Don’t squeeze this kind of pimple! Does a “stye” also require surgery?

Stye = sty? Have you heard of its cousin, sty?

How to distinguish?

Stye: It is what we often call "stye", also known as "acne" on the eye. It is caused by bacterial infection (mostly staphylococcus) and is an acute inflammation of the eye. Due to the different locations of occurrence, it is divided into external stye and internal stye.

You can feel obvious pain, the small bumps will be red and swollen, and you may shed tears frequently. Because it is an inflammation, it comes and goes quickly, usually 1-2 days after onset, and about 7-10 days to subside.

Chalazion: Its "true identity" is actually a sterile granuloma formed by the blockage of the opening of the meibomian gland and the accumulation of secretions. It doesn't feel like anything, it doesn't hurt or itch, but it will grow secretly! At first, you can only see the bulge in the eyelid when you close your eyes, and it is easy to ignore it if you don't look carefully.
The course of the disease lasts for weeks or even months. If the chalazion is not treated for a long time, it may break through the skin or conjunctiva to form an inflammatory granuloma.

In a nutshell: Lumps that suddenly appear and are red, swollen, hot, and painful are mostly styes. Lumps that grow secretly and feel nothing are mostly chalazions.
The problem is not serious, how to treat it?

Stye - hot compress + eye drops

When redness and swelling first appear, apply hot compress with a towel for 15 minutes each time, 3-4 times a day, and use antibiotic eye drops or eye ointment under the guidance of a doctor. It will subside in about a week. However, if a refractory abscess occurs, you should go to the hospital for incision and drainage in time, which can not only promote early recovery, but also avoid scarring.

Chalazion - hot compress + massage

After the lump appears, you can also insist on hot compress + massage every day to promote the dissipation of the lump. Meibomian gland massage: wash your hands, apply hot compress to both eyes for 10 minutes, fix the upper eyelid with your left index finger, and slide your right index finger from top to bottom to the root of the eyelashes (or use a cotton swab), from the corner of the eye to the end of the eye; the lower eyelid needs to be wiped from bottom to top, and finally wipe the root of the eyelashes. The opening of the meibomian gland is at the root of the eyelashes, so the massage is to roll the oil in the direction of the eyelashes.

It should be noted that chalazions can be massaged, but parents should never massage children with styes , because the facial blood vessels do not have venous valves, which can easily cause retrograde infection, and in severe cases may eventually lead to orbital cellulitis, intracranial infection, etc.

If a chalazion does not heal for more than 2 months, or if there are multiple lumps, or if there is pain, ulceration, or abscesses, your doctor will recommend surgical removal.

Does the surgery require general anesthesia? Is it okay not to have it?

If the stye is treated promptly, surgery is less likely to be needed. Some patients develop an abscess and need a surgical procedure.

Chalazion curettage is already very mature and can be completed in a few minutes . Children with high cooperation can be given local anesthesia. If the condition is complicated or the baby is too young, general anesthesia will be chosen to avoid accidents caused by the child's movement during the operation. However, whether it is local anesthesia or general anesthesia, short-term general anesthesia surgery generally does not have a negative impact on the child's brain development. After the operation, there is also the possibility of recurrence. If the patient has an epileptic constitution, scar tissue hyperplasia may occur at the incision site.

If a large chalazion does not subside for a long time, it will compress the cornea and cause a certain degree of astigmatism. It will also cause varying degrees of eyelid deformity and scarring, and even lead to hyperopia.

Prevention is more important!

01 Pay attention to eye hygiene , avoid rubbing your eyes with dirty hands or dirty towels, be sure to remove eye makeup thoroughly after applying it, and do not try eye makeup products casually.

0 2 Maintain a regular work and rest schedule, get enough sleep , and avoid excessive eye use that causes eye fatigue.

0 3 Control the length of time you wear contact lenses (the recommended wearing time is about 10 hours a day, and the time should be shortened for first-time wearers), and disinfect and care for the contact lenses before and after wearing each day.

0 4 Eat a light diet , eat less fried foods that easily stimulate inflammatory responses, and eat more fruits and vegetables.

05 Pay attention to personal hygiene . Wash and change towels, pillowcases, bed sheets and other items that come into contact with the eyes frequently.

Lu Xiulan, director of the Eyelid and Orbital Disease /Ocular Plastic Surgery Department of Wuhan University Aier Eye Hospital, reminds us that the eyes are one of the most sensitive and exposed organs in the human body, and the skin around the eyes is thin and delicate. If we do not pay attention to eye hygiene, germs and dirt will enter the eyes, which can easily cause allergies and bacterial infections. Early detection, early diagnosis, and early treatment can minimize damage.