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Swollen eye, red eyelid... what to do???


Momof3
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That happened to me in the fall.  I tried Benadryl and OTC topical hydrocortisone, but it kept getting worse with the swelling moving down my cheek.  I had to go to my PCP for a course of oral steroids.  I think it was an allergic reaction to wood pellets - I rubbed my eye after handling the pellets. 

 

Sorry.  You could pump and dump for a few days if you have some milk already stored...

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Monday morning my eyelid was swollen, red & painful. I thought it was a stye? I've had those occasionally before... They always cleared up on their own pretty quickly. So I didn't do anything about it.

 

Tuesday morning it looked pretty much the same, and the whole eyelid is swollen (not just a little bump like my styes have always been). 

 

This morning, my eye was crusted over...and the skin closest to my nose & under the eye is puffy... Dh got me some eye wash at Walgreens, so I used that once...but don't have a whole lot of hope that it's going to work. I tried the warm compress thing all day Tuesday & it only seemed to irritate it more. 

 

Has anyone experienced this before? 

 

I do have some allergies (usually get a cold/congestion when the weather changes). My eyes are always pretty dry at night. But I have *never* had anything like this before. 

 

Should I wait for it to just clear up? 

 

I'm nursing a baby right now (5 weeks) and nervous about going in to the doctor/getting put on a steroid or something... 

 

This sounds like a cellulitis (or skin infection). If it is a cellulitis then you need antibiotics.  You may need IV antibiotics.  We always get concerned with cellulitis around the eyes  because there is always a concern that it can turn into an orbital cellulitis or a deeper infection (like a brain abscesses, meningitis, and cavernous sinus thrombosis).  The deeper infections are rare but they can happen with infections that are not appropriately treated.  

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This sounds like a cellulitis (or skin infection). If it is a cellulitis then you need antibiotics.  You may need IV antibiotics.  We always get concerned with cellulitis around the eyes  because there is always a concern that it can turn into an orbital cellulitis or a deeper infection (like a brain abscesses, meningitis, and cavernous sinus thrombosis).  The deeper infections are rare but they can happen with infections that are not appropriately treated.  

 

this is a Very Important thing.  once upon a time, dh did not do this, and ended up with the infection moving into the lining of the brain.  its much easier to go to the doctor and get what you need now than to do the whole ambulance/ER/ hospital stay with intravenous antibiotics thing later.  and if the doctor knows you are nursing, they can hopefully find something that will be fine for both of you :).

 

be well,

ann

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Google periorbital cellulitis images then read about it if the photos look close.  My daughter had that years ago and was admitted to the hospital.

 

I was also going to suggest this.  I had it a couple of years ago.  I also thought it was a stye at first, but then it got worse, not better.   It took 2-3different antibiotics to finally get rid of it.  It can be very serious (your brain is near there - you don't want the infection to spread!), so definitely have it looked at.  Do you have someone who can recommend an eye doctor?  If not, maybe call your OB for a referral.

 

In the meantime keep hot-compresses going.  Also, if you can get this:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Ocusoft-Pre-Moistened-Original-Formula-30-Count/dp/B001G7PZVK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395887226&sr=8-1&keywords=eye+cleaner

 

to clean your eyelid with.   As a result of my going in for cellulitis I was dx with blepharitis.  She recommended these eyelid cleaners to keep me from having a recurrence of cellulitis.

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I was also going to suggest this.  I had it a couple of years ago.  I also thought it was a stye at first, but then it got worse, not better.   It took 2-3different antibiotics to finally get rid of it.  It can be very serious (your brain is near there - you don't want the infection to spread!), so definitely have it looked at.  Do you have someone who can recommend an eye doctor?  If not, maybe call your OB for a referral.

 

In the meantime keep hot-compresses going.  Also, if you can get this:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Ocusoft-Pre-Moistened-Original-Formula-30-Count/dp/B001G7PZVK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395887226&sr=8-1&keywords=eye+cleaner

 

to clean your eyelid with.   As a result of my going in for cellulitis I was dx with blepharitis.  She recommended these eyelid cleaners to keep me from having a recurrence of cellulitis.

 

If this is a perioribital (or sometimes called preseptal if you're googling) cellulitis anyone who does EM, FM, IM, or pediatrics should be able to make the initial diagnosis and get you started on treatment.  Now if you actually have an orbital cellulitis then ophthalmology does get involved although in my experience they usually just follow along with whoever is the primary team.  I personally haven't seen them ever take patients to the OR but, at least in theory, they may need to. 

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What's the difference between blepharitis & cellulitis? It looks like there's not a whole lot that can be done for bleph., but cell. needs immediate attention? How do you know you have one & not the other?

 

Cellulitis is a skin infection it can occur on the skin around the eye or in other locations.  Usually there is a micro break in the skin that allows the set up for the infection (usually with normal skin flora).

 

Blepharitis is an (usually chronic) inflammation of the eyelids.  Often it is caused by blockage of the oil glands in the eyelids.  It is more common in individuals with dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, and rosacea.  It can be (often secondarily) infected but is often not infectious.  The fact that it is progressing and spreading, not improving with warm compresses, and you aren't noticing flaking scaly eyelids makes me lean more towards cellulitis, or possibly a secondarily infected blepharitis, over an inflammation only blepharitis but I guess all I can really advise you is that you really need to let some physician take a look at this and give you their professional opinion. 

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If this is a perioribital (or sometimes called preseptal if you're googling) cellulitis anyone who does EM, FM, IM, or pediatrics should be able to make the initial diagnosis and get you started on treatment.  Now if you actually have an orbital cellulitis then ophthalmology does get involved although in my experience they usually just follow along with whoever is the primary team.  I personally haven't seen them ever take patients to the OR but, at least in theory, they may need to. 

 

ah, okay- I was dx with orbital cellulitis when I had it.  But the symptoms were quite similar to what the OP is describing.

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glad you are there.  (and it will be cheaper than waiting!) 

 

fyi, its still possible to enroll in the new health care if it looks as if this might get expensive (as long as you start trying to enroll by the end of march)

 

still hoping its something simple!

ann 

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Ann, How long did your husband wait?

 

i think it was about a week after he noticed he had a problem, so likely about 10 days from when it started.  however, his eye went from puffy to swollen shut and the area around it swelling Very Quickly.  He looked just puffy in the morning, and realized he was in trouble mid-afternoon.

 

hth,

ann

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Any news? Dd had a swollen eye a few weeks ago, and the dr. thought it was likely a reaction to poison oak. She had been raking in the yard around the trees and scrub brush and may have touched some (she was wearing glovess) and rubbed her eye.

Hope you find some relief today!

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