I'm 21 and as a small child i can remember having eczema around let elbow and knee joints , it has only recently flared up again but has appeared on my face and body, and really badly around my eyes, i can barely open my eyes some days. i have been to my gp several times and been given countless types of steroid creams and ointments, most of them aleviate the symptons for a day or 2 before the rash just gets itchier, looks worse and doesnt seem to get any better. im at my wits end now with it and have no idea what to do next.
I'm so sorry to hear that you are experiencing this. Like you I developed eczema around my eyes and was very disheartened by it. I too tried various steroid creams and also did a food elimination diet to see if I was allergic to certain foods. In my case it developed as a result of severe stress due to the death of a family member.
What I found to be very effective was Aloe Vera from Holland & Barrett (99% Aloe Vera & 1% water), it comes in tube form. Whenever I felt that the skin was tightening I would apply this to ensure that the skin was rehydrated. I still use it at night as a preventative measure. I also found that drinking water helped me.
If your rashes are coming back more aggressively or spreading after using steroid ointments, it may be a problem with those. The skin around the eyes is particularly sensitive and topical steroids are absorbed into the skin quicker there than most other parts of the body. Can't tell for sure but your photos show inflammation spreading to forehead too? It might be worth you checking out topical steroid withdrawal and the support groups for this.
Don't rule out any possible avenue like allergies, stress or even if you are in the UK, the onset of colder weather and the havoc central heating can have on our skin. Good luck !
Don't know for sure, but if you've tried eliminating allergies and other possible routes with little benefit, then it would be worth exploring topical steroid withdrawal. It would be worth you taking the time to read up about tsw. There can be local rebound on stopping topical steroids, but this eventually clears. For other people the rebound on cessation of topical steroids causes inflammation to spread to areas not previously affected. Things may well get worse before they get better with this route, so it's worth being prepared.