From the Research
Chalazions and styes are distinct eyelid lesions with different clinical, molecular, pathological, symptomatic, and sign profiles, as highlighted in the most recent study 1. The key differences between a chalazion and a hordeolum (stye) are:
- Pathology: A chalazion is a localized cyst of chronic lipogranulomatous inflammation arising from the obstruction of sebaceous glands of the eyelid tarsal plate, including the Meibomian gland (deep chalazion) or Zeis gland (superficial chalazion) 2.
- Symptoms: A chalazion is typically a chronic, painless, firm nodule, while a stye (hordeolum) is an acute bacterial infection, usually caused by Staphylococcus aureus, affecting either an external eyelash follicle (external hordeolum) or meibomian gland (internal hordeolum) 3.
- Clinical presentation: Chalazions develop gradually over weeks, appear as a round bump away from the eyelid margin, and cause minimal discomfort, whereas styes develop rapidly over days, are painful, red, and tender, often with localized swelling and sometimes accompanied by tearing, light sensitivity, and a sensation of a foreign body 4.
- Treatment approaches: Chalazions respond to warm compresses and may require intralesional steroid injection or incision and curettage if persistent, while styes typically resolve with warm compresses but may need topical antibiotics like erythromycin ointment for 7-10 days if severe or persistent 1. Some important considerations in the diagnosis and management of these conditions include:
- The importance of histopathological confirmation of the diagnosis, as some benign, premalignant, and malignant conditions may clinically masquerade as a chalazion 5.
- The need for a comprehensive review of the background, diagnosis, and management of dry eye disease, chalazion, hordeolum (stye), and preseptal cellulitis to provide proper care for patients with these conditions 3.