There are three main problems which occur around the eyes:1 Allergy reactions around the eyes are usually caused by cosmetics. The initial symptoms include redness, itching and some swelling of the eyelids and the surrounding tissues. The sight and the eyeball are usually unaffected and this fact alone makes it fairly easy to differentiate between an allergy reaction and an eye infection.
When an allergy reaction develops, the most important thing to do is to remove any make-up and keep the skin free of all cosmetics for a few days. Any product that has been used on or around the eyelids and lashes should be considered suspect - even if it has been used for quite a long time without any apparent problems. It is probably safer to throwaway any product which might have been responsible for the reaction, and sensible to avoid any similar product in the future.
2 Infections which involve the eyes cause redness, but there is usually also some grittiness and stickiness and the eyelids may be stuck together first thing in the morning. The conjunctiva, or white of the eye, may be reddened too.
When symptoms of an eye infection develop it is vital that the sufferer does not share towels or face cloths with other members of the family, since infections of this type are very easily spread.
Eye infections need medical treatment and tend to clear up fairly quickly with antibiotic drops or ointment. Short-term relief can usually be obtained by bathing the eyes in a weak salt solution and by wearing dark glasses to protect them from the light.
3 Wrinkles are the other common problem to affect the area around the eyes. Changes in the upper and lower eyelids occur relatively early on in the ageing process and an individual who has relatively few wrinkles elsewhere may have quite a number around the eyes, simply because the skin there is exceptionally thin.
Much of the time and effort spent on trying to avoid the development of wrinkles around the eyes (or to get rid of those already there) is wasted. There are only two things that can be done about wrinkles. You can buy masking creams which will cover them up - the bigger the wrinkles the thicker the cream you will need. And don't be misled by advertising - when you remove the cream the wrinkles will still be there underneath. Or you can resort to plastic surgery.
