Itchy eyelids can be caused by allergies, blepharitis, ocular rosacea, or parasites. Allergies can cause itching along with other symptoms, while blepharitis is characterized by inflammation and peeling skin. Ocular rosacea can cause chronic itching, redness, and swelling. Parasites, such as lice, can also cause itchy eyelids. Over-the-counter medications can help with allergies, but a doctor’s evaluation is needed for other causes.
A person can develop itchy eyelids for a variety of reasons and among the most common are allergies. For example, a person may notice itchy eyelids when exposed to dust, animal dander, or pollen. Often, the itching is accompanied by other allergy symptoms, such as itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing, and coughing. There are also some conditions, such as blepharitis and ocular rosacea, that can cause or contribute to itchy eyelids. Sometimes parasites can also be at the root of this problem.
When a person has an allergy, they may experience itchy eyelids as one of their allergy symptoms. For example, a person may notice itching in the eyelid area along with symptoms such as a runny nose, itchy eyes, and cough. In some cases, however, itchy eyelids can manifest as an allergic symptom in the absence of other symptoms.
Some people develop itchy eyelids caused by a condition rather than an allergy. A condition called blepharitis is characterized by inflammation of the part of the eyelid from which the eyelashes extend, itchy eyelids, red eyes, and peeling skin in the affected area. In some cases, an affected person may also experience a burning sensation in their eyes and their eyelashes may appear crusted in the morning. In some cases, a person may even lose eyelashes due to this condition. Typically, blepharitis is caused by sebaceous glands that don’t work properly.
Another condition called ocular rosacea can also cause itchy eyelids. This skin condition is often chronic and can not only cause itchy eyelids, but also eye discharge, burning, redness and swelling. The cause of this condition is unknown, but many scientists believe there may be both hereditary and environmental links to its development.
While it may not be as common as allergies, some people may experience itchy eyelids because they have parasites in their eyelashes. For example, a person who has lice may sometimes notice that the lice are also on their eyelashes. This can cause itchy eyelid symptoms.
When itchy eyelids are caused by allergies, a person can use over-the-counter anti-allergy medications to treat them. If itchy eyelids are caused by blepharitis, on the other hand, the symptoms can sometimes be eased by gently rubbing the eyelids with a warm, damp washcloth. Often, however, a doctor’s evaluation and treatment is needed when itching is caused by a skin condition or a parasite.
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