Chalazion
What is a chalazion?
A chalazion is a small, painless lump which grows on the eyelid. Unlike a stye, a chalazion is not caused by infection but by a gland in the eyelid becoming clogged.
Chalazions often go away on their own after a few months, but there are some treatment options if it is causing symptoms such as:
- mild pain or irritation
- blurred vision or part of your vision becoming blocked
Conservative treatments
You can often help treat a chalazion yourself with heat compression treatment. This involves soaking a cotton wool pad in hot water and gently pressing it against your eyelid, taking care not to get hot water in your eye. The pressure and heat can sometimes cause the chalazion to release its content.
If this hasn’t worked, your doctor can prescribe you antibiotics to reduce any inflammation.
Surgical treatment
If the treatments above haven’t worked, surgery may be required.
Surgery to remove chalazion is quick and can be carried out at an eye clinic. You’ll be asked to lie down on a couch and you will be given eye drops to numb the area around your eye. The surgeon will then make a very small incision to remove the chalazion from the eyelid.
After the procedure your eye will be bruised for a few days, and you’ll need to take antibiotic ointments a few times throughout the day to make sure that the eye doesn’t become infected. The risks of complications from surgery are very low and any complications that do occur will be minor.


Chalazion: a complete guide
By Mr Daniel Ezra
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Our eyelids are made up of lots of different types of tissue, which can each give rise to varying forms of eyelid lumps. By far the most common type of eyelid lump is the chalazion. Mr Daniel Ezra, a top ophthalmic surgeon, gives a summary of chalazion lumps and how they can be treated. See more


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What’s the difference between a chalazion and a stye?
By Mr Jimmy Uddin
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Do you know how to spot the differences between a chalazion and a stye? We spoke with a leading ophthalmologist based in London, Mr Jimmy Uddin, to find out. In this latest article, we also spoke about the fastest ways of getting rid of chalazions, when surgery might be a good idea, what aftercare is necessary and how chalazions and styes can be prevented. See more


FAQs on Chalazions
By Mr Colin Vize
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We spoke with Mr Colin Vize, a leading ophthalmologist based in East Yorkshire, to discuss the effectiveness of chalazion surgery. In this latest article, we find out the answers to some frequently asked questions on this topic. Find out whether chalazions are dangerous and whether surgery to treat them is painful. See more
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