Styes, Chalazions and Blepharitis
Blepharitis
This is an inflammatory condition of the eyelid and may result from:
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bacterial infection (usually Staphylococci bacteria)
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allergic reaction
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abnormal function of the oil glands in the lid margins, either over-producing or blocked
Risk factors include:
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poor lid hygiene
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skin conditions eg acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, herpes simplex infection
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exposure to smoke, fumes, smog and other irritants
Symptoms and Signs include:
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itching or burning sensation
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swollen eyelids
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broken skin or flakes along the eyelids
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missing or ingrown eyelashes
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excessive tearing
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light sensitivity
Blepharitis can also result in other eye conditions such as styes and chalazions, and contribute to other eye problems, such as dry eyes.
Treatment is geared towards reducing the bacterial infection on the lid margins and opening up blocked glands. This can be done with lid scrubs, hot compresses and topical antibiotic ointment. More severe forms of blepharitis may benfits from a course of oral antibiotics.
Stye
Chalazion
This is another bump that forms in the eyelid as a result of blockage of the oil glands. A chalazion is usually painless and slow-growing if it is not infected. If left alone, it subsides gradually within a few months as the oils within the gland break down and get reabsorbed
Large chalazia may affect vision by causing drooping of the eyelid, or by pressing on the cornea. This is more likely to occur in young children, and removal of the chalazion may be necessary to prevent poor vision from developing. A chalazion can also become infected with bacteria, and is then referred to as a stye.
Treatment includes warm compresses and lid scrubs in the early stages, to unblock the pores leading to the oil gland. Topical or oral antibiotics may also be useful.
If the chalazion is large, infected and / or painful, a minor procedure may be performed in the clinic to incise (cut into) the stye to allow the pus within it to be removed. In young children, the stye or chalazion would be incised in an operating theatre while under anaesthesia.
Also known as a hordoleum, this appears as a lump on the eyelid, or at the base of the eyelashes. There may be associated pain, swelling and pus formation which shows as a yellowish spot in the centre of the stye.
Styes occur due to blockage of the oil glands of the eyelids, typically from underlying blepharitis. The sudden, painful increase in size is due to a bacterial infection of the blocked gland.
Treatment includes warm compresses, as well as oral and/or topical antibiotics. In cases of large styes, or if the infection appears to be spreading along the eyelid, then a minor procedure may be performed in the clinic to incise (cut into) the stye, to allow the pus within it to be removed.