Overview
A stye is an acute infection of a gland at the base of an eyelash: red, tender, and pointing like a small boil. A chalazion is what is left when a blocked oil gland deeper in the lid seals off — firm, rounded, and typically not painful.
Both are common, both usually resolve, and both are far more likely if you have blepharitis. The main risk is treating them impatiently: squeezing a stye spreads the infection.
What are the common symptoms?
- Stye: a tender red lump at the lash line, sometimes with a yellow head
- Chalazion: a firm, painless lump within the lid, often growing over weeks
- Swelling of the eyelid, sometimes the whole lid
- Watering and a gritty feeling
- Blurred vision if a large chalazion presses on the cornea
What causes it, and who is at risk?
- Blocked meibomian or Zeis glands
- Underlying blepharitis or rosacea
- Eye rubbing, and old or shared eye make-up
- Stress, hormonal change and, sometimes, nothing identifiable
How is it treated?
Heat and patience resolve the large majority. Do not squeeze.
- Warm compresses for 10 minutes, three or four times a day
- Gentle lid massage toward the lash line after the compress
- Lid hygiene to address the underlying blepharitis and prevent recurrence
- Antibiotic ointment where there is genuine infection
- Incision and curettage for a chalazion that persists beyond a few months, or a steroid injection
- Stop eye make-up and contact lenses until it settles
When to get seen quickly
Spreading redness across the cheek or brow, fever, difficulty moving the eye, or double vision suggest the infection has spread beyond the lid. That needs urgent medical attention. A recurrent lump in exactly the same spot should also be examined.
This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Only an eye care professional who has examined you can tell you what is actually going on.