Eyelid lumps |
This page explains the treatment in early stages, the minor surgery available, prevention & what to do if the condition recurs. |
Styes |
A stye is an infection in the edge of your eyelid. The infection is in a gland at the base of an eyelash, and is usually caused by staphylococcal bacteria. The treatment you need depends on how severe the infection is. | BBC link |
very mild infections | (a little redness and swelling) can be treated with hot bathing
and cleaning of the eyelid. To carry out ‘hot bathing’, bathe
the stye with a compress, such as a flannel or tissue, soaked in hot water.
The water should not be hot enough to burn, and the bathing is usually
need 4 times a day for about 10 minutes, until the stye starts to go, usually
2 days. (Alternatively use hot spoon bathing: hold a spoon with a flannel
wrapped round soaked in hot water beneath your eye so the steam rises.) |
average | Styes that are more painful with more swelling also need antibiotics,
such as chloramphenicol cream x4 a day, or fucithalmic x2 from your general
practitioner. Take care not to spread the infection to the other eye. |
severe | Severe styes cause swelling of the entire eyelid may need antibiotic tablets: your general practitioner will need to advise. |
Meibomian Cysts (chalazions) |
Meibomian cysts (or ‘chalazions’)
have different stages. If your eyelid has a small lump in, and is red,
painful, and swollen, treat like a stye as above.
|
|
|
a chalazion that has been present some time (best having minor surgery)
|
|
![]() |
acute chalazion needing hot bathing and antibiotic cream (possibly tablets as well)
a recent acute chalzion: this is likely to settle without surgery |
![]() |
If the lump does not disappear naturally, it can be removed by a small operation in the eye clinic. The doctor injects a little local anaesthetic into the eyelid to make it feel numb. The cyst is then scrapped out. Sometimes the shell of the cyst is very thick, and the doctor may be able to scrape out the contents, but the shell cannot be removed. If this happens, a small lump may remain in the eyelid. Very occasionally a second operation may help. The operation may cause bruising of the eyelid. If it does, the bruising may take about a week to go. Usually a tiny cut is made on the inside of the eyelid, so there is no scar. If the lump is just under the skin, the doctor may make a tiny cut in the skin. |
Recurrent chalazions: prevention |
If you develop chalazions quite frequently, preventative treatment may be helpful see. Chalazions may be caused by blockage and infection of the glands in the eyelids. Some people who develop frequent chalazions have dry skin, with secretions blocking the glands. Treatment that unblocks the glands in the eyelid may help stop more chalazions developing. To prevent the glands blocking, (see blepharitis page)
|
Cysts of moll |
These are tiny cysts with fluid inside. They do not grow. After a local anaesthetic injection, a small nick is made in the cyst. The skin of the cyst is also removed. Usually they do not recur. | ![]() |
Papillomas |
Papillomas can grow to different
sizes. They are probably caused by a virus, and are essentially warts on
the skin. They are removed in a ‘minor operations’ clinic in the eye department. Your skin is anaesthetised with a small injection. The papilloma is then cauterised. Usually a little scab forms, and heals in a week, leaving a nearly invisible scar. If the papilloma is near the edge of the eyelid, the scar may make the edge a little crooked. They may recur after the operation, which may need to be repeated. |
![]() |
![]() |
Download a leaflet |
If you are a health professional and want to have a leafet to give to
give to patients, instead of web pages, this may help.This is a Microsoft
Publisher document, and you are welcome to download it and print copies,
and make changes for your patients (you can edit the leaflet in Microsoft
Publisher). Thanks to Gavin Spence for this PDF version |
Melanoma |
|
The address of this site ('org' changing to 'nhs') is changing from http://www.goodhope.org.uk/departments/eyedept/ to http://www.goodhope.nhs.uk/departments/eyedept/ |
|