16/09/2020
WHAT IS AN EYE STYE?
A stye is an infection of your eyelid glands. The medical term for a stye is hordeolum and there are two types, an anterior external hordeolum or an internal hordeolum. The external variety is an infection of the gland of Zeis, that is positioned near the lash follicle, and the internal variety is an infection of the meibomian gland that is positioned inside the eyelid. Since a stye is an infection both varieties can be quite uncomfortable and present as an unsightly red swollen and painful lumps on the eyelid.
You should not try to pop or squeeze a stye, as you could end up forcing the puss deeper into the gland and causing further issues of infection by spreading the bacteria.
What is a Chalazion?
A Chalazion again is a red lump on the eyelid indicating an inflammatory lesion of the eyelid, the Chalazia are generally less painful and form slower than a stye resulting in a chronic inflammation of the eyelids general caused by blockage or from the meibomian glands.Over time the tenderness can go and you can be left with benign lump on your eyelid that does not go away.
What causes styes and acute Chalazion?
Generally an overgrowth of the bacterial flora along the eyelid lash line or eyelid margin is the cause of the infection. This bacteria flourishes on dead skin cells and debris that lay on the eyelid margins or around the lash follicles and an excessive amount of bacteria can cause a higher risk of styles and ongoing reoccurrence of styles. People with dry eye and blepharitis are more prone to developing a secondary condition like a stye or chalazion.
Treatment
These conditions have been historically treated with oral antibiotics, however, there are ways of treating conservatively without antibiotics and reducing risks of antibiotic resistance or any negative effects on your gut microbiome. The most common conservative treatment is warm compression, this can be time consuming and often does not solve the problem of reoccurrence. Traditionally we have sent patients home with warm compresses and topical antibiotics and if all that fails the lesions may require incision and drainage or steroid injection by an ophthalmologist.
The most recent treatment that is impulse light therapy (IPL), the light warms the oily clog and softens the material as well as kills the bacteria that is causing the inflammation and infection. The IPL therapy is medication free, incision free and injection free approach that has a 3-5 day resolution for acute lesions and a 2- 3 week resolution for chronic lesions, it also treats the underlying cause and prevents recurrence.
There is no reason to suffer from a stye or chalazion schedule an appointment and have your condition resolved.
