Chalazion: How to Manage Stubborn Eyelid Bumps
Key takeaways:
A chalazion is a painless bump that forms on your eyelid.
A chalazion usually goes away on its own, but that can take weeks or even months.
If your chalazion doesn’t get better or becomes painful, an eye doctor can treat it with steroid injections or surgery.
A bump on your eyelid bump is annoying and disruptive. Not only can they be painful, they can also interfere with your ability to tolerate glasses or contact lenses. And the way it looks can bother some people, too.
The good news is that not all eyelid bumps are a sign of a medical problem. A chalazion, for example, is a cyst that forms in your eyelid. They’re harmless but very stubborn. A chalazion can take weeks to months to heal — and the wait can be frustrating. Here’s what you need to know about chalazia and how to make sure you have a speedy and safe healing time.
What is a chalazion?
A chalazion is a bump that forms on the eyelid when the oil glands around the eyelashes get clogged.
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When the gland gets clogged, it becomes irritated and inflamed. Your immune system tries to make things better by closing off the gland, creating a cyst in the process. So a chalazion is a cyst, or bump, the immune system creates.
What’s the difference between a chalazion and a stye?
A chalazion and a stye are both bumps that form on the eyelid. But they are not the same thing.
A stye forms when the eyelid glands get infected. Styes are red and painful. And your whole eyelid can swell when you have a stye.
A chalazion usually doesn’t hurt at all. If there’s pain, it’s very mild. The bump is also very defined, so swelling doesn’t spread to the rest of the eyelid. The skin over the chalazion looks normal and isn’t red or warm.
What are the symptoms of a chalazion?
A chalazion is a small, painless eyelid bump. It can get bigger over time.
They usually appear on the upper eyelid. You can get one on your lower eyelid, it’s just not as common.
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Most of the time, people only have one chalazion. But some people develop several at the same time.
What causes a chalazion to flare?
Anyone can develop a chalazion. It’s not clear why eyelid glands get clogged sometimes. Some people are more prone to developing blocked eyelid glands, especially if they have a history of:
Eyelid inflammation (blepharitis)
Eyelid rosacea
Wearing contact lenses and taking certain medications — like isotretinoin (Accutane) — can also increase the risk of developing a chalazion.
How long does it take a chalazion to heal?
A chalazion will usually go away on its own, but it can take a few weeks or even several months.
If your chalazion hasn’t gone away within 1 month, you should see an eye doctor. You may need treatment to help your chalazion go away.
How do you get rid of a chalazion?
You can help your chalazion heal by using warm compresses. Lay the warm compress on your chalazion a few times a day for 10 minutes. You can make a warm compress by soaking a towel or cloth in warm water. The warmth can break up the thickened oil inside the gland so it can drain. This helps the swelling go away. Just make sure the compress isn’t too hot so you don’t burn the delicate skin around your eyelid.
Don’t try to “pop” your chalazion. This won’t help it go away faster. And it can cause a serious infection of your eyelids.
If your chalazion hasn’t gone away in 1 month, your eye doctor may try other things, like:
Steroid injections: If you have a large chalazion that isn’t going away, you might need a steroid shot. Your provider can inject triamcinolone directly into your bump. Most people need one or two shots to get rid of the chalazion.
Antibiotics: Since there’s no infection with a chalazion, antibiotics usually don’t help. But if you have a very large chalazion that isn’t going away, your eye doctor might recommend oral or topical antibiotics. Some popular options include tobramycin/dexamethasone drops as well as oral doxycycline, erythromycin, or azithromycin.
Surgery: If steroid injections and antibiotics don’t help, your eye doctor may recommend surgery. Surgery involves making a small cut into your eyelid to open the cyst.
How serious is a chalazion?
A chalazion is bothersome, but it’s not a serious medical condition.
At the same time, it’s important to keep in mind that not all eyelid bumps are caused by a chalazion. Sometimes eyelid bumps can actually be a sign of cancer.
If your eyelid bump hasn’t gone away after 1 month, or you develop new eyelid bumps, see an eye doctor. After an eye exam, you’ll know whether your bump is just a chalazion or something more serious, like skin cancer.
The bottom line
A chalazion is a painless bump that forms on the eyelid. They’re caused by blocked eyelid glands and can take weeks to months to heal. You can speed up healing by applying a warm compress to your chalazion. But don’t try to “pop” it because this can lead to serious infection.
If your chalazion hasn’t gone away within 1 month, see an eye doctor. You may need treatment, like steroid injections, to make the chalazion go away. Your eye doctor can also confirm that the bump isn’t a sign of something more serious, like skin cancer.
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References
American Optometric Association. (n.d.). Chalazion.
American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. (n.d.). Stye/chalazion.
Elsayed, M. A., et al. (2015). Chalazion management: Evidence and questions. American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Jordan, G. A., et al. (2022). Chalazion. StatPearls.
Kuiper, J., et al. (2014). Chalazion acute presentation and recurrence in a 4-year-old female. University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine.
Sambhara, D., et al. (2022). Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Simon, G. J. B., et al. (2011). Intralesional triamcinolone acetonide injection versus incision and curettage for primary chalazia: A prospective, randomized study. American Journal of Ophthalmology.
The College of Optometrists. (2022). Chalazion (meibomian cyst).
