Chalazion or a Stye? How to Differentiate Between the Two

Having a lump on your eyelid is enough to make you want to scream. Not only can a lump on your eyelid be uncomfortable but it can be embarrassing as well. As two eye conditions that are often mistaken for each other, chalazion's and styes are treated differently and caused by two separate things. If you have a lump on your eyelid that resembles a pimple, you likely have one of these two conditions. Read on to learn more about the differences between a chalazion and a stye.

A Chalazion
A chalazion is an eye condition that is caused when the oil ducts on the eye are blocked, resulting in a mass on the eyelid, swelling of the eye, and sometimes there’s some pain associated with it. Typically a lot larger than a stye, a chalazion forms further away from the inner corner of the eye. Luckily, treating a chalazion is quite simple: all you have to do is use a warm compress like a warm washcloth and lay it over your eye. The combination of the heat and the dampness will help to alleviate any pressure that you may be experiencing. Although getting a chalazion is uncomfortable, they usually go away on their own without any advanced treatment. If however, your chalazion persists, you may need to get a steroid injection to help deal with the inflammation.

A Stye
Most commonly mistaken for an eye pimple, a stye is caused by an infected eyelash follicle. Although you may be tempted to pop your stye just like you would a pimple, this will only exacerbate the problem and could even result in an infection. To get rid of your stye, you can treat it in the same way as a chalazion by using a warm compress. Additionally, depending on the cause of your stye, you can also get an antibiotic ointment or treatment that will help your stye go away in virtually no time at all.

If you have a bump on your eyelid or around the edge, you may have either a chalazion or stye. To learn more about these eye conditions or to schedule an appointment with one of our ophthalmologists contact Millennium Park Eye Center today!

To schedual an appoitment online click here or call 531-299-62020 Today!