How to get rid of a chalazion

How to get rid of a chalazion

Eye care is important, yet it’s something we often take for granted and forget about until something goes wrong. Finding a red, sore lump around your eye can be daunting, particularly when most people haven’t even heard of a chalazion. Unfortunately, if you get a chalazion, you’ll realise that it can be quite uncomfortable and can even lead to other, more serious issues if it doesn’t heal properly.

This is why at the Eye & Dental Clinic, we are passionate about spreading the word on eye health and drawing your attention to what a chalazion is and, if you’re ever unfortunate enough to find yourself with one, how to get rid of it quickly and safely.

What is a chalazion?

A chalazion is a bump that appears to form on the inside of the eyelid and can protrude out and around your eye. This is due to a build-up of oil in your eye as an oil gland has become blocked. At first, you may think you have a stye as the two look very similar, but there are some differences.

If left untreated, a chalazion will end up becoming larger with swelling, which could put pressure on your eyeball and affect your vision. Despite this, a chalazion is not normally painful if looked after properly and care is sought after in some cases. It can be alarming to find a lump around your eye, but you’ll be glad to know that most people don’t experience any pain, and in most cases, treatment isn’t needed.

Don’t be alarmed if your chalazion is a little painful, particularly at the start, as this is normal. It shouldn’t be too painful, and it will subside as time goes on. Most of the time, a chalazion is a pain-free lump that is more annoying than anything else. It is most common in adults between 30 and 50 years old, and whilst chalazions aren’t very common in children, they can happen.

Symptoms and causes of a chalazion

Your eyelids have tiny glands that produce an oily substance to help keep your eyes moist. When one of those glands gets blocked, a chalazion is formed, which is essentially a swollen gland. A chalazion can also be the result of an infection; however, this is less common.

Sometimes it’s unknown why these tiny glands become blocked, but some reasons could be poor eye care, bad nutrition and activities that decrease the blinking rate, but there could be other reasons for it too.

Symptoms

Here are some of the symptoms you may experience if you have a chalazion. It’s important to note that you may not experience all of these symptoms as every chalazion is different.

• A lump or swelling that shows up on either the upper or lower eyelid.
• The lump will slowly develop over time.
• It will appear under the skin of the eyelid rather than on the edge.
• A chalazion usually feels firm to the touch.
• They often aren’t painful, but can cause mild discomfort.
• As the lump grows, it can cause blurred vision.

As you can see, the symptoms of a chalazion are similar to those of a stye, but they are different things. However, you don’t really need to be able to differentiate between the two, as at-home treatments are the same for both.

How is a chalazion diagnosed?

You don’t usually need to have a professional diagnose your chalazion, as the treatment for a lump or swelling around the eye is the same, no matter the diagnosis. If you are experiencing the above symptoms, then you likely have a chalazion, and that is enough information you need to start getting better by doing a few things at home.

However, in some cases, you should seek medical help if your chalazion is causing you more than mild discomfort, isn’t getting better and continues to grow. If you would like to confirm you have a chalazion or get it checked out, even without more severe symptoms, you should visit an eye care clinic like the Eye & Dental clinic.

What to expect at your appointment

For the chalazion to be diagnosed, your eye care professional will do a few things. Here is what to expect:

• Your eye care professional will ask you questions about your general health and eye health history.
• They will carefully examine your eyes externally.
• Do a thorough eyelid examination by shining a bright light into your eye and using a magnifying tool to look closely at your eye.
• They will check your oil glands for blockages.

Once you have been diagnosed with a chalazion, your eye care professional will recommend treatment if needed or send you home with some care advice on how to get rid of your chalazion.

How to get rid of a chalazion

You can expect your chalazion to be gone within a month with proper care and treatment, but don’t be alarmed if it takes a little longer for bigger lumps or more severe chalazions.  Also, a hardened chalazion will go away either on its own or with specialised treatment.

Here are a few things you can do at home to help speed up the healing process:

• Follow good hygiene practices like washing your hands regularly and not touching your eyes, as this can make the problem worse.
• Avoid wearing makeup, particularly eye makeup and do not use anyone else’s makeup or allow them to use yours.
• Use a warm compress as the heat will loosen and open up your skin to clear it out. You can do this for around 10-15 minutes a few times a day.
• Over-the-counter eye drops are available to buy, or your eye care professional may provide you with some.
• Consult a professional for help if your chalazion gets worse or isn’t healing.

You’ll know your chalazion is healing when the swelling is reduced, and your discomfort is beginning to ease.

How to avoid getting another chalazion in the future

There are several things you can do to avoid a chalazion from coming back in the future, and they are nothing more than good eye care, such as:

• Washing your hands and not touching your eyes.
• Not sharing eye makeup with other people.
• Change your towels regularly and don’t share them with other people.
• Clean your hands before handling contact lenses.

Eye & Dental Clinic

At the Eye & Dental Clinic, we are passionate and committed to providing our community in Bury and the surrounding areas with the highest quality of care. We provide eye and dental care to the highest of standards, and we truly care about our patients.

That ethos extends to our building, our team and our comprehensive range of treatments. It’s our mission to improve health and quality of life within our diverse community through best practices and the latest research in collaboration with other clinicians. Whether you need cosmetic dental treatment or emergency attention, we want you to feel comfortable when you visit our practice.

We’re not only here for check-ups and treatment, but we also do emergency dental appointments with varying appointments and short wait times, so you can be seen as quickly as possible. Learn more about our cancellation policy and other practice policies.

To conclude, a chalazion is a lump or swelling that is formed on either the upper or lower lid, and it comes from behind the skin. It is caused either by infection or a swollen oil gland. Usually, a chalazion isn’t serious and doesn’t need medical attention; however, if you want to be sure of what it is, or if you’re experiencing discomfort, it’s always best to get it checked out by an eye care professional.

Simple treatments such as a warm compress, cleaning your hands and not touching your eyes will help to get rid of the chalazion, and you can expect it to be gone within a month. It’s normal to experience some blurred vision with a chalazion, but if it worsens or if any of your symptoms worsen, always seek medical advice.

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