swollen, red, itchy eyelids,

[jgorman]

Nearly 3 weeks ago I awoke with extremely swollen eyes. (So swollen that even the bridge of my nose was larger than normal) The swelling subsided (did not ever fully go away) but my eyelids remained itchy, red and warm to the touch.  A few days later my eyelids seemed to be ok other than extremely dry skin in the corners and upper brow area. My lids have remained slightly itchy since that day with a flare up last night and into today.
*I do wear contacts, I stopped completely for a several days after the first flare up and today.
*I rarely wear makeup. Once a month if that.
*I have used Benadryl
*I have tried using Claritin
*I have been using moisturizer when the lids were dry.
*I am going to try to clean my eyes with baby shampoo starting tonight.
I have looked at some of the symptoms that other people have, I do not feel like I have crusty skin around my eyelashes nor do i have any irritation with my eye at all.
Thanks for any advise or insight you can lend.
j

[jackie896]

Help,I woke up my left eye lid is hurting,like its bruised and its across the bridge of my nose and over to my cheek,and little itchy but feels bruised

[JohnHaganMD]

you should try and get in to see an ophthalmologist or optometrist.  

[eenie1]

This may have already been suggested but I thought I'd add it in just in case.  Has anyone here been tested for food allergies?  I started with this problem a few months back and was so uncomfortable that I sat down and figured out what was new in any part of my life.  Only thing...pecans.  I had bought them to put in muffins I was making for a friend.  I tried one and fell in love so was adding them to everything I ate.  I stopped them and was better in a matter of days.  I forgot myself and ate a few toasted pine nuts a few days later and within 15 minutes my eyelids were red, itchy and swelling again.  Another couple weeks passed without incident until I ate peanut butter this past Sunday.  I was at the bottom of a container of fresh ground peanut butter.  Within 15 minutes of eating, eye symptoms started again.  I now have an epi-pen and will be going for bloodwork to test for tree nut and peanut allergies this week.  Just another note to all.  If the trouble comes and goes you may want to start keeping a food diary.  

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Try see a eye MD physician and quite the self treatment its not working.  Find one at www.aao.org

JCH II MD