Styes and chalazia

Styes and chalazia are lumps in or along the edge of an eyelid. They may be painful or annoying, but they are rarely serious. Most will go away on their own without treatment.

• A stye is an infection that causes a tender red lump on the eyelid. Most styes occur along the edge of the eyelid. When a stye occurs inside the eyelid, it is called an internal hordeolum (say "hor-dee-OH-lum").
• A chalazion (say "kuh-LAY-zee-on") is a lump in the eyelid. Chalazia (plural) may look like styes, but they are usually larger and may not hurt.

Styes and chalazia may be related to blepharitis, a common problem that causes inflammation of the eyelids.

A stye usually starts as a red 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 3 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 styes, chalazia often don't hurt.
• Chalazia grow more slowly than styes. If a chalazion gets large enough, it may affect your vision.
• The inflammation and swelling may spread to the area surrounding the eye.
• Chalazia often go away in a few months without treatment.

Doctors diagnose these problems by closely examining the eyelid. It may be hard to tell the difference between a stye and a chalazion. If there is a hard lump inside the eyelid, the doctor will probably diagnose it as a chalazion.

Home treatment is all that is needed for most styes and chalazia.

• Apply warm, wet compresses for 5 to 10 minutes, 3 to 6 times a day. This can help the area heal faster.
• Use an over-the-counter treatment. Try an ointment (such as Stye), solution (such as Bausch and Lomb Eye Wash), or medicated pads (such as Ocusoft Lid Scrub).
• Let the stye or chalazion open on its own. Don't squeeze or open it.

If a stye is not getting better with home treatment, talk to your doctor. You may need a prescription for antibiotic eye ointment or eyedrops. You may need to take antibiotic pills if infection has spread to the eyelid or eye.

If a stye gets very large, the doctor may need to pierce (lance) it so it can drain and heal. Do not try to lance it yourself.

If a chalazion does not go away or if it gets worse, a doctor may recommend an injection of steroid medicine or surgery to remove it.

• Do not squeeze or try to open a stye or chalazion.
• To help a stye or chalazion heal faster:
  • Put a warm, moist compress on your eye for 5 to 10 minutes, 3 to 6 times a day. Heat often brings a stye to a point where it drains on its own. Keep in mind that warm compresses will often increase swelling a little at first.
  • Do not use hot water or heat a wet cloth in a microwave oven. The compress may get too hot and can burn the eyelid.
• If the doctor gave you antibiotic drops or ointment, use the medicine exactly as directed. Use the medicine for as long as instructed, even if your eye starts to feel better.
• To put in eyedrops or ointment:
  • Tilt your head back, and pull your lower eyelid down with one finger.
  • Drop or squirt the medicine inside the lower lid.
  • Close your eye for 30 to 60 seconds to let the drops or ointment move around.
  • Do not touch the ointment or dropper tip to your eyelashes or any other surface.
• Do not wear eye makeup or contact lenses until the stye or chalazion heals.
• Do not share towels, pillows, or washcloths while you have a stye.