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