Stye and Chalazion
Chalazion vs. Stye: What's the difference?
If you are suffering from an unsightly lump on your eyelid, you might have either a chalazion or a stye. Both eye conditions show up as red or swollen lumps on the eyelid that may or may not be painful. Both eye conditions may be linked to blepharitis, an infection of the eyelid, and both conditions are typically benign and will disappear on their own without treatment. At times, however, treatment may be necessary if the condition worsens instead of gets better over time.
Causes:
If you are suffering from an unsightly lump on your eyelid, you might have either a chalazion or a stye. Both eye conditions show up as red or swollen lumps on the eyelid that may or may not be painful. Both eye conditions may be linked to blepharitis, an infection of the eyelid, and both conditions are typically benign and will disappear on their own without treatment. At times, however, treatment may be necessary if the condition worsens instead of gets better over time.
Chalazion symptoms:
- Large, firm bump on the eyelid
- Grows slowly
- Typically doesn’t hurt
- May cause inflammation of the surrounding area
- Often lasts a few months, without treatment
Stye symptoms:
- Red, pimple-like bump on the eyelid
- Swollen and painful
- May cause the eyes to water
- Typically breaks open and drains after a few days
- Usually heals in a week
Treatments available at Saland Vision:
Though both chalazia and styes can be effectively treated with an antibiotic ointment prescribed by one of our doctors at Saland Vision, there may be times (in the case of a chalazion) where surgery is recommended. Reasons may include that the condition is not healing, within a reasonable amount of time, or is worsening, or that the condition returns repeatedly or blocks a person’s vision. Our chalazion removal surgery at Saland Vision is performed in our office and takes less than 30 minutes, during which the chalazion is removed through a small incision in the eyelid.
Find out more about your treatment options:
If you have a lump on your eyelid that you want looked at, don’t hesitate to contact us at Saland Vision. Though both a stye and chalazion are benign conditions, they might need to be diagnosed by an eye doctor in order to effectively treat them so that they don’t worsen or create a more serious eye infection. To get your eye checked by an experienced eye doctor, schedule an appointment at Saland Vision in Dallas by calling (214) 691-8000, texting us, or booking online.