A chalazion or stye is bump
on the eyelid that occurs due to an obstructed
eyelid gland. This bump can develop on the inside
or outside of the eyelid. For the most part, chalazions
cause only mild discomfort; however, they can
become quite red and painful in some cases. If
large enough, the chalazion may be visibly apparent
to the patient and others. Sometimes, multiple
chalazions develop in individuals with blepharitis,
a condition in which excessive oil develops along
the edges of the eyelids. Your ophthalmologist
can help you treat this eyelid condition.
What Treatments Are Available?
Warm Compresses
A warm compress can be applied to the affected
eyelid for 15 minutes 4 times a day. This helps
"dissolve" the obstruction blocking the drainage
of the affected eyelid gland. With a few weeks
of treatment, many chalazions will disappear.
If the chalazion does not resolve, other treatment
options may need to be explored.
Steroid Injection
A small amount of steroid medication can be injected
into the chalazion. This can help the chalazion
slowly go away. One of the risks of this injection
is that the skin color over the chalazion can
become noticeably lighter.
Surgical Drainage
In some cases, resolution of the chalazion can
only be achieved surgically. This procedure is
usually done in the office under local anesthesia.
Generally, the procedure lasts less than 10 minutes.
Usually, the incision can be made on the inside
of the eyelid where scar formation is not a concern.
See
Blepharitis |
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