Chalazion & Styes

Chalazion & Stye Q & A

At Tampa Bay Eye in Lutz, Florida, serving surrounding the Tampa Bay areas, board-certified ophthalmologist and eye surgeon Sara Creekmore, DO, offers a comprehensive approach to treatment of chalazion/styes that both treats and prevents further infection. If you possibly have a Stye (hordeolum) or Chalazion, please call the office to see Sara Creekmore, DO for treatment, removal, or an evaluation of your condition.

What is a Chalazion vs. Stye ?

A chalazion is a chronic infection on the inside of the eyelid or meibomian gland. Chalazion are usually a blocked meibomian gland that surfaces as a bump farther back in the eyelid due to the clogged gland. Chalazion often grown gradually, taking weeks to develop. This is compared to styes, which develop much faster and become more tender or painful in certain cases. A hordeolum, also known as a stye are painful infected lesions on the eyelid, mostly near the lash line that become infected and may break open to drain. Styes can look like a pimple on your eyelid, eyelash line. Sometimes these styes are recurring, good lid hygeine is reccomended to keep the eye area clean from bacteria.

Common Questions:

Is a stye contagious?

The stye is not contagious, but we do reccomend good hygeine, lid scrubs, and clean hands to prevent the bacteria that created the stye from being transferred.

How is it treated?

Before any treatment can be reccomended,you will need to come in to see us or schedule a virtual visit to confirm if it is a stye or chalazion, due to the different treatments paths you may take. Treatment can include but not limited to warm compresses, antibiotics, oral steroids, a steroid injection into the lesion, and other in-office procedures available.