Dark circles are a common problem of ocular pigmentation. When people stay up late or sleep poorly for a long time, excessive metabolic waste and melanin are deposited inside the capillaries of the eyes, which leads to excessive secretion of adrenocortical hormones, eventually making the eyelid position darker. It looks similar to “panda eyes” and will also deepen over time.
Normally, dark circles are not a disease, and they can be alleviated and improved after adjusting one’s work and rest habits and taking appropriate vitamin supplements. However, some cases are directly related to the 4 diseases. If you have dark circles that are long-term and difficult to reduce, you should take early measures to deal with them.
1. Liver disorders
The liver is the largest metabolic organ of the human body and is responsible for the processing and discharge of various metabolic wastes. When the liver develops lesions that affect its function, the precipitation of metabolic wastes and various pigments inside the body will deepen, which is manifested on the face. That is, eyelid edema and dark circles.
Patients with hepatomegaly, cirrhosis, and chronic hepatitis often have obvious dark circle changes on their faces. Since liver disease is closely related to jaundice, patients may also have sallow complexion and turbid eyeballs. They can conduct self-examination based on their own complexion.
2. Kidney deficiency Kidney deficiency
From the perspective of modern medicine, the kidneys are an important part of the urinary system and can excrete inorganic salts and physiological waste. If renal filtration tissues such as glomeruli and renal tubules degenerate, metabolic waste in the body will also be deposited in blood vessels and accompany the circulation. The system reaches facial capillaries and induces dark circles.
Traditional medicine believes that the eyes rely on the essence and qi of the five internal organs for maintenance, while the kidneys are the foundation of innateness. After a loss occurs, the eyes will lose their energy and become dark and dull if they are not moistened by the essence and qi.
3. Pharyngonasal inflammation
People with allergic rhinitis or pharyngitis may also be complicated by allergic conjunctivitis, and as a result, they will have symptoms such as fear of the wind and prone to tears, eye congestion, and swollen and dark eyelids. At the same time, the above-mentioned condition can also cause inefficient venous return of the ocular blood vessels, deepen pigment deposition, and cause dark circles.
There are also studies that suggest that the sleep quality of patients with nasopharyngeal inflammation is affected by respiratory conditions, and therefore they are prone to nighttime sudden awakening, and poor sleep onset can also lead to frequent dark circles.
4. Cardiac disorders
The heart is the power source of human blood circulation. When the myocardium is damaged and the pericardium is abnormal, the patient’s overall blood circulation efficiency will be greatly reduced, and the metabolic process will be delayed as a result. It is easy to show various abnormal conditions such as dark circles.
It is also necessary to be vigilant that after cardiovascular aging, embolic or rupture changes are prone to occur, and this lesion is highly sudden. If you find that you have multiple related conditions, you need to seek medical examination as soon as possible to avoid serious consequences.
In general, dark circles are not a situation that can be ignored, and even if they are not linked to the disease, they can affect the personal image and quality of life. And “If you want to take care of such abnormalities, in addition to applying prevention and treatment methods according to the corresponding diseases, you also need to maintain moderate aerobic exercise habits, perform soothing and relaxing activities on the eyes in your spare time, and treat both the symptoms and root causes to achieve better results”.
Disclaimer: All photos used in this blog are generated by artificial intelligence (AI). These images are original creations produced by AI technology and do not depict real people, places, or events. They are provided for illustrative purposes only and cannot be claimed or used as real photographs.
Dr. Ashish Singh is not just a consultant orthopaedic surgeon but a visionary leader in the field. Serving as the Medical Director at Anup Institute of Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation in Patna, Bihar, he holds an illustrious academic background with MBBS, MS Ortho, MCh.Orth. (UK), PG Diploma CAOS (UK), and SICOT Diploma Orth. (Sweden).
