Puffy eyes with a cold

Why are your eyes puffy?

Sinusitis is swelling of the sinuses, the small spaces behind your cheekbones and forehead. It is common after a cold or flu and can cause pain, swelling and tenderness around the eyes, cheeks or forehead. A blocked nose, reduced sense of smell and green or yellow nasal mucus are other clues.1

Pink eye affects the inside of the eyelid and the white of the eye. Redness, watering, itching, burning, discharge or crusted eyelashes suggest something beyond ordinary under eye puffiness. Viral pink eye can occur alongside a cold or sore throat. These symptoms overlap with other eye problems, so a pharmacist, optician or doctor can help identify the cause.24

Rubbing or scratching your eyes can also make the area underneath swell. Fluid can collect around the eyes overnight, and raising your head during sleep can help reduce that buildup.5

What can you do at home?

A cold compress can reduce puffiness without turning the bathroom into an equipment showroom.6

1. 1Wash your hands before touching your eyes, especially if pink eye is possible.
2. 2Lie down and place a washcloth soaked in cold water across your eyes for a few minutes.
3. 3If you have discharge, clean the area around your eyes 2 or 3 times a day with a clean, wet washcloth or fresh cotton ball each time.
4. 4Remove contact lenses if your eyes or eyelids swell. If you have symptoms of pink eye and wear contacts, see a doctor.
5. 5At bedtime, add another pillow to raise your head slightly and reduce overnight fluid buildup.

If pink eye is possible, avoid rubbing your eyes and do not share towels, pillowcases or makeup. Artificial tears can relieve dryness. Antihistamine eye drops are for allergies, not swelling from every cause; steroid eye drops should only be used as prescribed. For mild sinusitis, rest, fluids and cleaning the nose with a salt water solution can help.123

How do you use cold spoons for puffy eyes?

Apply cold spoons to your eyes as a cold compress. Cold helps narrow widened blood vessels and reduce puffy eyelids. This is general puffiness relief, not treatment for the infection causing symptoms. A cool, wet washcloth is another option.56

Do not substitute bare ice against your skin. Wrap ice in a cloth and keep it moving rather than resting it in one place. Facial icing should be limited to once daily and avoided with thin or sensitive skin, visible broken capillaries, or skin recovering from a cosmetic procedure.6

How long should the swelling last?

Cooling offers temporary relief. Ordinary transient eye swelling often settles within a day; swelling lasting more than 24 to 48 hours should be assessed by an eye care professional. Viral pink eye usually clears within 1 to 2 weeks, sometimes 3 weeks or longer. Sinusitis usually clears within 4 weeks, but that is not a reason to leave persistent eye swelling unchecked.123

Many marketed remedies for dark circles lack evidence of benefit, however confidently they occupy the bathroom shelf. Stronger topical products can irritate sensitive eyelids, so adding an intensive eye treatment is not a sensible response to new swelling.7

When should you get medical help?

Get urgent help for a red, hot, painful, tender or blistered swollen eyelid; pain inside the eye; difficulty opening the eye; vision changes; light sensitivity; or a very red eye. Eye symptoms with headache, nausea, vomiting, a very high temperature or feeling generally unwell also need urgent assessment.4

Call a healthcare professional for swelling under just one eye. Seek urgent help if sinus symptoms worsen, painkillers do not help, or your immune system is weakened. See a GP if sinus symptoms have not improved after 3 weeks of home care or 7 days of pharmacy or GP treatment.15