How are eyelid cysts treated?

Written by: Miss Sengal Nadarajah
Published: | Updated: 19/05/2022
Edited by: Lauren Dempsey

"What is that small, hard bump on my eyelid?" It could be a cystMiss Sengal Nadarajahconsultant ophthalmologist in Surrey and Worthing, explains what eyelid cysts are and what might cause them. She discusses the best ways to treat them, if they persist, and explains why you shouldn't attempt to pop them, no matter how tempting it may be!  

 

How do eyelid cysts occur?

Along our lash lines, we have ducts that the glands in our eyelids drain through. Eyelid cysts occur when these ducts get obstructed causing the secretions to accumulate in the gland to form a lump or a cyst within the eyelid. This is seen more commonly in those with predisposing eye conditions like blepharitis or skin conditions such as acne, and rosacea as the secretions tend to be more viscous.

 

How long do they last?

These cysts generally can last from weeks to months, they are of no great consequence to the eye, and they eventually go away in most cases. 

 

Will an eyelid cyst go away on its own? 

Generally, yes but sometimes they may become too solid and they won’t go away on their own. In these cases, often warm compress or even a minor procedure might be needed. 

 

Can I pop a cyst on my eyelid?

It’s not advisable to pop the cyst on your own because it is quite a delicate area and you may cause further damage to the eye. When we do the procedure, we make a linear incision on the inner surface of the eyelid and we use a little scoop to drain the secretions so the scar isn’t noticeable when it heals. If you were to try and pop it because the secretions are quite solid, it would be difficult to drain it completely. 

 

How do you get rid of an eyelid cyst?

If the cyst doesn’t go away after a few months, and it bothers you, we would suggest a warm compress. You take a flannel, you put it in warm water for 5-10 minutes, and then you put the towel over the eye. This helps to liquify the secretions and then you can massage the lump to help them flow and hopefully, that will drain the lump. You might have to do this, perhaps, twice a day for a couple of weeks before you actually get rid of it. If it doesn’t go, however, you might benefit from a minor procedure.

Very rarely a cyst can get infected, in that situation you may require antibiotics, but it would definitely need surgical treatment. For this procedure, you’ll be lying down and a local anaesthetic will be given to the area of the cyst. We use a small clip to compress around the cyst, then we make a linear incision and we use a little scope to scrape all the secretion out from the cyst. Following this, we suggest you put a compress on the cyst, on the area that was drained, to prevent bleeding. The patient will then be given a steroid ointment as a precautionary measure against possible infection. It will heal in about two to three days. As the incision is made on the inner side of the eyelid, there is no scar to be seen. 

 

Can eyelid cysts comeback?

This condition can sometimes reoccur, so the long-term management would be to continue with regular hygiene which is cleaning the eyelids along the lash line with boiledcooled water with baby shampoo to stop the ducts from getting obstructed and prevent the reoccurrence of cysts on the eyelid.

 

If you have an eyelid cyst and would like to book a consultation with Miss Sengal Nadarajah, you can do so by visiting her Top Doctors profile. 

By Miss Sengal Nadarajah
Ophthalmology

Miss Sengal Nadarajah is a consultant ophthalmologist with more than 20 years' experience. She has private practices at East Surrey Hospital and at Panacea Medical Centre in Worthing, and has a special interest in cataract surgery and medical retina, including age-related macular degeneration, diabetic eye disease, retinal vascular disease, and inflammatory eye disease. 

Following completion of her MBBS from Mangalore University, India, Miss Nadarajah specialised in ophthalmology and became a consultant at Selayang Hospital in Kuala Lumpur, a tertiary centre for retinal diseases in Malaysia. She moved to the UK in 2004, where she trained and worked as a vitreoretinal surgeon. As her interest in retinal diseases continued to grow, she pursued a medical retina fellowship at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London before working as a locum consultant at Moorfields Eye Hospital in 2016. Subsequent to her appointment as a consultant Surrey and Sussex Healthcare Trust in 2017, she was selected to the the trust's lead clinician for ophthalmology and is proud to have assisted the trust in achieving CQC overall outstanding rating over the last few years.

Drawing on her significant experience, Miss Nadarajah prides herself in providing the highest level of care, advice, and treatment for her patients. Her involvement in research projects both nationally and internationally has ensured she is at the forefront of new treatments for her patients. 

Miss Nadarajah's interest in service development led her to complete the postgraduate certificate in clinical leadership in 2013, and the Mary Seacole Leadership programme in 2015. She prides herself in developing services, including setting up one-stop retinal clinics in Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in 2013, working in partnership with community optometrists for post cataract surgery review in Moorfields Croydon in 2016, and developing virtual clinics in Surrey and Sussex Healthcare Trust. She continues to develop ophthalmic services by optimising and directing technology to widen the accessibility of treatments. 

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