What is a Chalazion?

 Chalazion is a blocked gland in the eyelids. This blockage may cause the glands to become swollen and eventually burst with in the eyelids causing redness and swelling. Chalazion often occurs more than once and may affect one or more of both the upper or lower eyelids. There are 25 glands in the upper and 25 in the lower eyelid of each eye. Each gland has a possibility of becoming blocked, usually due to debris and becoming a chalazion.

 What is the treatment?

Treatment may include any one or more of the following procedures: Your doctor will explain what type of treatment is best for your child.

 Medical

• Eyelid scrubs (with the eyes closed) using either baby shampoo mixed half and half with water on a gauze, cotton ball or washcloth, or a commercially available lid-care solution to help remove the debris and crusts at the glad opening. The gland opens in the eyelashes. A vertical cleaning motion is best to encourage the debris to slide along and then off the eyelashes and improve gland drainage.
• Warm compresses applied to the eyelids for 15 minutes, a few minutes on then a few minutes off are effective. This helps to melt the secretions stuck in the gland. During the compressing gentle massage toward the eyelashes helps to further encourage drainage. Use clean tap water and a clean washcloth.
• Antibiotic drops or ointment are sometimes prescribed by your doctor if there is felt to be an associated infection. Generally this is not required. The chalazion itself is not usually infected and so antibiotics are not generally helpful.

Surgical

• In the rare case that medical therapy is not successful surgical opening of the gland may be necessary . This is only performed if the chalazion does not clear after many months of medical therapy with no success. Surgery is performed under general unaesthetic for children and local anesthesia for adults.

If surgery is required what will happen after the procedure?

• Immediatly after surgery, the affected eye(s) is patched. In most cases the patch is removed later the same day or the next day.
• The eyelid(s) may be slightly swollen and bruised at first. It may take several days for it to improve.
• There are no stitches
• Antibiotic ointment is ordered for the affected eye(s)
• A follow-up appointment is made with the doctor, usually within a week after the operation.

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