Why does the area around my eyes look lighter than the rest of my face?

Best guesses: This is tough to answer without seeing you...It could be vitiligo, an autoimmune skin-depigmenting disease. If the demarcation line between lighter and darker is more gradual, it could be that you got tan with glasses on or that sun tanned the more prominent parts of your face more (e.g., brows, nose, cheeks). Could possibly be an inflammatory reaction from topical cream/lotion or sinus issues.