undereye inflammation

[toots335]

I woke up with dark reddish purple, puffy skin yet with deep wrinkles (I don't have wrinkles normally) under both eyes.    It does not itch - feels more like tight, sunburned skin and looks like I was in a fight.    Any idea?  My dr. just put me on Prednisone.

[Sandy Feldman, MD, MS]

Dear toots335,

I would recommend that you seek the care of an eyeMD to determine the cause of the purple puffy skin.  

Dr. Feldman

Sandy T. Feldman, M.D., M.S.
ClearView Eye and Laser Medical Center
San Diego, California

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

This sounds like one possible path of treatment.  The doctor is betting that you have some sort of allergic reaction.  I've seen people have this sort of thing after applying neosporin to the eyelid skin or after eating something they were very allergic to.  I suggest you see an ophthalmolgist anyway to make sure there is not another cause that requires a different treatment.  Perhaps you have fluid retention, ate too much salt, took in too much liquid or alcohol, stayed up late and just have very puffy eyes???  One last thought is that maybe you meant that you were on predinisone BEFORE the  problem - in that case I have seen fluid retention and puffy eyes from the prednisone also.  Your post is unclear about which came first the prednisone or the puffiness.

MJK MD