Certain chalazia can be minimized with at-home treatment, whereas others require professional attention. Eyesthetica can safely and painlessly remove chalazia that do not respond to at-home treatment, in our office.
At-Home Treatment Methods
If you develop a chalazion on your eyelid, our first recommendation is to use warm compresses to try to resolve it. Hold a clean, warm washcloth on your closed affected eyelid for about 10 to 15 minutes, three to five times a day. Make sure the washcloth stays warm by soaking it in hot water. The heat from the compress may help open and drain the clogged oil gland. You can also gently massage the area around the gland with your finger.
Do not try to pop the chalazion. Avoid wearing eye makeup or contact lenses until the chalazion has resolved.
When At-Home Treatments Don’t Work
If your chalazion won’t clear on its own after a few weeks of using warm compresses, professional intervention may be needed. Our doctors can inject a corticosteroid medication into the chalazia to help reduce swelling. Typically the chalazia should resolve within a few days of the injection. A second injection may be recommended if the first doesn’t produce results.
If, after a steroid injection, the chalazion still won’t go away, or it is so large that it significantly interferes with vision, we may recommend a simple in-office procedure. After numbing the eyelid, we will make a small incision underneath the eyelid and clear the bump. This approach does not leave noticeable scarring.
Some people experience recurring chalazia in the same location. In those cases, we may biopsy the bump to rule out a more serious problem. We can also prescribe medication to people that are prone to developing chalazia.
We also offer Blephex treatment, an in-office procedure that deep cleans the eyelid margin and helps unclog the blocked glands that lead to chalazia. The treatment takes only a few minutes and is very well tolerated. We usually recommend repeating treatments approximately four times a year, as this keeps bacteria levels to a minimum to prevent the recurrence of chalazia.
Contact Eyesthetica
Have you developed an irritating bump or lump on your eyelid that won’t resolve on its own? We recommend having it checked out by one of our doctors. Please call (213) 451-6824 or email Eyesthetica to make an appointment today.