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A chimney is a thickening of the eyelid, resulting from chronic inflammation of the gland that lubricates the edges of the eyelids (Meibomian gland). The chase may resemble barley and it is often the primary cause of the diagnosis.
The cause of the appearance of a chalazion is a blockage of the meibomian gland, which is often caused by a staphylococcal (or other bacteria) infection. Chromatosis is more common in people with rosacea and seborrheic dermatitis, and in children with decompensated vision defect.
It is worth adding that there are several types of glands on the eyelids: Meibomian thyroid glands, Moll sweat glands, Zeiss sebaceous glands, and some of the lacrimal glands. Each of them plays a very important role in protecting the eye. In the case of the Zeiss and Meibom glands, they are responsible for the production of a lipid substance, which in turn is part of the tear film, which is a fluid that moisturizes the front part of the eye and eyelid. If the gland becomes inflamed, the tear fluid is retained and super-contaminated, producing barley on the eye. The pathogen responsible for the infection of the glands is staphylococcus, which occurs on the skin.
Importantly, when we blink too rarely, we can contribute to the appearance of changes on the eyelid. We make our eye dry, and this in turn causes us to rub our eyes with our hands, which are the habitat of a huge number of various bacteria. In addition, without blinking, the secretion in the glands is retained in them, which leads to inflammation. It is worth mentioning that the drying of the eye is also influenced by the temperature in the room in which we are located.
See also: Inflammation of the edges of the eyelids and eyelid glands
Chase – symptoms
Usually, the first symptom of a chalazion is a painless thickening of the eyelid. It may be a clear, whitish, painless lump in the upper or lower eyelid. Initially, it may resemble barley. If it is inflamed, the skin above the lump may appear red. The eyelid is swollen and the eye is irritated. After a few days, these symptoms disappear, and a painless, slowly growing, hard lump remains. The skin that sits above it can be easily moved around.
If you have a chalazion, you need to properly care for the skin around your eyes. The soothing preparations are perfect for this, eg PRODEX SENSITIVE wipes for sensitive and very sensitive skin or PRODEX SENSITIVE liquid for sensitive and very sensitive skin.
Also read: Are dark circles under the eyes a symptom of a disease?
We should take advantage of the ophthalmological consultation when:
- chalazion symptoms persist for more than 2 weeks;
- they are accompanied by eye pain;
- there is a change in visual acuity.
The chalazion may heal itself or resolve after using antibiotic and steroid drops. If it does not, it usually has to be surgically removed.
we recommend: The Pole avoids the ophthalmologist like fire. Every third has never been to him!
Chaser – diagnostics
The diagnosis of a chalazion is made on the basis of an interview and clinical examination, most often in a slit lamp. During the examination, the specialist carefully examines the eyelid, eyeball and the tissues around the eye socket. Thanks to this, it is possible to identify the presence of limited swelling, tenderness, redness, lump, and sometimes even the presence of a purulent suppository that can be seen through the skin. Gradówka can also be felt by touching the sick place.
The examination should also look for signs of rosacea. In the event of symptoms such as increased temperature and enlarged lymph nodes, this may indicate a general disease. In such a situation, orbital tissue inflammation should be considered.
Chub – treatment
At the first sign of eyelid irritation, apply warm compresses to reduce inflammation. Do them several times a day for about 15-20 minutes. If for 2 weeks they do not bring significant relief, consult your doctor. It may turn out that the lesion needs to be surgically removed (under local anesthesia).
The best to make them are: green tea, fresh parsley and chamomile.
It is also worth considering the use of massages to reduce swelling and drain the residual mass.
The same is true when a chalazion begins to affect visual acuity or when we feel eye pain. Then you should also consult your doctor.
Your doctor may advise you to use an ointment with antibiotics, e.g. with erythromycin, for topical application. Apply a thin layer of ointment 3-4 times a day on the edges of the eyelids. Remember that by applying a thick layer, you are actually just wasting the drug without increasing its effectiveness. Occasionally, antibiotic eye drops are recommended with a chalazion to prevent the infection from spreading to other parts of the eye.
Interestingly, the chalazion often resolves on its own, without the need for further treatment, within a few monthsand the changes resulting from it disappear practically completely within two years. Sometimes, however, the changes on the eyelid may persist for more than two weeks. During this time, the eye will feel sore and visual acuity may be disturbed. If this happens, see a doctor as soon as possible. In such cases, your doctor may recommend surgery to remove the chalazion.
Check it out: Laser vision correction – advantages and cost of this eye surgery
Chase – surgical treatment
Sometimes, when the changes on the eyelid are large, a surgical procedure is performed under local anesthesia. In the case of small lesions, it is relatively easy to remove fluid from them without disturbing healthy cells. However, when we are dealing with major changes, the eyelid is turned over, then the inside of the eyelid is incised and the changes are cured.
After such treatment, the skin of the eyelids usually regenerates well, leaving no visible scars. It also happens that when changes appear on the upper eyelid, the temporary scar formed after the procedure may cause discomfort.
When all lesions are removed, a hematoma around the eyelid may occur, which will persist for 3 to 4 days after the procedure. After a few days after the treatment, it is recommended to “dry” the eye with dry warm air. The treatment of cutting out the gradów is in the group of the so-called outpatient treatment and takes no more than 15-20 minutes.
It should be borne in mind that any such procedure may be associated with damage to healthy tissues, therefore, in the treatment of chalazion, less invasive methods should be used if possible. The doctor chooses surgery as a last resort, and only 5 percent of all cases are treated surgically.
It happens that someone tries to puncture on their own and “choke out” the changes. This should not be done, as it worsens the situation, makes it ugly scarring and prolongs the healing process. The treatment of chalazions should be dealt with by a specialist.
You can buy the treatment of gradów removal safely on medonetmarket.pl. The procedure is performed by specialists at the Eyemed ophthalmology clinic.
Treatment of the chalazion and possible complications
Sometimes complications may occur in the treatment of a chalazion:
- large changes can cause astigmatism due to pressure on the cornea,
- because laser eye surgery involves shaping the cornea by burning part of it, and thus weakening its structure, people after surgery may remain predisposed to corneal deformation,
- after injection of corticosteroids, discoloration and loss of fat may occur, which is less common with conjunctival injection.
A chalazion that reappears in the same area can rarely be a symptom of sebaceous cancer. Such an eyelid lump or chronic unilateral eyelid margin inflammation, usually in elderly patients, may be accompanied by loss of eyelashes.
Home treatment of chalazion
A very popular method of treating a chalazion is the gold ring method. It consists in rubbing the chalazion with a wedding ring, which causes pressure on the glands, which may result in unblocking their outlets and expelling the remaining secretions. This method can actually work and it doesn’t really matter if the ring is actually gold. In principle, this method does not require any ring at all and the massage can be performed with a finger or another object by moving it towards the glands, i.e. towards the eyelid fissure.
It still exists another home treatment for chalazion and it involves the use of warm compresses on the eyes for 3 to 5 minutes, four times a day. Thanks to this method, the temperature of the secretion is raised, which can thin it and facilitate its discharge from the overcrowded glands.
If you are prone to chalazion, try to wash your eyelids daily with a cotton swab moistened with warm water. This will reduce the risk of clogging of the Meibomian gland.
In addition, it is generally important to wash off your makeup thoroughly, not to wear contact lenses forever, and to rinse your eyes regularly.
In addition, you can also massage the eyelids and warm them using warm compresses, just like in the treatment of chalazion. This prevents sebum build-up and inflammation. It is also worth mentioning that in pharmacies you can buy special wipes and micellar liquids for daily eye hygiene.
When the glands or the eyelid follicles become inflamed, a lump appears on the inside of the eyelid. In the case of an acute condition, we say that we are dealing with barley. Sometimes this condition does not go away and it becomes its chronic form, known as gradówka.
The lumps that form on the eye over time can start to limit the field of vision and even put pressure on the cornea, causing the person’s eyesight to deteriorate. In extreme cases, this can lead to astigmatism.
Chub and diet
Although the effectiveness of the diet in treating chalazion has not been demonstrated at present, already in 1940, published studies from several countries suggested a relationship between chalazion and vitamin A. A dozen years later, because in 1968, scientists discovered that patients struggling with it all age groups and sexes had significantly lower serum vitamin A levels than the corresponding normal range.
Interestingly, a higher incidence of chalazion incidence was also observed in pregnant and breastfeeding women. In addition, researchers reported that parenteral administration of vitamin A in patients with a chalazion improved early cases and lowered the relapse rate.
In addition, the effects of a cholesterol-lowering diet have also been investigated, and although such a diet may affect meibomian gland dysfunction, no studies have found a correlation between the chalazion and serum cholesterol levels. Anecdotal evidence suggests that avoiding dairy products and dietary modification advice traditionally given to acne patients – avoiding caffeine, chocolate, and fried foods – may reduce the risk of developing chalazion.
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