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Chalazion or Eyelid Cyst
If an oil-secreting gland in the eyelid becomes
blocked, the gland enlarges, creating a swelling called a chalazion.
It is a swelling in the eyelid that may be painless.
A chalazion is also referred to as a
meibomian cyst
or
tarsal cyst
Eyelid glands are called the
meibomian glands. They are also known as the palpebral glands, tarsal
glands, or tarsoconjunctival glands. The eyelid glands produce a lubricant
which is discharged through tiny openings in the edges of the lids. The
lubricant is a oily substance called sebum. Glands that secret sebum are
called sebaceous glands. Sebaceous glands usually open into hair follicles.
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A chalazion
may at first look like a stye, but unlike a stye, it is not on the
eyelid margin. Usually, the pain and redness associated with a chalazion
disappear after a few days. However, if the swelling is large, it may cause
long-term discomfort, and pressure on the front of the eye can interfere with
vision.
CAUSES:
Chalazia are associated with the following:
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Patients will present with one or many focal,
hard, painless nodules in the upper or lower eyelid. They may report some
enlargement over time, and there may be a history of a painful lid infection
prior to the chalazion development, but this isn't always the case.
MANAGEMENT
If your doctor diagnoses a chalazion, he or she
will probably wait for several weeks before arranging any treatment because it
will probably disappear on its own. Meanwhile, if the chalazion is painful or
irritating, holding a clean, warm, damp cloth against it may help.
Chalazia are non-infectious collections of
immune cells that may require intensive steroid therapy. If hot compress is
ineffective, inject triamcinolone acetonide (Kenalog) 5mg/ml or 10mg/ml directly
into the
chalazion. Approach the lesion from the
palpebral side, and inject 0.05 to 0.3ml in standard form, using a tuberculin
syringe and 30-gauge needle.
A persistent chalazion can be treated by a
simple operation in which a small cut is made in the inner surface of the eyelid
and the contents of the swelling removed The procedure is performed with local anaesthesia and is painless.
Dated 12 December 2015
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