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Styes and chalazion on the eye

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Posted 3/28/2007 5:27 AM (GMT 0)
My eyes used to not be as sensitive, and I could wear contacts just fine. But since high school, I've been very prone to styes and chalazions. So I stopped wearing contacts and just stick to glasses now. It's been an issue before I've been diagnosed, so I don't know if it's related to the lupus or not.

But my eyes are extremely sensitive, I cannot wear eye make up, contacts, or be out in the sun too long or else my eyes will swell up and the next morning I will wake up with a stye or chalazion.

Sometimes they're not bad, and they will drain and go away on their own. Other times, they just stay red, huge, and can be painful. Think a pea sized swelling on your eyelid, it hurts to just blink.

I've gotten them surgically removed 5 or 6 times on both eyes, lower and top lids. My ophamalogist doesn't know what causes them. And I'm especially careful about not touching or rubbing my eyes but I still get them. And now whenever I get them, my doc refuses to remove them since I had it done so many times, they don't want to mess up the glands.

So I have topical ointments and drops that's supposed to help, and it does to a certain extent. And warm compresses help sometimes, but I one on my right eyelid that's been here for a month that isn't gone. At least it doesn't hurt, but it does bother me because I can feel it when I blink.

Does anyone else get them and have any other home remedies I can try to get it to drain? I'm doing warm compresses once or twice a day and the ointment and drops before I go to bed.
Posted 3/28/2007 5:49 AM (GMT 0)
Black Salve has amazing drawing powers. It is strong enough to draw a shred of glass from your skin. I am hesitant to suggest it for the eye area though. It is oil based ( and it smells horrid) so I am not sure it would be totally safe. You may consider asking your pharmacist if there is a similar product to black salve that is safe for the eye area. I know that black tea has decent drawing powers as well (just steep a tea bag and hold to the eye).

I have used black salve many times on boils which I am prone to and it works miracles but I am not sure how it would do around the eye.
Posted 3/28/2007 9:01 AM (GMT 0)
Hmm, I never heard of black salve, I'll look it up.

I have tried tea bags as well and they work sometimes. And my doctor suggest warm oatmeal in a plastic bag because it retains heat longer then a warm washcloth. But the one I have now is still here and not going away.

I even flipped my eye lid over to look at it and was tempted to poke at it to get it to drain, but of course that's probably not a good idea.

Maybe I can call my ophalmalogist and have him reconsider! I mean they already cut into my lids so many times already I'm sure one more might not hurt. I don't know, it's just annoying because I don't know what's causing them and why they don't go away.
Posted 3/30/2007 7:30 PM (GMT 0)
Am I the only oddball with issues like this?
Posted 3/30/2007 7:51 PM (GMT 0)
After I read the descript ion of chalazions I begin to wonder why they wouldn't want to cut into another one. I came up with a justification -- of course it may exist only in my imagination. I'm thinking that there are multiple glands in the eyelids, and when one swells like this, and then is cut (for draining) that maybe the gland is permanently damaged? Perhaps after damaging a certain number of them, they are reticent to harm any more glands, and hope they will reduce naturally? Just a thought - hope you find a solution, they certainly sound uncomfortable.
Posted 3/30/2007 8:55 PM (GMT 0)
Heidi,

I just wanted you to know that your not the only one to experience this. For the past couple of years, I have been getting recurrent chalzions in my eyes. I have no idea why it started happening. I was Dx'd a few weeks ago, and forgot to mention the chalzion problem and ask if if it was related. Glad you posted it.

I use hot compresses on mine. A warm washcloth to get them to drain when they are red and inflamed. It is horrible though because ontop of everything else I do not need a swollen lumpy eyelid : )

Hope you find relief,

Monkey
Posted 3/30/2007 11:52 PM (GMT 0)
I know my ophthalmologist said he didn't want to cut and drain them because he didn't want to damage the glands. So I'd guess your eyelids do have glands, and when they get infected or blocked that's what causes a stye or chalazion to form.

My sister calls them "eye pimples", because you usually have to wait until they pop or drain until it heals. My problem is despite warm compresses, medicated drops and ointments. The styes and chalazions I get refuse to open up and drain.

So I'm usually stuck with a bumpy eyelid for a while, which can take a while to disapear on it's own. The one I have on my right lid now has been here for over a month and hasn't improved.

Monkey, I did ask my rheumy if it could be related to the lupus. And she didn't have a concrete answer for me, but did say that it's possible. Since lupus effects everyone differently, it most certainly effect the eyes as well.
Posted 4/27/2007 11:39 PM (GMT 0)
Blah! So now I have one on my left eyelid as well, and the one on my right eyelid is still here and just as big as it was. It's pea sized on my right eye, and 1/2 peasized on my left eye. So my eyes aren't looking to hot at the moment.

I've been putting it off because of everything else that was going on lately. But everyone seems to be pointing it out lately, and I'm getting a bunch of "what's wrong with your eye?" comments at work. So I called my ophthalmologist earlier and set up an appointment for this Tuesday and he's going to evaluate them and see what we can do.
Posted 4/28/2007 12:23 AM (GMT 0)
Oh Heidi I'm so sorry you are still suffering with this. I've never had them but my hubby used to get stys all the time. He got that medicine that I can't remember the name of but it's a tiny little tube tha says sty somthing on it. . It sounds kind of gross but he had me pop his stys because they had fluid in them. Than I put the sty med on it and they would go away. But he would get them a couple times a month. They would be gone in a day or so.
I hope you get some help Tuesday. Let us know how it goes.
hugs
carol
Posted 4/28/2007 6:45 AM (GMT 0)
A chalazion can be a complication of blepharitis. I've never heard of chalazion before, but have been doing some research on it because I have so many problems with my eyes, and have blepharitis, among other problems. Specifically, I have lupus and sjogren's, both which can cause problems with your eyes. I'm fortunate to have a neuroophthalmologist who know a great deal about autoimmune diseases and their effects on one's eyes.

I have no idea what might be causing your chalazions, but unless I were going to an ophthalmologist who was also extremely knowledgeable about lupus, I'd never let anyone near my eyes or lids with a knife. I'd at least get a second opinion.

In my case, the sjogren's causes dryness, which means that the tear ducts and glands in my eyes do not produce enough tears. That causes irritability, which, in conjunction with allergies and inflamation caused by the lupus, causes conjunctivitis. I use a combination of antibiotic drops and steroid drops. For the dryness I use over-the-counter moisturizing tears and jel tears.

This may or may not pertain to your situation because the eyes are so complicated and I'm such a novice in this field, but hopefully it will help.

Lots of luck. I know that it can be excrutiating. You should see me when I wake up with one or both eyes swollen to the point that it looks like I've put a golf ball under the lids. We joke about it and my kids have always said, "Mom has pig eye again." then they run and get their cameras. What they don't know is that it feels so much worse than it looks.

Hang in there! By the way, I also use hot compresses but I alternate them with cold, which relieves them so much.
Posted 4/29/2007 1:07 AM (GMT 0)
The ophthalmologist that I will be seeing is one that my rheumy referred me to. So he's familiar with lupus and auto immune diseases. I had a check up with him last year just to make sure everything was going well when I started plaquenil. Because shortly after starting it I had dryness and a blurred vision.

On Tuesday, they're not going to be removing them or anything and it's pretty much just going to be a normal routine visit where he can access the problem and figure out what to do next.

I think since my eyelids have been cut into so much that they're leery about opening them up again since it messes up the glands. The one that I have on my right eye right now that's bigger, when I flip it to look at it. I can see the scars from the past incisions. So it's most likely the same gland that is clogged up and is causing me problem.s

I do have the steriod drops and ointment, and they did work. But the ones I have expired and I just haven't gone back yet since being diagnosed since it's been so crazy. So I will bring them with me so hopefully I can get a refill on them so I can have it on hand.
Posted 5/1/2007 12:15 AM (GMT 0)

Hello Heidi, 

I had not heard of chalazions before.  It got me thinking that what you have sounds a lot like what I have - blepharitis.  The lumps on the lids, the itchiness, etc.

What blepharitis is is inflammation of the eyelids. It usually affects the edges of the lids.  It's not thought to be serious, but for those of us with it, it can and does become uncomfortable.  I have it on both eyes.  I also have styes on occasions which present in a different way.  

The way blepharitis affects me is my eyelids get a little sore to start with and itchy.  Then tiny lumps appear, normally yellowy looking and quite hard.  I have learned these are caused by the sebaceous glands filling with an oily fluid.  If they get infected then this can cause a stye.  Tiny skin flakes sometimes appear on my eyelids too.  Of course, I scratch my eyes, totally wrong thing to do.  Sometimes my eyelids stick together, particularly on waking in the morning.  

It is thought that patients with blepharitis make less tears than normal - I have Sjogrens so this sounds right to me.  The exact cause is not known. It tends to 'flare-up' and then ease off in severity. If you have blepharitis, you are likely to always have a tendency to have it. Sometimes a 'vicious cycle' may play a part. For example, your eyelids may become slightly inflamed and itchy. You may then rub them - which makes the inflammation worse. This in turn can lead to your eyelids becoming sore. You may then keep rubbing them further, which leads to more inflammation, and so on.

What I use and find the best thing is witch hazel.  I use cotton buds, (not sure what they are called in the US) - dip one end into the witch hazel and wipe along the very edge of the top lid.  I then use another to do the bottom lid.  I repeat this with the other eye.  Never use the same cotton bud on top and bottom lids, nor on ech eye.  Always change for each lid - 4 in total.  It really eases the itching and helps to release the debris that is inside the little glands.  Only my own way of dealing with this, but it does work for me. 

Baby shampoo was suggested, but I personally can't see how putting shampoo near your eyes would stop inflammation and itching, and surely it would irritate your eyeball, so I have never tried it.

If the treatment is used as soon as the problem starts, then none of the nastiness usually occurs for me.  Sometimes though I admit I get a little "oh, I'll do it later" then this makes thing worse of course. 

Hope this helps.  Take care.

goldenwings   yeah  


Post Edited (goldenwings) : 4/30/2007 6:19:31 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/1/2007 9:15 PM (GMT 0)
Well, my appointment was this morning and everything went fairly well. My doctor examined my eyelids and explained everything to me. I have two chalzions on my eye lids since the glands are not draining properly. The glands are supposed to secrete oils that usually drain out with your tears on the corner of your eyes. Mines however, are not draining properly and instead they fill up in the gland. And that's where my bump and swelling comes from.

We both agreed that surgery isn't the best option, considering that I've gotten it done before and it didn't really help since they came back a few months later. He also said ointments and eye drops wouldn't help either since they only stay on the outside and you can't get the ointment and drops into the gland where it would be most effective.

So he discussed the option of giving me a steriod shot directly into the eyelid. And we discussed the risks and what not. And I decided to go for it. I've tried pretty much everything in the past with no luck, so I might as well! I signed the consent for and got them on both eyelids.

It did hurt, but if it works I think it would be worth it. At the moment, my eyelids are more swollen now due to the shot.

The good news is that, he said if it works. Then I should see a difference in two weeks or so, and the swelling and the chalazions should get smaller and disapear. The nice thing is that the medication stays in the lids for a few months, so it should help prevent any future ones from reappearing.

The bad news is that, even though most of the time the shot does help with most people. It's hard to say how I will respond to it. So it may not work for me, and if there's no difference within the two week time frame. Then it means that it didn't work. And then I would just be stuck in the same position I am now, we reoccuring styes and chalzions.

So I'm keeping my fingers crossed!
Posted 5/1/2007 9:39 PM (GMT 0)
I hope the steroid shot does the trick for you. These sound like really obnoxious irritations to have. I'm crossing my toes for you!
Posted 5/1/2007 10:01 PM (GMT 0)

I hope so too.  The witch hazel is so worth trying though.  It really works.

goldenwings  yeah

Posted 5/1/2007 11:23 PM (GMT 0)
Goldenwings, your description of blepharitis is great. I'll remember the witch hazel treatment. But like you, I think I'll stay away from baby shampoo! Have you ever used steroid eye drops? I'm not supposed to use them for more than a week at a time, but they sure do stop the problem for a while.
Posted 5/2/2007 12:23 AM (GMT 0)

Hiya PL,

Thank you.  I do try to explain things in layman's terms.  I only ever talk about things I have experience of so I make sure that I do explain things as clearly as possible.

No, I have never used steroid drops. I usually find a remedy that suits and stick to it.  Steroiod drops are ok if used properly.  They are absorbed by the eye and so don't cause the same side efects as oral steroids.  Sometimes though the pressure in the eye rises above normal.  This is why perhaps you have been advised not to use them too often.  If there is a problem though you must report it so you can be treated accordingly.

What I use for my dry eyes because of Sjogrens is artificial tears.  This helps my eyes to be lubricated and therefore helps.  It is when I don't use them - ahem - that I get the worse symptoms with the blehpharitis. 

Take care.

goldenwings  yeah

Posted 11/26/2009 5:24 AM (GMT 0)
I have a chalazion on my right eyelid...it's not huge..but it's decent size bump. I've had it for like a year and half now. At first I though it was a sty so I let it go. Since I'm in college and everything I never had time to go get it checked out. Well I went to the opthamalogist today and he said since it's been there forever it is just scar tissue now and won't go away. I have von Willebraand's disease which is a bleeding disorder...my blood does not clot well. So he did not want to do the surgery..instead he wants to inject the steriod into the chalazion. He said ill have a black eye for weeks and it will probably not get rid of it completely...may shrink 50 percent. I've been reading your posts and one of you got the steroid injection...could you tell me about it...did it work...is it worth it? this is my first chalazion and only one and it doesnt give me any problems at all...im just self conscious about it. id appreciate any help or extra info.
Posted 12/2/2009 10:11 PM (GMT 0)
Hi sorry, I didn't see this til now..I do recommend the injection. I got it on both eyelids and I haven't had a stye or chalzion since, and it's been over 2 years. Which is amazing for me because I got them every few months for years. I didn't really bruise from the shot at all, and I usually bruise easily since I'm on blood thinners. But it does cause your eyelid to swell a lil bit, but it cleared up within a few days. So I was glad I opted for the shot.

The doctor will describe the risks to you, but it's rare that there are any complications.
Posted 12/24/2010 7:58 PM (GMT 0)
I was recently diagnosed with a chalazion on my eye lid. I have had it for about 4 months or so. I've tried the hot compresses but it didn't seem to work. My regular doc put me on Cipro which helped immensely. It has gone down in size and I am doing the hot compresses too. Sometimes when I wake up though it hurts. I was told sometimes to rub it gently to try to coax the fluid out and my eye waters like crazy when I do that. There is a spot too when I press on it that hurts but the wierd part is it is not on the bump but more toward the outside of the lid. I'm guessing that is normal? I read it is white pus fluid but I never see that. Just clear watery stuff.
Posted 12/27/2010 6:16 PM (GMT 0)
Hey, I have had a sty on the inside of my left eyelid for a little over a week now. This morning it suddenly drained (YAY!) but my eyelid is still freaking swollen! And still has a hard-ish lump but no white head on the inside anymore. How long does it take for the swelling to go down? Or is this abnormal in any way? The fluid was milky with a little (very little) watery blood in it, and it was profuse! lol, but i was never so happy as when my vision suddenly went blurry in my left eye today!!
Posted 1/16/2011 4:02 PM (GMT 0)

Hi!

Check with your doc before you try anything, but my grandmother swore by tea bag compresses for everything. And aloe plants for everything else. I raised two girls on those tenets, and if anything, they worked because we believed they would. First, make the tea, then, while you are drinking it, put the teabag over the stye, hold in place with wrung out hot washcloth, (becareful not TOO hot), for about 15 minutes. The tannic acid in the tea is supposed to have an antibacterial action, and the moist heat helps speed healing. And drinking it adds antioxidants to your system. I had a huge aloe plant, and every "boo boo" was accompanied by a ritual of picking the leaf, snipping it off the plant, washing it and the wound, slicing it gently, and anchoring it over the booboo with a bandaid or two or nine. I once came home from work to find a toddler child covered with 15 bandaids........ and her pride in having "daddy taked care of me". My poor plant never recovered........I am now growing one for my grandaughter's use.

hugs to all

suetoo

Posted 9/2/2011 12:13 PM (GMT 0)
Hope one of you can advise. Just been diagnosed with a Chalazion. Its inside my upper eyelid and not that painful but the red lump is insightly and of course I cant wear make-up. I thought it would go after a few days with the penicilin the doctor gave me and the antibiotic cream I am using but to no avail. Been using hot compresses as well after reading advice on the internet.

But now I am picking up that these cysts can last for not just weeks but months! This is making me very depressed and I know it sounds ridiculous, but if they last for this long, is the eye infected the entire time to the point you cannot put any make-up on. Obviously I would not use mascara on my lashes, but I am trying to find a new job at the moment and going for interviews with no eye shadow covering this red swelling and looking tired and drained is not good. Any advice please on how I can deal with this situation and also how I can make this cyst drain. I know you can have it lanced but this has not been suggested by my doctor.

Thanks
Posted 11/13/2011 2:34 AM (GMT 0)
Dear Heidi55529,

   I hope you still check these posts !  I also have the lupus anticoagulant and APS along with the new addition of a "chazalion" :)  I haven't been to the dr yet because I just figured out what it was while doing research online.  I was wondering if you had to come off of the coumadin to treat it ?  I probably won't get into the doctor for another week due to another upcoming surgery and I have had it for a week or two already...bump and sometimes a pain when I blink.  I ask about the coumadin because unfortunatley I have to have surgery this upcoming thursday and am bridging over already to Arixtra so if I needed to be off coumadin for the chazalion maybe I could arrange an appointment after the first surgery since it is day surgery...kill two birds with one stone ;)  Thanks so much for any help !

Posted 5/25/2015 3:43 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there. This post is old, but I'm replying to it any way. Ever since I was seventeen, I've gotten at least one stye a week. My life has been hell for 20+ years. Although there are people with worse things, it has greatly restricted my ability to live a functioning life. My body is healthy, but because of my eyes I can only sit on the couch and listen to audiobooks. I cannot look at a cell phone, watch tv, read a book... anything without getting blepharitis swelling and sties. Iv'e tested negative in bloodwork for sjogrens and lupus, but my mom has lupus. I really don't know what else to do other than suffer and write off my life as a big loss. But I'd like to know if some of you were ever told you didn't have lupus and then later found out that you did. Also, I am curious what steroid eye drops were used that banished your styes forever, Heidi55529. I've never been offered such a thing by any of the 30 opthomoligsts I've been to.

Anyway, thank you for any advice.
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