Why do you have red rings around your eyes?

The article was professionally consulted with Specialist Doctor I Nguyen Thi Bich Nhi - Ophthalmologist - General Surgery Department - Vinmec Nha Trang International General Hospital.

Red eyes is one of the abnormalities that cause patients to seek medical attention. Red circles around the eyes can be the result of a variety of medical conditions, such as aging, allergen exposure, or more dangerous causes that require treatment.

Causes of red rings around the eyes can affect people of all ages, including:

Red circles around the eyes can be a warning sign of aging. Your skin changes as the aging process sets in. This may lead to a change in the external appearance. For example, the skin becomes thinner, which can lead to discoloration. In addition, the skin around the eyes is also very prone to bruises due to the thinning of the vessel walls over time.

One cause of red rings around the eyes can be blepharitis. This condition causes the eyelids to become inflamed leading to redness and swelling. Other symptoms include: itching, swelling, peeling, tearing, crusting, sensitivity to light, blurred vision, loss of eyelashes. In addition, patients may develop blepharitis at the base of the eyelashes or at the orifices of the meibomian glands.

Contact dermatitis is a condition that can develop in the skin around the eyes and make them red. This condition occurs when exposure to external factors causes an allergic reaction or irritation. The area in and around the eyes is particularly susceptible to contact dermatitis, because the skin is thin and often comes into contact with many different substances. All areas around the eyes can be susceptible to contact dermatitis. Some of the symptoms of contact dermatitis around the eyes are: red eyes, itching, burning skin, thickened or scaly skin.
Contact dermatitis can affect one or both eyes. The red rings around the eyes associated with contact dermatitis can be caused by bath products, lotions and other moisturizers, sunscreens, eye drops, other makeup chemicals, heat, or cold, high humidity or lack of humidity. Keep in mind all the products you've been exposed to to determine the cause of perioral contact dermatitis. In fact, your eyes can come into contact with irritants, even if you don't apply them near your eyes, for example, with your hands contaminated with irritants, and then rubbing your eyes.

Atopic dermatitis is another skin condition that can lead to red areas around the eyes. This condition is also known as eczema. This is a lifelong condition and is most common in children. Adults can also experience this condition, although in a much smaller proportion. About 15% of people with atopic dermatitis experience symptoms that manifest on their eyelids. Symptoms of atopic dermatitis affecting the skin include: red eyes, rash, thickening of the skin, itching, and scaly patches. Genetics, external factors, and the body's immune system are all reasons why you may develop atopic dermatitis.

Cellulitis near the septum and around the orbit can cause redness and swelling around the eyelids. This is an infection of the skin in or around the eyes. The infection may affect only the skin or it may penetrate deeper into the body in the tissues and blood. It's likely that cellulitis will affect only one eye. Some of the symptoms of cellulitis are: redness, pain, swelling, protrusion, restricted eye movement, difficulty seeing, fever.
You can get cellulitis around your eyes because of: upper respiratory tract infections like sinusitis, trauma or insect stings, eczema and other skin conditions, impetigo, surgery. This disease is generally not contagious but is very serious and requires medical treatment for cellulitis as soon as possible.

You may have a meibomian cyst that causes red areas around your eyes. This is a small benign nodule caused by blocked glands on the eyelids. Cysts alone will not cause pain or irritation, but they can become infected, leading to worsening symptoms and redness around the eyes.

Treatments for red rings around the eyes vary depending on the underlying cause. Treatment can be done at home or with a prescription from a doctor.

Blepharitis should be diagnosed and treated by a doctor to avoid more serious symptoms such as scarring or damage to eye tissue. Patients should also see a doctor to determine the cause of this condition. You may need to treat the underlying cause as well as blepharitis.
Usually, you can control blepharitis with proper hygiene. This includes using a clean washcloth or warm compress for a few minutes at a time, then washing your eyes with a washcloth and mild soap. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics or corticosteroids if the condition is caused by bacteria. Accordingly, patients can prevent blepharitis by avoiding rubbing their eyes with dirty hands and removing eye makeup before going to bed.

Contact dermatitis needs to be treated by a doctor to determine the cause. To treat and manage contact dermatitis, you should avoid contact with any substance that can cause redness, use only mild, fragrance-free cleansers, try not to rub or scratch your eyes, ignore applying makeup around the eyes if the condition is flare-up.
A cool compress can relieve the symptoms of contact dermatitis. In addition, your doctor may recommend topical or oral corticosteroids to calm inflammation.

Atopic dermatitis should be managed with the help of a doctor. Your doctor may recommend certain moisturizers or antihistamines to treat this condition. You may also need a topical corticosteroid or another prescription to relieve symptoms.

Cellulitis requires immediate medical treatment. This is a serious condition that can get worse and cause complications quickly. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics for mild cases of anterior septal cellulitis. More severe cases of cellulitis may require hospitalization and intravenous antibiotics.

A meibomian cyst may heal on its own after a few months. Patients can apply warm compresses to the cyst to help improve the condition. If the cysts do not heal within a few months, the patient should go to medical facilities for examination and treatment, in some cases, the cyst may have to be drained.
There are many causes of red rings around the eyes, according to which if a dangerous condition affects the patient's quality of life and health, it is necessary to go to a medical facility soon for examination and treatment, to avoid dangerous side effects can occur.
Vinmec International General Hospital is the address for examination, treatment and prevention of diseases, including the eye specialist. When performing the examination process at Vinmec, customers will be welcomed and used modern facilities and equipment along with perfect medical services under the guidance and advice of experts. Good doctors, well-trained both at home and abroad.

Reference source: healthline.com