| General Illness Information |
Common Name: |
Chalazion |
|
Medical Term:
|
None Specified. |
| Description: |
Chronic inflammation of the
meibomian gland in the eyelid. Meibomian glands are long
thin oil glands found in the eyelid, and serve to lubricate the
lid margins. |
| Causes: |
Blockage of a duct leading to
the surface of the eyelid from the meibomian gland. The blockage
may be due to infection (usually staphylococcal) around the duct
opening. |
| Prevention: |
If you have a tendency to get
chalazions, wash eyelash area daily with water and baby shampoo
applied with a cotton swab. At the first sign of eye irritation,
apply warm compresses several times a day. |
| Signs
& Symptoms |
 |
Painful focal tenderness
of one eyelid. |
|
Mild redness of the
white of the eye (conjunctivitis). |
|
| Risk Factors |
|
Skin conditions such as acne rosacea or seborrheic
dermatitis. |
|
| Diagnosis & Treatment |
| General
Measures: |
|
Use warm-water soaks to
reduce inflammation and hasten healing. Apply soaks for 20
minutes, then rest at least 1 hour. Repeat as often as
needed. |
|
If the chalazion does
not heal spontaneously in 6 weeks, surgical removal under
local anesthesia in the doctor's office may be a recommended
treatment. |
|
| Medications: |
|
Topical antibiotic
ointments or creams, such as erythromycin or bacitracin may
be prescribed. Apply a thin layer of medication to the lid
edges 3 or 4 times daily. A heavy layer wastes medicine and
is no more beneficial than a thin layer. |
|
Antibiotic eye drops to
prevent the spread of infection to other parts of the eye.
Oral antibiotics or antibiotic injections usually are not
needed. |
|
| Activity: |
|
No restrictions. |
|
| Diet: |
|
No special diet. |
|
| Possible
Complications : |
|
None expected. |
|
| Prognosis |
|
A chalazion may heal spontaneously. If not, it is
usually curable with surgical removal. |
|
| Other |
|
|