Is That a Stye or a Chalazion On My Eye?

How We Get Them & How We Get Rid Of Them

Do you have something that looks like a pimple on the outside or inside your eyelid? Is it terribly uncomfortable and unsightly?  You either have a stye or a chalazion on your eye.  

 

Chalazion is a non-infected swelling of the lid caused by a blocked lipid gland. Lipid from the blocked gland leaks into the eye lid tissue causing an inflammation which eventually clears the irritating lipid. This can take 2 to 4 weeks or more.

 

Styes are caused by bacteria from your skin that gets into and irritates the oil glands in the eyelids. These bacteria, which normally exist harmlessly on the skin of the eye, can sometimes get trapped along with dead skin cells on the edge of the eyelid. The result is a swollen, red, and painful bump that can develop over the course of a few days.

While most styes or chalazions are harmless and will heal on their own in about a week or two, they can still be thoroughly unpleasant. Fortunately, there are a few remedies that may help you get rid of a stye or chalazion a little faster — or at least reduce some of the discomfort and swelling that often accompany them.

Keep Your Eyelids Clean

  • The first thing you should do if you develop a stye is cleanse your eyelids. You can use diluted tear-free baby shampoo on a cotton ball, washcloth, or makeup remover pad. Then rinse your eyelids with warm water and gently pat them dry.
  • Also, be sure to wash your hands before and after touching the stye, and don’t share your towels or washcloths with others.
  • Pre-moistened eyelid cleansing pads are another option. You can find these non-prescription items in most drugstores.
  • It’s wise to stop wearing eye makeup temporarily when you have a stye or chalazion, because covering it up can delay the healing process. Also, discard old makeup or applicators that could be contaminated.
  • And if you need vision correction, wear glasses rather than contact lenses until your stye heals.

Apply Warm, Moist Compresses

  • You can encourage a stye or chalazion to heal faster by applying hot compresses for 10 to 15 minutes, three or four times a day.
  • Some people use teabags for this purpose, but a basic clean washcloth dipped in warm (not hot) water will do the trick and is easy to prepare. Wring the cloth so it’s not dripping, then place it over your closed eyes.
  • The goal of this therapy is to bring the stye or chalazionto a head, like you see on a pimple. But whatever you do, don’t get anxious and try to pop it! The warmth from the compress often will allow it to open, drain and heal on its own without causing trauma to the eyelid or possibly spreading an infection by squeezing it.

Ease the Discomfort

  • Over-the-counter painkillers like acetaminophen and ibuprofen probably won’t do much to speed healing, but these medications may ease discomfort if a stye is particularly bothersome.
  • Your eye doctor can also address pain associated with styes or chalazions. Sometimes, your eye doctor may choose to surgically open a large stye to relieve discomfort and prevent a serious infection.

Always consult a medical professional if you have concerns, pain, or if an external stye that does not clear up within one week or an internal one (on the inside of the eyelid) in three weeks.

13 Tips for Using Eye Makeup

Makeup may be an essential part of your every day routine. Or it could be something you do for special occasions or to make a fashion statement. Regardless of the occasion, eye makeup needs to be used with care to prevent infection or vision loss.
eye makeup
Here are 13 tips for using eye makeup.

1. Wash Your Hands
You are constantly using your hands and touching everything, so bacteria are always on them. This means you can transfer these bacteria onto your makeup and in your eyes. Wash your hands before applying any makeup.

2. Never Share, Never Borrow
We were all taught to share when we were children. This is not a good idea when it comes to cosmetics. When you share your makeup you are also sharing bacteria. The main danger is passing on viral conjunctivitis, or pink eye. The bacteria exist before the symptoms are apparent.

3. Eyeliner Has Its Place
Eyeliner is to be used to line the eye outside the top of the lash line and not in the eyelid margin that runs along the surface of the eyeball. There are tiny pores in the margin that produce the essential oils required for stable tear film. If the pores become clogged, it can lead to a sty, dry eyes, irritated or infected eyes.

4. Mascara
Throw away any mascara after six months because it dries out and can flake off, getting into the eye. Depending on the ingredients in the mascara, those flakes may contain something that could scratch the cornea or become an eye irritant. Also be careful when applying mascara that the wand does not touch the eye to avoid contamination.

5. False Eyelashes
Be wary of putting too much glue on the lashes and not letting it dry a bit before placing them on the lid above your own lashes. If glue enters the eye it can cause abrasions, bacterial infections, or you could be allergic to the ingredients.

6. Storage Is Important
Don’t store makeup in warm or hot places such as your car or suitcase on a warm day. Heat destroys the preservatives that keep bacteria away. Hot temperatures are a breeding ground for bacteria. Even at home keep your cosmetics in a cool, dark place.

7. Shelf-Life
Just like most perishables that use preservatives, cosmetics need to be discarded after 3-4 months to prevent possible infection.

8. Keeping Clean
Wash your brushes and applicators thoroughly and regularly to keep them clean and avoid the buildup of bacteria and oils. This also includes eyelash curlers. Think about using disposable applicators that get used once and are then thrown out.

9. Know Your Ingredients
It is important to know what is in your eye makeup. Some mascara contains parabens which can cause an allergic reaction and a stinging sensation if it gets in your eye. Kohl eyeliners may contain lead. Pencils and shadows that are iridescent, glittery or shiny may contain ingredients that could scratch the cornea or irritate the eye. Never use glitter on your eyes as it can severely scratch your cornea.

10. Don’t Mix Uses Don’t use a lip pencil on your eyes or vice versa. The danger is bacteria, as the bacteria in your saliva in different from the bacteria in and around your eyes. The FDA warns to never use your saliva to moisten cosmetics such as eyeliner, mascara or eye shadow.

11. Irritated Eyes
If your eyes appear irritated or infected contact your eye doctor and suspend ALL use until directed by your doctor. Before you go back to wearing eye makeup, replace all of it to void spreading the bacteria, and wash all applicators thoroughly.

12. Don’t Be Moving
Never apply makeup in a moving vehicle. Even if you aren’t driving, another vehicle can rear-end you and any applicator will go in your eye, possibly cause the loss of an eye. Do not apply makeup when driving, as your eyes should be focused on the road and not a mirror.

13. Removing Eye Makeup
It is important to carefully and gently remove your eye makeup each night before bed to make sure that your cosmetics don’t work their way into your eye, build up and cause damage. Try not to use waterproof mascara as it is harder to remove and increases your chances of getting something in your eye. Avoid foaming options as they likely contain sodium lauryl sulfate which can dry out the skin around the eye. Also watch out for any ingredients that are known to clog pores or contain fragrances. Try not to use waterproof mascara as it is harder to remove.

5/19/16

Susan DeRemerSusan DeRemer, CFRE
Discovery Eye Foundation

 

What Are Floaters? | Causes and Treatment

6/12/14

Floaters can be anything seen in your vision that moves “to and fro” with your eye movement. The movement is not stationary compared to a blind spot which is fixed or stationary in your field of vision.

Example of floaters
Example of floaters
The key is that the position changes with eye movement. Size, shape, color, etc. don’t matter. Anything that moves in your vision is called a floater.

Remember, if you experience new floaters; please see an eye doctor for an examination.

Here are some common causes of floaters:

  • Posterior Vitreous Detachment (PVD)
  • Retinal Tears
  • Blood (Vitreous Hemorrhage) can be caused by;
  • Advanced Diabetic Retinopathy
  • Retinal Tears
  • Retinal Vascular Occlusions
  • Inflammation or Infection
  • Asteroid Hyalosis

Posterior Vitreous Detachment
A posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) is a common cause of floaters. A PVD occurs when the vitreous separates from the retinal surface. This is a normal event and will eventually occur in everyone. Retinal tears are more likely to occur right after a PVD has started.

The vitreous is usually a clear watery gel. As we age, enough of the proteins in the vitreous liquefy and degenerate. Eventually, there is a physical separation of the vitreous from the retina due to this liquefaction.

“Floaters” can develop due to opacities/haziness due to the aging gel which is no longer absolutely clear due to changes in the optical properties of the gel or the interface between the vitreous and water inside the eye.

Tears in the Retina
Retinal tears can cause floaters by either causing a small vitreous hemorrhage, or by dislodging cells into the vitreous which are normally located underneath the retina.

Vitreous Hemorrhage
Blood in the vitreous can also cause floaters. A so-called vitreous hemorrhage may result from either a retinal tear or advanced diabetic retinopathy. Occasionally, retinal vascular occlusions can also lead to bleeding in the vitreous.

Blood in the eye often absorbs, but only your doctor can determine the exact nature of the floaters and if they are associated with a retinal tear. It’s impossible for you to tell the cause of floaters without a proper dilated eye exam.

Inflammation
Certain types of inflammation or infection can cause significant floaters. Actually, these are white cells which migrate to the retina and vitreous and can be seen a floaters.

Asteroid Hyalosis
This is a common entity where lots of fine white opacities are suspended in the vitreous. In most cases, these are not noticed by the patient. Sometimes, however, the so-called asteroid bodies are so dense they prevent good examination of the retina. Other times, especially after a PVD, the asteroid bodies are noticed and patients may complain of floaters.

New Floaters: Evaluation
All new floaters must be examined by your eye doctor within 24-72 hours after occurring. Even if the floaters disappear in that time frame, you should be examined to look for a possible tear in the retina.

Again, you, the patient, can NOT tell the cause of the floaters or if you’ve sustained a retinal tears. Retinal tears can cause a retinal detachment – a potentially blinding problem.

Treatment of Floaters
There are no medicines or eye drops to treat floaters. Most doctors advise simply putting up with the floaters.

For patients who have chronic problems with floaters, I recommend a vitrectomy. A vitrectomy is an eye operation, performed by a retinal specialist. The operation is comparable to a cataract operation in terms of safety and possible complications.

There are a handful of doctors who perform Yag laser to break up floaters.

Randall E. Wong MDRandall V. Wong, MD
Retina Specialist
Fairfax, Virginia