Swollen eyelids

[alisa20]

I have hypothyroidism and recently I’ve noticed my eyelids are swollen. Does anyone else experience this? Should I get my thyroid Checked to see if I’m on the right dose?

[crimple]

Are your eyelids just swollen or red and swollen? Is the swelling at the base of the eyelash hair follicles? Do your eyes feel gritty when you wake up? If yes to the last two it could be blepharitis, The hair follicle gets blocked with sebum, the oil used to keep the eyelashes healthy.

I suffered from this earlier this year and found the best treatment was using a hot compress and moving it downwards over the affected area so that the gunk was eased out of the follicle. Only one eye was affected and the compress left my eyelid looking a bit bruised but it did work. I am not a medical professional but thought you might like to know how I dealt with it. I am hypothyroid.

[cazzaleo]

My eyes are swollen on the inside next to my nose every day when I wake up, gets a little better through the day. So very interested to hear what anyone has to say about this too.

Are yours worse when you wake up too alisa20?

[alisa20 in reply to cazzaleo]

Yeah mine are worse when I wake up and it gets better through out the day.

[cazzaleo in reply to alisa20]

I’ve had this for a little while, wasn’t sure if it was a hypothyroid symptom or what about being hypothyroid would cause this - hopefully someone can enlighten us!!

[Ell17]

It can definitely be a symptom of hypothyroidism. It is one of the ways I know that it may be time for an increase. It doesn't have to be both eyes. Sometimes only one will be affected. In the old days, that was one of the facial symptoms that was used to help diagnose hypothyroidism (before the TSH test was invented and doctors actually listened and treated you with dessicated hormone until symptoms were resolved or much improved.) Healthy skin is very much dependent on thyroid hormone. When there is too little of it, it can cause skin tissue to swell (the actual layers of the skin. Basically like cellulitis, but without the visible redness and inflammation). The swelling is not caused by fluid retention in the regular sense. So, taking a diuretic will have no effect. Only the correct dose of thyroid hormone will help to ameliorate it.