Stye and Chalazion: Mostly benign inconvenience
Stye and chalazion are lumps in or along the edge of an eyelid. They may be painful or annoying, but do not panic. They are rarely serious. Most of the time, they will go away on their own without treatment.
If the condition deteriorates, however, one must visit an ophthalmologist.
A stye is an infection that causes a tender red lump on the base of the eyelash, while a chalazion is a bump that usually develops farther back on the eyelid than a stye.
Stye and chalazion may be related to blepharitis, a common problem that causes inflammation of the eyelids.
A stye usually starts as a red and painful bump that looks like a pimple along the edge of the eyelid. As the stye grows, the eyelid becomes swollen and painful, and the eye may water. Most styes swell for about three days before they break open and drain. Styes usually heal in about a week.
A chalazion starts as a firm lump or cyst under the skin of the eyelid. Unlike stye, chalazion often doesn't hurt. It is caused by a clogged oil gland.
Chalazion grows more slowly than stye. If a chalazion grows big enough, it may affect one's vision. The inflammation and swelling may spread to the area surrounding the eye. Chalazion often goes away in a few months without treatment.
Home treatment is all that's needed for stye and chalazion in most cases. Apply warm, wet compresses for five to 10 minutes, three to six times a day, which usually helps the area heal faster and open a blocked pore so that it can drain. One should not use eye makeup or contact lenses until it is healed.
If a stye is not getting better with these home treatments, one must consult an ophthalmologist. The doctor may prescribe antibiotic eye ointment or eyedrops. S/he may need to prescribe antibiotic if the infection spreads to the eyelid or eye.
If a stye grows very large, the doctor may need to pierce (lance) it so it can drain and heal. Do not try to lance it yourself.
An ophthalmologist may recommend a steroid injection or surgery, if a chalazion stays long or gets worse.
To avoid stye or chalazion, we have to incorporate some practices. Don't rub eyes. This can irritate your eyes and let in bacteria. If you need to touch your eyes, wash your hands first. Protect your eyes from dust and air pollution. Remove eye makeup properly every time. Replace eye cosmetics, especially mascara, at least once every six months. Bacteria can grow in cosmetics if they get old. If you get stye or chalazion often, wash your eyelids regularly with a bit of baby shampoo mixed in warm water.
Prof Dr Md Shafi Khan is a cornea specialist and phaco surgeon at Bangladesh Eye Hospital.