Styes Vs. Chalazion

Having a lump around any part of your eye or eyelid may make you want to scream or run in horror. However, both styes and chalazions are two common eye conditions that cause lumps around your eyelid. Often mistaken for each other, it can be a bit tricky to distinguish between the two. To help you gain a better understanding, this article will list the differences and similarities between chalazions and styes.

Chalazion

Your eyelid is composed of a bunch of different glands— some of which produce oil. When the sweat gland on the inner portion of your upper eyelid gets clogged with too much oil and debris,  it can cause a chalazion. Luckily, by applying a warm, wet compress to your eye several times a day for about four days, your chalazion should start to improve and ultimately disappear. If, however, your symptoms worsen or just don’t get better, schedule an appointment with Longwood Eye & LASIK Center.

Stye

Unlike a chalazion that is caused when one of the sweat glands in the upper eyelid gets clogged, a stye is a bacterial infection. Caused by the staphylococcal bacteria, a stye is usually red, inflamed, and fairly painful. Similar to chalazion treatment, you can treat a stye by using a warm, wet compress on it. To prevent the spread of bacteria, we encourage our patients to avoid touching their eyes and to wash their hands on a regular basis. If your stye doesn’t disappear within a week, contact Eye and LasikCenter.

Although chalazions and styes look very similar to one another, they are very different. If you have a pimple-like bump on your eyelid, it’s likely one of these two conditions. And although it may be a bit painful and uncomfortable, it should go away in under a week. To learn more about these eye conditions or to schedule an exam, contact Longwood Eye & LASIK Center today to schedule an appointment.