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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffBags under eyes — mild swelling or puffiness under the eyes — are common as you age. With aging, the tissues around your eyes, including some of the muscles supporting your eyelids, weaken. Normal fat that helps support the eyes can then migrate forward into the lower eyelids, causing the lids to appear puffy. Fluid also may accumulate in the space below your eyes, adding to a swollen appearance.
Bags under eyes are usually a cosmetic concern and rarely a sign of a serious underlying medical condition. At-home remedies, such as cold compresses, can help improve the appearance of bags under eyes. For persistent or bothersome under-eye puffiness, cosmetic treatments are available.
- Tsai LM, et al. The eye and ocular adnexa. In: Doherty GM, et al. Current Surgical Diagnosis and Treatment. 12th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2006. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2066221. Accessed July 30, 2009.
- Golberg RJ, et al. What causes eyelid bags? Analysis of 114 consecutive patients. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 2005;115:1395.
- Narins R, et al. Ask the experts: Why do bags form below our eyes? Scientific American. 2005;292:106.
- Understanding blepharoplasty. American Academy of Facial and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery. http://www.aafprs.org/patient/procedures/shareable/s_blepharoplasty.html. Accessed July 30, 2009.
- In brief: Your guide to healthy sleep. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/sleep/healthysleepfs.pdf. Accessed July 30, 2009.
- Dana MR. Allergic conjunctivitis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 30, 2009.
- Gibson LE (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Aug. 12, 2009.
