Eyes are rightly quoted as the mirrors of the face. Our bodies use the blinking reflex which is an involuntary blinking of the eyelids to protect the eyes from dust and air and any other foreign body that have the tendency to course harm to the Eyes.
The Eyelids
The eyelid provides suction across the eye from the tear duct to the entire eyeball to keep it from drying out. The inability of the eyelids to carry out it’s function makes the tears film unstable and not evenly spread, the uneven spread of the tears cannot flush off the bacteria properly.
The failure of the eyelids to perform it’s role will lead the eyes to constant exposed to air leading to a dry eye. Dry eye in turn makes the eye vulnerable to bacterial infections leading to exposure keratitis and corneal opacities which can be potentially blinding.
Reflex blinking in response to a foreign body will be absent without eyelids. This may again lead to infections, opacities and scarring of the cornea. Also, there will be permanent retinal damage when exposed to bright light chronically, as there are no functional eyelids to cut off the bright light from entering the eyes. In the long run, without any management, it will lead to blindness.
Eyelashes and eyelids are the most beautiful accessories of an eye and accentuate the depth of the eye. A functioning eyelids protect the eye, which supports or function in opening and closing along with eye muscles. Blinking of eyes with eyelids keeps eyes moist and lively.
Why Are My Eyelids Dark: 10 Major Reasons
Listed below are some of the reasons why eyelids are dark.
1. Hyperpigmentation
There are number of ways in which hyperpigmentation occurs. When we stand in the sun for too long, our skin might suffer what’s called sun damage, and this leads to production of natural melanin that courses the dark eyelids.
2. Sleep Deprivation
Sleeping is extremely beneficial for our health. Lack of sleep or irregular sleeping pattern cause dark eyelids. Lack of sleep causes changes to the blood vessels and surrounding skin and allergic reactions that might cause mechanical damages.
3. Injuries/Infections
A wound on the eyelids is most likely going to get infected if not treated quickly which might cause the darkening of the eyelids. Eyelids are sensitive in nature compared to skin elsewhere on the body and they are susceptible to damage easily.
4. Hormonal Changes
Often abrupt changes in hormones in the body can cause puffiness and create dark discoloration of the eyelids. These may be worsened by overexposure to the sun.
5. Aging
The skin around the eyes gets thinner with age, leading to dark eyelids which appear more noticeable. A loss of volume and thinned the skin around the eye socket results in a hollowness that emphasizes the appearance of the dark curvilinear line that runs under the eye. Aging also leads to the accumulation of fluids into the space below your eyes which causes swelling.
6. Heredity
One may have pigmented under eyes all their lives which can be completely due to the genes inherited. They are not due to any external factor but simply hereditary in nature. Genetics can determine a couple of factors that contribute to dark circles.
7. Allergies
Allergies and dry eyes contributes to dark eyelids, an allergic reaction courses the body to release histamines, which can cause eye irritation. The increase irritation might result in the appearance of discoloration.
8. Poor circulation
Improper blood circulation in the body may cause red blood cells to accumulate in the thin veins of the under-eye which may harm the under-eye skin and cause various issues and discoloration.
9. Mental or Physical Stress
Stress of any nature directly affects your sleep quality which in turn may cause various under-eye issues. The skin often turns pale due to lack of sleep and also causes other issues which directly get reflected on the eyes.
10. Unhealthy diet and Lifestyle
Given the lifestyles and the diet we opt for, we are prone to face various issues related to under eyes.
How Can Eyelids Protect The Eyes
Eyelids are thin but thicker than or comparative in thickness to common dust particles like beach sand, saw dust, ground limestone, tea dust, coffee, bone dust, hair, cement dust, mists, grain dusts etc. It protects the eye in two ways;
1. Along with the eyelashes, it forms a mechanical barrier protecting the cornea from dust and debris.
2. It prevents the eye from drying out by spreading the tears and other secretion on the eye surface.
Eyelashes
Eyelashes keeps moisture out of our eyes, they fence the eye and when the eyes are close they form a barrier that prevents pollutants from entering the eyes. The tiny hairs on our eyelids known as eyelashes keep dirt, sweat, water, and other unwanted debris out of the way. Each eyelash is equipped with an exquisitely sensitive nerve fibres.
The natural eyelashes have a blink reflex that prevents a great number of things from damaging the eyes. Eyelashes are hairs attached to the upper and lower eyelids that creates a shield against foreign elements to the eye. The eyelashes catch most of these irritants before they reach the eyeball.
The Eyes
Eyes are organs of seeing without which vision is impossible. The colors of life and shadows of darkness are never identified and appreciated. When the eyelid closes it cleanses the eye. The main function of the eye is to see. It does this by converting light into electrical nerve impulses. These impulses then travel to the visual cortex of the brain where they are interpreted as a visual scene.
Our eyes, are one of our five senses and the brain, which is the major organ that contain the cerebral cortex. Process the rest of the images to the different part of our brain.
Remedies For Dark Eyelids
Home remedies are the first step you can take to reduce the appearance of dark eyelids. These remedies are relatively free from side effects. They’re also low in cost. You may try the following;
1. Cold Compresses: This remedy is especially helpful in addressing dilated blood vessels and swelling from inflammatory condition. It can also help minimize bruising from broken blood vessels.
2. Slices of Cucumber: Cucumbers are quite a popular home remedy to treat dark eyelids. They are preferred natural remedy due to their skin-lightening effect which can help to reduce the darkening of the eyes. They have some astringent properties which work like magic in fixing any discoloring of the eye.
3. Tomatoes Juice: Tomatoes naturally reduce dark circles and reduce the radical damage. Also, they contain some bleaching elements which work extremely in lightening the skin.
4. Potato Juice: Potato also contains bleaching agents and whether you use it with cucumber or alone, it can help to reduce dark discoloration of the eyelids.
5. Almond Oil: It makes the skin around the eyes tight and if used regularly helps get rid of swelling and discoloration under the eyes. Almond oil truly works wonders for the skin. It removes dead skin cells, reduces wrinkles, delays the visible signs of aging and features a good and healthy overall effect on your skin.
6. Rose Water: Mix some lemon juice with rose water and use a cotton ball to dap it on the affected areas. Let it stay for few minutes and wash it off.
7. Mint Leaves: Mint leaves contain menthol that improves blood circulation and soothes and rejuvenates skin. It is natural astringent and contracts the blood vessels around the eyes, reducing the blue tint.
8. Aloe Vera: Aloe vera is an effective moisturiser and has anti-inflammatory properties. Clean the under eye area with moist cotton and apply or massage aloe vera pulp under the eyes for few minutes.
Dermatologic Procedures For Dark Eyelids
Home remedies may reduce the appearance of dark eyelids and stop them from worsening, but they don’t usually treat the condition entirely. This is where over-the-counter treatments may help. Dark eyelids that don’t respond to home remedies or over-the-counter treatments may be aided with dermatologic procedures. These may include;
- Chemical peels
- Laser resurfacing therapy
- Surgical removal of tumors or accumulating melasma on the skin
- Eyelifts
Conclusion
Dark eyelids are synonyms for dehydration, allergy or lack of sleep. If you are unfortunate, it’s genetics. There are multiple reasons to why people have dark eyelids. It could be because when there is too much or too little fat under your eyes, which can be fixed with fillers, fat grafts, or fat repositioning procedures.