A chalazion is a firm, painless eyelid lump caused by a blocked meibomian gland whose oil leaks into nearby tissue and causes chronic inflammation. It differs from a stye (hordeolum), which is an acute painful infection, and is linked to blepharitis and rosacea.
Key symptoms
- Slowly growing, painless lump in the eyelid
- Mild tenderness or redness early on
- Blurred vision if a large lump presses on the cornea
- Heavy feeling of the lid
What you find on exam
- Firm, round, nontender nodule away from the lid margin
- Turn the lid out to see its inner surface
- Signs of blepharitis or rosacea
- Visual acuity
Tests
- Diagnosis is clinical
- Biopsy if it recurs in the same spot, looks unusual or causes lash loss (rule out sebaceous carcinoma)
- No routine lab tests
Treatment basics
- Warm compresses and gentle massage several times a day
- Lid hygiene to prevent recurrence
- Most resolve in weeks to months
- Persistent lump: incision and curettage or steroid injection
- Treat blepharitis or rosacea; oral doxycycline for recurrence
Red flags
- Lump that keeps coming back in the same place, or lash loss
- Spreading redness and swelling or fever (preseptal or orbital cellulitis)
- Vision changes or painful eye movement
Practice it in Making Synapses
Making Synapses cases
Related guides
Sources: NCCPA PANCE Content Blueprint; NBOME COMLEX-USA clinical presentations. Written by Making Synapses. Making Synapses is not affiliated with these organizations.