heavy. Other signs and symptoms are redness, irritation and crusting whereby the eyelashes join at the end of the eyelid.
Sometimes, the best treatment for blepharitis is regular lid scrubs and warm compresses. Other treatments like eye drops may also be used.
Exhaustion/Fatigue
When you’re exhausted, the levator muscles (which are responsible for keeping the upper eyelids open) may get tired, just like all other muscles in your body. If you keep the eyes open throughout the day, the levator muscles can begin to sag.
Ptosis
Also known as blepharoptosis, ptosis is a condition in which the upper eyelid drops over the eye underneath the normal position. If the ptosis obstructs your field of view or has a negative impact on your appearance, a brow lift, blepharoplasty or eyelid surgery may be recommended.
If ptosis has been caused by a neurological condition, muscle disease or an eye disorder, a doctor will usually identify and treat the underlying cause to help resolve the droopiness.
Aging
Individuals can also experience drooping eyes as they age. As you grow older, your body secretes less collagen, thereby losing its elasticity. The loss of elasticity makes the skin tissue unable to withstand the weight of the eyelid.
In addition to the above factors, there are various other causes of a heavy eye lid. These include:
- Allergies
- Dermatochalasis
- Excessive drinking
- Eye injury
- Eye socket
- Eyelid tumor
- Heredity
- Muscle disorders
- Poor nutrition
- Smoking
Read on to find out the best home remedies for sagging or drooping eyes.
What You Can Do To Get Rid Of Heavy Eyelids (Steps to Take)
Sometimes, surgery is recommended for treating ptosis only. For severe cases, surgical intervention may be necessary. The best methods for treating drooping eyelids include blepharoplasty (or bleph in short) or chemical filler injections.
Home Remedies to Raise Saggy Eyelids
Since some patients may not want to go through surgical procedures, here are some natural and easy-to-follow home remedies to cure the condition.
1. Tea Tree Oil
Natural healers recommend its usage for eradicating dandruff and soothing dry skin. Research has also shown that tea tree oil boasts antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. This makes it good for saggy eyelids as it helps to strengthen the face.
To treat sagging and puffy eyelids, simply apply a mixture of half-teaspoon of coconut oil and two drops of tea tree oil to your eyelids. Next, rest for about 25 minutes before washing it away.
Daily use of tea tree oil can reduce sagginess of your eyelids.
2. Eat Plenty of Grapes
Grapes are packed with resveratrol, a natural compound that slows down cell aging. Consuming more grapes can help reduce drooping eye problems, prevent fine lines and keep your face looking smooth and youthful.
Simply eat one bowl of fresh grapes every day. You may also want to apply grape juice on your eyelid if you can cope with the stickiness that is left behind. Fortunately, grapes are very tasty, so eating plenty of them will not be an issue for many people.
2. Apply Slices of Cucumber
Cucumber contains caffeic and ascorbic acids, which are known to diminish drooping eyelids. They reduce inflammation and tighten the skin. Applying slices of a cucumber will make your face look smoother and healthier than before.
Simply cut slices of a cucumber and position them on the eye.
For the best results, let the cucumber slices remain on for at around 20 minutes.
3. Egg whites
Egg whites tighten and firm the skin. Clean and thoroughly dry your face before applying a small quantity of egg white. Once it’s dry, wash it away with cool water. The results will be noticeable almost immediately.
4. Ice/Cold Water
For reducing drooping eyelids, cold water or ice may also be recommended. They help reduce inflammation and redness by constricting the surrounding blood vessels. Ice and cold water raises the pressure on your blood vessels and lifts up the eyelid skin.
All you need to do is to rub the eyes with ice cubes or cold water in order to see and feel better.
5. Eyelid Exercises
Exercising to fix drooping eyelids could provide a natural way to cure ptosis. You can counteract this by using some simple methods to stretch and tighten the area near the eye to make your skin look younger. Practice some of these exercises 3 to 5 days each week to experience the best results.
Warmup: cleaning and slowly massaging each eyelid constantly throughout the day can improve circulation. It also makes the muscles softer and more flexible in preparation for other workouts. This is the simplest droopy eyelid workout you can practice to correct drooping eyelids.
Basic muscle stimulation: directly stimulating the muscles around the eye can also fix saggy eyelids either via focused movement of the eyes, or by using a stimulating device, like an electric toothbrush. Try practicing this exercise several minutes every day for the best results.
Resistance Workout: this entails forcing the eye lids to exercise each hour to increase eyelid dropouts. When lifting the eyebrows, put a finger beneath and leave them for several seconds before trying to close them. This will work wonders for your eyelid muscles.
Trataka yogic exercise: this exercise is designed to improve vision and the overall health of your eyes. Fix the eyes with the eyelids on one target at a time. Then stare at it constantly without diverting your attention for several seconds.
6. Adequate Rest/Sleep
Without enough rest or sleep, your eyelids will definitely show stress or exhaustion. Make sure to get enough rest and sleep each day to feel better. If you practice this each day, you will notice your drooping eyelids and related symptoms disappear.
Medical Treatment Options for Droopy Eyelid
In case your ptosis is hindering your vision, then you would be pleased to know that there is a wide range of medical treatment options that might help treat drooping eye lids, including:
Prescription eye drops, which allows the eye lids to contract fast and hence, correct droopiness or sagging.
Blepharoplasties or cosmetic surgery, which tightens the lower and upper eyelids and eradicates excess skin and fat.
Using a ptosis clutch, a physical device that helps to lift up the eyelids. It is a non invasive and non-surgical method of treating sagging eyes.
Conclusion
If you continue to experience the drooping eye issue after trying these above home remedies, please contact an eyelid doctor or ophthalmologist who will provide medical advice or treatment and help prevent further problems.
A healthy lifestyle and using the right skincare products can help keep your facial skin looking younger and more beautiful. If the above natural home remedies don’t work well, cosmetic surgery might fix the problem.
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