meibomian cyst

A chalazion is a harmless cyst caused by a blocked meibomian gland in the eyelid. Meibomian glands in the eyelid produce an oil which helps keep the eye moist. If the gland becomes blocked, the oil builds up into a cyst which looks like a small lump in the eyelid. The lump can become irritated and red and, occasionally, infected. A chalazion commonly occurs due to inflammation around the opening of the oil glands at the base of your eyelashes. This is called blepharitis. Chalazions tend to only last a few weeks and are typically not painful. Other risk factors include rosacea - a common skin condition which can affect the eyelids and eye area. Although it is rare, chalazions can also be a result of an eye condition known as viral conjunctivitis. Once you are lying comfortably on the operating table, the skin around the chalazion will be injected with local anaesthetic. This will sting at first but the lid will soon become numb. Although you will still be able to feel touch and pressure you should not feel any pain. If chalazions continue to occur, your surgeon may also conduct a biopsy by removing a small tissue sample from the chalazion lump. This will be examined for any indications of other serious medical conditions, such as cancer. When the anaesthetic wears off, there may be some discomfort. To relieve this, you can take mild pain relief such as paracetamol. You should keep the pad over the eye for at least four hours as this reduces swelling and bruising. When you remove the pad, you will find some blood or discharge around your eye. Clean the eyelid with cooled boiled water and remember to use the antibiotic ointment as prescribed. As this is a minor procedure which only involves surgery on the eyelid and not the eye, it should not affect your ability to work. Your eyelid might be swollen and bruised for several days after your operation but this should settle after two weeks. There is a risk of infection, but after the operation you will be given antibiotic ointment to apply, which should help prevent this. A chalazion can come back after being removed. If this happens, please apply a warm compress to your closed eyelid. If it continues to persist then seek further medical advice. A small proportion of the chalazions will form hard lumps on the eyelid, which, if present for a few weeks can be incised and drained under local anaesthetic. This chalazion removal procedure will leave no visible scarring. As an alternative to chalazion cyst surgery, a doctor may administer a corticosteroid steroid injection into the hardened chalazion, which can potentially result in lightening of the skin surrounding the area. It can be difficult to differentiate between a stye and chalazion, as they are both lumps which develop around the eye and are similar in appearance. However, there are differences between styes and chalazions. Most cysts disappear with time but can take weeks and sometimes many months, to go away. They are normally harmless and can be safely left to get better with time in most cases. Place a clean face cloth under a hot tap, nice and hot but not hot enough to burn or be uncomfortable. Wring it out and hold the hot compress on top of the closed eyes for one or two minutes. If the cloth becomes cool, warm under the tap again, wring and replace it on the closed lids. First you clean the back edge of the eyelid. Pull down the lower lid and run the bud firmly but gently along the thin line of skin behind the lashes four or five times. Do the same for the top lid putting it up and away from the eye. Then we clean the lashes. For the top lid, close the eyes firmly and scrub vigorously at the base of the lashes doing a small part of the lid at a time and moving gradually along the width of the lid to do all the lashes. In the same movement to use for brushing your teeth. Then open the eye, look up and repeat with the bottom lid lashes, again moving gradually along the lid to ensure all the lashes are clea