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Medical Author:

Andrew A. Dahl, MD, FACS

Andrew A. Dahl, MD, FACS

Andrew A. Dahl, MD, is a board-certified ophthalmologist. Dr. Dahl's educational background includes a BA with Honors and Distinction from Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, and an MD from Cornell University, where he was selected for Alpha Omega Alpha, the national medical honor society. He had an internal medical internship at the New York Hospital/Cornell Medical Center.

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Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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In this Article

• Chalazion facts
• What is a chalazion?
• What are these eyelid glands?
• What causes a chalazion? What are the symptoms of a chalazion?
• Is a chalazion like a pimple?
• What is the treatment for a chalazion?
• What is the prognosis for chalazion?
• How can a chalazion be prevented?
• Patient Comments: Chalazion - Treatments
• Find a local Eye Doctor in your town
• Chalazion Index

If the obstructed gland has bacteria within it, the gland may become infected. This is called a hordeolum, which does resemble a pimple. A hordeolum may be tender to touch. A chalazion is not an infection but may follow or precede a hordeolum. A hordeolum is often referred to as a stye.

Most chalazions are treated with warm compresses to the eyelid to increase the circulation of blood to the inflamed area and promote healing. In addition, the doctor may prescribe an antibiotic drop or ointment to be used immediately after the compresses. If the chalazion persists and is causing an unsightly lump, it can be removed surgically as an outpatient procedure under local anesthesia. This excision is ordinarily performed through a small incision located on the inside of the affected lid. The removal of a chalazion neither alters the normal function of the lid nor decreases the amount of tears.

In general, a chalazion does not affect sight. Rarely, the lump itself is large enough to distort the ocular surface and cause blurring of the vision. The pressure of the chalazion on the eye does not cause glaucoma. A chalazion is not malignant and has no potential to become malignant. A chalazion is not contagious.

Some individuals have thicker Meibomian gland secretions than others and, therefore, have a greater risk of developing a chalazion. If you have had one chalazion, you are at greater risk of developing another one in the future. People with acne rosacea, because of alterations within the oil glands of the face, are at greater risk of developing chalazions. The regular use of warm compresses applied to the closed eyelids for five minutes before bedtime can be helpful in preventing the Meibomian glands from clogging during the night. In people with seborrhea of the lids and recurrent chalazions, warm compresses and careful cleansing of the lid margins can be helpful for prevention. Some patients with recurrent chalazions can benefit by chronic use of oral low-dose tetracycline, which changes the metabolism of the oil-producing glands.