Chalazion is a red bump on your eyelid. It is sometimes called an eyelid cyst or a meibomian cyst. It slowly forms when an oil gland (called a meibomian) becomes blocked.

Chalazion usually forms on the upper eyelids but may occasionally form on the lower eyelidOrdinarily, chalazia (the plural of chalazion) develop in adults between the ages of 30 and 50. They are not common in children, but they can happen.

CAUSES:

Chalazia may develop when something blocks a small oil gland in the eyelid. These glands help keep the eye moist. A blocked gland begins retaining oil and swells. Eventually, the fluid will drain, and you may have a hard lump on your eyelid.

SYMPTOMS:

• Painless bump in your eyelid, usually on the upper lid.
• Mild irritation, causing your eyes to water.
• Blurred vision from larger chalazia that push on the eyeball.
• Chalazion presents itself as a small bump in the eyelid. Initially the bump may be painful when it forms but it stops paining afterward.
• On examination, a small, hard, node in the eyelid away from the lid margin is felt. In most cases, chalazion is formed on the upper eyelid but at times may form on the lower eyelid as well.
• Slight irritation and eye-watering
• Blurred vision if a large chalazion presses against the eyeball
• Other features that may attend include heaviness of the eyelid and mild eyelid tenderness
• In a few cases, there are chances of calcification of the chalazion th, ough sometimes chalazion resolves on its own
• Sometimes a secondary infection may occur in the chalazion leading to the formation of hordeolum internum (a stye i.e. a red, painful bump forming inside the eyelid away from the eyelash base from a bacterial infection of the meibomian glands). In such cases redness, swelling and pain appear.

DIAGNOSIS: External eye exam: Your provider will examine your eye, eyelid, eyelashes and skin texture.

Thorough eyelid exam: Eye specialists shine a bright light and use magnification to look at the base of your eyelashes. They also check the oil glands’ openings.

PREVENTION:

Hand-washing: Wash your hands thoroughly and often. Before you touch your eyes, make sure to wash your hands.

Contact lens care: Wash your hands before removing contact lenses. Make sure to thoroughly clean your contacts with a disinfectant and lens cleaning solution. Always throw daily and limited-time contacts away on schedule.

Face-washing: Wash your face daily to remove dirt and makeup before going to bed. Your healthcare provider may recommend cleaning your eyelids with a special scrub or baby shampoo, especially if you’re prone to blepharitis.

Makeup hygiene: Throw away all of your old or expired makeup. Be sure to replace mascara and eye shadow every two to three months. Also, never share or use another person’s makeup.

MANAGEMENT: warm compresses: wet a clean washcloth with warm water. hold it on the affected eye for 15 minutes. do this at least three times a day to help the blocked oil gland open up.

MASSAGE: gently massage the eyelid a few times a day. massage for a few minutes each day, using light to medium pressure. gentle massage can help open the blocked oil gland.

Good Hygiene :-  don’t wear eye makeup while you have a chalazion. after the chalazion drains, keep the area clean. follow good eye health practices, and avoid touching your eyes.

HOMEOPATHIC MANAGEMENT:

Some top-grade homeopathic medicines to treat chalazion are Conium Maculatum, Calcarea Fluor, Thuja Occidentalis, Staphysagria and Silicea.

1. Conium Maculatum : Conium Maculatum is a very effective medicine for treating chalazion. It is best when chalazion is felt as a hard node. Watering from eyes may also be there. Eyelids may feel heavy. Conium aids to dissolve chalazion naturally without any side effects.

2. Calcarea Fluor: Calcarea Fluor has similar action to Conium to treat hard nodes on eyelids. It helps treat chalazion that are intensely hard. The hardness is sometimes known as ‘stony hardness’. This medicine acts wonderfully to soften the node and dissolve it.

3. Thuja Occidentalis : Thuja is a natural medicine prepared from green twigs of plant Arbor Vitae. This medicine is indicated for chalazion when heaviness of eyelid attends. In cases needing it, chalazion feels like a thick hard knot. Thuja halts further increase in the size of chalazion and helps dissolve the knot.

4. Staphysagria: Staphysagria is a natural medicine prepared from dried seeds of plant ‘stavesacre’. It is best suited where there is a tendency for the chalazion to recur one after the other. This medicine works to eliminate the root cause behind chalazion to prevent its recurrence. It is also indicated when the stye turns into a hard node. In cases needing it, blepharitis may also be present.

5. Silicea: Silicea is the most helpful medicine for chalazion where it gets infected. Due to infection, the lump on the eyelid becomes red, painful and swollen. It is also tender to touch along with the appearance of a pus point. Silicea is the best prescription for infected chalazion with pain, swelling and pus point in the lump on eyelid.