The area around the eyes is one of the first places people begin to show their age. For that reason, many people are extra motivated to keep their eye areas looking young and healthy as long as possible. If you wear glasses regularly, the question at the front of your mind may be: Do glasses cause bags under the eyes? 

Glasses can cause both bags and dark circles to form under the wearer’s eyes, especially if the glasses are worn too tight. 

While you can’t forestall the effects of age forever, you can take steps to maintains youthful skin and eyes for as many years as you can. Keep reading to learn more about how and why bags form under the eyes, as well as a few tips on how to avoid the negative side effects of wearing glasses. 

What Causes Bags Under The Eyes? 

Bespectacled people are no the only ones who get bags under their eyes, which means that glasses are not the only cause of undereye bags or swelling. Bags occur naturally under the eye as people age because their skin becomes looser and tends to sag. 

Bags under the eye occur when the skin around the eyes weakens and sags, allowing the pads of fat under the eyes to move down, which gives the skin a puffy, bag-like appearance beneath the lower eyelid. Fluid can also pool up in this area, which exaggerates the puffiness of the eye bag. 

Glasses Make Under-Eye Bags and Circles Worse 

The additional weight and pinch of glasses, particularly if the glasses are heavy frames or do not fit properly, expedites the process of stretching and weakening the skin around the eyes. If you wear glasses frequently, you’re more likely to develop puffy bags under your eyes earlier in life. 

Glasses, if worn regularly, can cause dark circles under the eyes as well as bags. 

Dark circles occur when blood vessels beneath the skin around the eyes are dilated. Glasses that fit too tightly on the bridge of the wearer’s nose can pinch and slow the circulation of the lymphatic system. 

Purchasing glasses custom-fitted to your face can help to reduce the likelihood of developing bags or dark circles under your eyes. If possible, wear contacts rather than glasses as often as you can. This will give the skin around your eyes a break and allow for lymph circulation to return to normal. 

Remedies To Offset Eye Bags 

Some people are genetically prone to under-eye bags, and for many, there’s simply no avoiding them. If your under-eye bags are caused by glasses, you may not have the option of not wearing them. Not everyone has access to contacts or even properly fitting glasses. 

 Don’t give up hope, though! There are a number of ways in which you can reduce the likelihood, or at least the extremity, of under-eye bags. 

  • Hydrate — It’s important to drink water throughout the day for many reasons, one of which is that it will help to limit damage to the skin around your eyes. 
  • Cold Compress — A cold, wet rag applied over the eyes for a couple of minutes per day can help your skin remain toned and healthy.
  • Reduce Sodium — Consuming less sodium in your daily diet can also help reduce puffiness around the eyes. 
  • Sunscreen — Sun damage can cause bags under the eyes, along with other skin-related damages. Wearing sunscreen around your eyes can help you maintain youthful skin for a longer time. 
  • Teabags / Cucumber Slices — place cool, wet teabags or cucumber slices can also help reverse damages by rehydrating the skin under and around the eyes. 
  • Clearing Sinuses — A clogged or swollen sinus can sometimes cause bags or puffiness around the eyes. Irrigating your sinus with salt water can help reduce swelling by removing fluids such as mucus. 
  • Blepharoplasty (Eyelid Surgery) — While many feel that surgery is an extreme length to go to in order to correct a minor cosmetic flaw, some feel that the youthfulness gained by toned skin around the eyes justifies the expense and risk. 

Conclusion

Over the course of a lifetime, the skin around the eyes starts to weaken and sag, creating bags under the eyes. For those who wear glasses on a daily basis, that weakening skin sags faster and more dramatically. While there isn’t much that can truly stop this from happening, a few lifestyle changes such as regular hydration, applying cold compresses, and wearing contacts whenever possible can help reduce the damage to the skin around and under your eyes.