How to Deal with Inflammations and Infections of the Eyelid

Finding a painful red bump on your eyelid can be alarming. Luckily, if you have an infection or inflammation in your eyelid, it is probably a stye or a chalazion and most of these go away on their own. Here are some tips to help you deal with styes and chalazions and to speed your healing.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Clean washcloth
• Plastic bag or plastic wrap
• Warm water

1. Relax. Even though you may be feeling very uncomfortable, most styes and chalazions will get better without any medical attention.
2. Use warm compresses. The best thing you can do for yourself is to apply warmth.
   • Wet a clean washcloth with very warm (not burning hot) water.
   • Place the warm cloth in a plastic storage bag or wrap it in plastic wrap to retain the warmth and keep your hands and face from getting soaked.
   • Apply the plastic wrapped warm cloth to the affected eye as often as you can. Three to four times a day is helpful
   • When applying warm compresses, listen to peaceful music or watch a television program (with your other eye) which relaxes you. Relaxation is as healing as heat.
3. See your eye doctor if your eyelid isn't all better a few days to a week. He may prescribe antibiotic or combination antibiotic/anti-inflammatory drops. While the bump on your eyelid may look totally alien to you, your doctor has seen more of them then you can count. He will know the best course of treatment.
4. Don't forget to continue treating your eyelid with warm compresses while you are taking eye drops. The warmth and the medicine will work together to help you heal. Chances are within a week, your eyelid problem will be history.
5. Let your eye doctor know if after a week of medication, your eyelid is still inflamed. She will probably want to see you again. Occasionally a stye or chalazion is stubborn and requires minor surgery to drain or remove the contents.
6. Don't panic if you are told you need surgery. Draining an infection or inflammation of the eyelid is truly a minor procedure. It is done with local anesthetic and takes less than 15 minutes. Since it is done on the inside of the eyelid, there is no risk of scarring.
   • You will be sitting in a chair in the eye doctor's office, fully clothed.
   • Your doctor or a nurse will cleanse your lid and give you drops to numb your eye.
   • Your doctor will give you anesthetic injections in your eyelid to numb it completely. The first needle might burn a little but shouldn't feel the others at all.
   • When you are completely numb, your doctor will gently turn your eyelid inside out. Amazingly, this doesn't cause pain or discomfort. He will then make a tiny incision and remove the contents of your stye or chalazion.If it doesn't drain easily, he may have to scrape it out with a tiny surgical instrument, but this will not hurt. You will feel a lot of annoying pressure but no real pain.
   • After the surgery, your doctor will put ointment in your eye to protect it and apply a bandage that you will need to wear for two hours. You will probably also be given eye drops to use for a week.
7. Expect to feel pretty shaky and "beat up" when the anesthesia wears off. You can also expect some colorful bruising and swelling around your eye. If you gently apply some ice, you might be able to minimize this.
8. The good news is that by the next morning, most or all of that pain will be gone. As for the bruising, it will heal in its own time. While you are waiting, you can buy some beautiful sunglasses or brag that "the other guy looks worse." Within a few weeks your eye will look and feel as good as new.

Tips & Warnings

• Any time you are having a problem with your health that doesn't go away, be sure to consult your doctor. Everyone's body and condition is unique and your doctor will know the best way to treat you.
• Never try to squeeze or pop a stye or chalazion. This will only make it worse.