A chalazion is a condition of the eye that creates a large bump that does not recede quickly. A chalazion that lasts more than a year needs to be treated by a medical professional to make sure that there isn’t a hidden cause to the condition.
What Is A Chalazion?
A chalazion is a bump that forms on the eyelid caused mostly from a blockage. Your eyelash line has a number of tiny glands that produce oil that works to keep the eyes moist. There are times where these oil glands become clogged, and although clogged, they still continue to produce oil.
Since there is no way for the new oil to come out, the oil that has been produced will not be released. Instead it becomes stored in the eyelid, which in turn causes a bump to form. This bump can be large or small and will sometimes form in clusters, causing a number of tiny bumps instead of one large bump.
A chalazion may start out small and grow larger over time as oil continues to become produced though the eyelid by the body. It is possible for a person to have this condition for months, and even years. What to do with a chalazion that lasts more than a year? It should be checked out by your doctor. When looked at by a medical professional, they may decide to remove the chalazion with a simple surgery.
Although there are risks with having this bump removed, such as pain in the eye, scarring of the eyelid, color change of the eyelid, eye pressure, and a hole in the eye lid that will require further surgery, it is important to not let this condition go on for too long as in some cases this bump can turn out to be a form of cancer.
What Are The Symptoms To Watch For?
If you think you might have a Chalazion, there are some symptoms to watch for. Having a chalazion may cause some of the following:
- Irritation or a sense of burning in the eyelid
- Swelling and or redness of the eyelid
- Itching of the eyelid and surrounding area
- Having a droopy eyelid
- Vision problems in the infected eye
How Is A Chalazion Diagnosed and Treated?
Your doctor will start to diagnose your chalazion by asking you a series of questions, and may even take a sample of a small portion of the bump for testing. Based on what your doctor finds will determine the best form of treatment. Treatment of a chalazion consists of surgery or steroid treatments. If your doctor feels a steroid treatment is the best course of treatment for you, you will receive steroid shots to the eyelid. The purpose of this shot is to decrease the swelling that has been caused by the condition.
If your bump begins to bleed, your eye undergoes excessive swelling or if you vision suddenly worsens, you should seek immediately medical assistance.
Prevention Is Key
Like many different conditions, practicing good hygiene is the key to prevention. Wash your face at least once a day, and keep your hands clean and away from your face as much as possible.
If you feel like you are beginning to develop a chalazion, speak to your doctor sooner than later to prevent the condition from getting worse.
References
www.webmd.com /eye-health
https://en.wikipedia.org /Chalazion
https://health.google.com /Chalazion
