If you’ve begun to notice webs of visible veins that sit either above or below your eyes, you’re not alone. They’re called preorbital veins, and they can appear as the skin around the eyes becomes thinner with age.
The good news is that they’re treatable. More on that in a moment. First, let’s take a closer look at what’s happening here.
What are preorbital veins, exactly?
Preorbital is the medical name for the area around the eye socket. Preorbital veins are a network of superficial veins that surround the eyes. While their seemingly sudden appearance can be a bit unsettling, they’re completely normal: It’s their job to shuttle deoxygenated blood away from cells and back to the heart.
To answer your next question, yes, we have reticular veins all over our bodies, but they tend to be most noticeable on the face, especially around the eyes, because the skin in that area is so thin. As we age, we lose subcutaneous fat in this area, which makes them even more prominent.
It’s possible to have visible preorbital veins above your eyelids, but most people have them under their eyes, where they can enhance the appearance of dark circles.
Skin tone can play a role in whether or not yours appear—and where. Those with darker skin may not notice their preorbital veins becoming more prominent until much later in life, if at all. Our unique underlying vascular anatomy also has a say. For some, their preorbital veins may appear as subtle shadowing, while in others they present as distinct markings.
Chronic sun exposure is another significant factor. It accelerates collagen breakdown and skin thinning, making preorbital veins appear more prominent. To varying degrees, hormones, smoking, drinking, poor sleep, and untreated allergies (and, in turn, frequent eye rubbing) can all contribute to the visibility of preorbital veins.
And though certain medical conditions can have this effect too—including thyroid disorders that impact circulation and sleep disorders that lead to fluid retention—it’s extremely rare that they indicate an underlying health concern. That said, if prominent preorbital veins appear seemingly overnight and are accompanied by swelling, pain, or vision changes, seek medical attention immediately.
Can they be made less prominent?
Veins, of course, are vitally important to the health and function of our bodies. They’re so important that when one vein closes, blood immediately reroutes to another one nearby.
Which is to say that preorbital veins can be made to look less prominent without causing any harm to your body. A laser—specifically, a long-pulsed Nd:YAG laser—is the most common and safest treatment option. This type of laser is able to penetrate the skin and target preorbital veins while causing minimal damage to the surrounding tissue.
Because veins are in the fat layer, beneath the dermis, you need a laser with a long wavelength. When the laser reaches a vein, it heats up the blood inside until the vein bursts. The blood is then absorbed by the body.
You’d most likely need two to four treatments spaced four to six weeks apart to minimize or completely erase the appearance of your preorbital veins. Afterward, you may experience mild swelling, and the treated veins could darken before they begin to fade.
An alternative is dermal fillers. They can be used to thicken the skin, which, in turn, minimizes the visibility of the veins. Dermatologists may also recommend a more gradual approach where topical treatments like retinol are applied to help restore collagen and improve skin thickness over time.
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