What Causes Red Veins On Eyelids & How Are They Treated?

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red veins on eyelids

Are you facing the issue of red veins on eyelids? If yes, then it looks really annoying. These veiny eyelids become prominent when the veins appear or protrude prominently beneath the skin.

Although, this situation is harmless, it may become a point of concern for others. But these don’t cause any sort of health related issues including vision problem.

In this post, we give you some idea like the causes and types of red veins on eyelids. And also, what you can do to prevent them appearing.

 

What Causes Red Veins On Eyelids?

You might have seen red veins protruding on eyelids. Well, this is completely a normal situation but still may became a cause for others. Such a situation doesn’t reflect to any kind of medical deformity or anything of that sort. But there are some common causes known.

Age

Sometimes, age related factors come to play and become the cause of these issues. In general, when you cross an age of 30, your skin loses collagen and elasticity. And this is enough to make your skin thinner.

Now, since the skin around your eyes is already thin, losing more collagen or elasticity is likely to enhance the appearance of veins.

 

Venous Insufficiency

Venous insufficiency happens when the walls surrounding your veins are damaged or stretched mainly due to the blood pressure in the opposite (backward) direction.

The above condition generally progresses with age and becomes more common with age. In acute cases, it can damage your veins often causing them produce a bulging effect.

 

High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is another cause of veins getting damaged and bulged. If blood pressure (hypertension) is left uncontrolled, it may increase inflammation in your body which may also trigger an extension in your eyelid area.

 

Sun Exposure

Out of several issue listed above, sun exposure happens to be the most common ones that becomes the cause of red veins on eyelids.

In such a situation, it has been observed that eyes becomes extremely vulnerable as the area surrounding it left unprotected against UV rays. There are some other signs of facial sun damage including:

  • Premature wrinkles
  • Age spots
  • Spider veins
  • Lifestyle

If you lead an unhealthy lifestyle, it may also contribute to veiny eyelids. In addition to this, it may also cause reading in dim lighting and excessive screen time.

If you have a tendency to rub your eyelids too hard or too much, it may also break small capillaries in your eyelids and making them protrude out and noticeable.

Can you remove prominent veins on your eyelids?

Although, there are many causes of veiny eyelids, but there are only a few treatment options that are proven. They include:

  • Endovenous Laser Ablation (EVLA)
  • Intense-pulsed light therapy (IPL)
  • Sclerotherapy

In such cases, your doctor may recommend either of these or combination of these treatment options.

Also, cost of any such type of cosmetic procedure may vary. Although, medical insurance doesn’t cover such a treatment, you can still have a word with your doctor about any discounts. Now, take a look at these treatment options one by one:

Endovenous laser ablation (EVLA)

It’s a clinically proven treatment option recommended for varicose veins in the legs. Like the above, EVLA may also be employed to treat eyelid veins.

In order to use this treatment option, experts have to make use of lasers and electrodes so as to shrink or break faulty veins. In order to achieve the best results, multiple sessions may be conducted.

Please note that EVLA requires the use of topical anesthesia. But the above procedure falls under the category of minimally invasive procedure which can be done on an OPD basis.

If a patient goes for laser treatment, it will not cause any sort of scarring or any other type of complications.

Another benefit of using EVLA treatment is that there is no recovery time required. While having this procedure, it’s advised to remain active to avoid the formation of blood clots.

Average Cost

The average cost of EVLA is around $1,525. But the actual amount may vary depending on the eyelid size.

 

Intense-pulsed light (IPL)

It’s a kind of laser therapy often recommended for the treatment of red veins on eyelids. And so it can often used to treat unwanted veins through the dermis (middle layer of skin).

Regardless of EVLA, IPL is considered minimally invasive with side effects like redness, slight pain and bruising. The above procedure is not recommended if you have a sensitive skin or if you are prone to sunburn.

 

Average Cost

The average cost of IPL is around $300-$600. But the actual amount may vary depending on the eyelid size.

 

Sclerotherapy

Like the above treatment options, sclerotherapy is another one recommended to treat red veins on eyelids. This procedure is sometimes used in combination with IPL therapy.

It basically employs the use of injections to help you get rid of spider veins. Although, this procedure is used mostly in the legs, it may be employed anywhere else in the body as well.

Unlike other treatment options, Sclerotherapy often pose some risks and side effects.

These may include inflammation, pain and bruising. In addition to the above, hyper pigmentation and Scarring may also occur.

However, minor side effect like bruising is likely to disappear after some time.

Average Cost

The average cost of sclerotherapy is around $400. But the actual amount may vary depending on the eyelid size.

 

Who’s At Risk for Veiny Eyelids?

Veiny eyelids can be commonly seen in both men and women. But the risk factor increases with age. Some other risk factors of veiny eyelids include:

  • An unhealthy lifestyle
  • Desk or office work
  • Working outdoors for long in direct sunlight
  • Family history of premature skin aging
  • Family history of venous deficiency or hypertension

 

Are there any ways to prevent or forestall veiny eyelids?

Although, veiny eyelids are of a common occurrence, they can still be prevented by taking the following measures:

Reduce sun exposure: In order to safeguard yourself, avoid going out in peak hours between late morning and early afternoon. Even if you have to move outside, never forget to wear a sunglass to keep the sun out of your eyes.

Hypertension: Try to reduce the intake of excessive salt and saturated fats and opt for more plant based food instead. In addition to this, go for regular exercise to lower your blood pressure. The best practice will be to monitor your blood pressure regularly at home to avoid any signs of hypertension. Please note that a healthy blood pressure is below 120 mm/Hg systolic and 80 mm/Hg diastolic.

Reduce stress: Try to avoid taking chronic stress to your body as it can also be a contributor for prominent veins in your eyelids and other visible areas. As you can’t avoid taking stress, you can still get time to unwind yourself and engage in some other relaxing activities at home.

 

Conclusion

If you are suffering from the issue of red veins on eyelids, it can be an aesthetic concern and you need not to worry about it. It’s because it may develop among men and women with age.

As you can’t prevent your skin from ageing, you can always go ahead to adopt a healthy lifestyle mainly to reduce the risk of any such issues.

The steps you can follow to get rid of this problem include controlling your blood pressure, eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly.

In case, you are still concerned about your red veins on eyelids, you may have a word with your dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon regarding further plan of action.

Also Read: Transient Lingual Papillitis (Lie Bumps) Features, Causes & Treatment Tips