Highlights & Basics
- Styes (hordeola) are typically tender to palpation, while chalazia are not.
- Dacryoadenitis (infection or inflammation of the lacrimal gland) and dacryocystitis (infection of the lacrimal sac) can be confused with stye; their respective locations (lateral upper lid and inferior to the medial epicanthus) are key.
- Most styes and chalazia resolve with warm compresses and topical antibiotics.
- Recurrent lesions may require biopsy to exclude carcinomas. Recurrent chalazia may require excision.
Quick Reference
History & Exam
Key Factors
Other Factors
Diagnostics Tests
Treatment Options
Definition
Epidemiology
Etiology
Pathophysiology
Images
Citations
The College of Optometrists. Clinical management guidelines: hordeolum. Feb 2023 [internet publication].[Full Text]
Carlisle RT, Digiovanni J. Differential diagnosis of the swollen red eyelid. Am Fam Physician. 2015 Jul 15;92(2):106-12.[Abstract][Full Text]
Gordon AA, Danek DJ, Phelps PO. Common inflammatory and infectious conditions of the eyelid. Dis Mon. 2020 Oct;66(10):101042.[Abstract]
The College of Optometrists. Clinical management guidelines: chalazion (meibomian cyst). Feb 2023 [internet publication].[Full Text]
1. Mueller JB, McStay CM. Ocular infection and inflammation. Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2008 Feb;26(1):57-72;vi. [Abstract]
2. The College of Optometrists. Clinical management guidelines: hordeolum. Feb 2023 [internet publication].[Full Text]
3. Carlisle RT, Digiovanni J. Differential diagnosis of the swollen red eyelid. Am Fam Physician. 2015 Jul 15;92(2):106-12.[Abstract][Full Text]
4. Gordon AA, Danek DJ, Phelps PO. Common inflammatory and infectious conditions of the eyelid. Dis Mon. 2020 Oct;66(10):101042.[Abstract]
5. McAlinden C, González-Andrades M, Skiadaresi E. Hordeolum: acute abscess within an eyelid sebaceous gland. Cleve Clin J Med. 2016 May;83(5):332-4.[Abstract][Full Text]
6. The College of Optometrists. Clinical management guidelines: chalazion (meibomian cyst). Feb 2023 [internet publication].[Full Text]
7. Arbabi EM, Kelly RJ, Carrim ZI. Chalazion. BMJ. 2010 Aug 10;341:c4044.[Full Text]
8. Lin A, Ahmad S, Amescua G, et al. Blepharitis preferred practice pattern®. Ophthalmology. 2024 Apr;131(4):P50-86.[Full Text]
9. Wojtowicz JC, Butovich IA, McMahon A, et al. Time-dependent degenerative transformations in the lipidome of chalazia. Exp Eye Res. 2014 Oct;127:261-9.[Abstract]
10. Ansari AS, de Lusignan S, Hinton W, et al. The association between diabetes, level of glycaemic control and eye infection: cohort database study. Prim Care Diabetes. 2017 Oct;11(5):421-9.[Abstract]
11. Evans J, Vo KBH, Schmitt M. Chalazion: racial risk factors for formation, recurrence, and surgical intervention. Can J Ophthalmol. 2022 Aug;57(4):242-6.[Abstract]
12. Dalvin LA, Smith WM. Orbital and external ocular manifestations of mycobacterium tuberculosis: a review of the literature. J Clin Tuberc Other Mycobact Dis. 2016 Aug;4:50-7.[Abstract][Full Text]
13. Wald ER. Periorbital and orbital infections. Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2007 Jun;21(2):393-408;vi.[Abstract]
14. Shields JA, Demirci H, Marr BP, et al. Sebaceous carcinoma of the eyelids: personal experience with 60 cases. Ophthalmology. 2004 Dec;111(12):2151-7.[Abstract]
15. Lindsley K, Nichols JJ, Dickersin K. Non-surgical interventions for acute internal hordeolum. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017 Jan 9;1(1):CD007742.[Abstract][Full Text]
16. Alsoudi AF, Ton L, Ashraf DC, et al. Efficacy of care and antibiotic use for chalazia and hordeola. Eye Contact Lens. 2022 Apr 1;48(4):162-8.[Abstract]
17. American Academy of Ophthalmology. Referral of persons with possible eye diseases or injury - 2014. Apr 2014 [internet publication].[Full Text]
18. Wu AY, Gervasio KA, Gergoudis KN, et al. Conservative therapy for chalazia: is it really effective? Acta Ophthalmol. 2018 Jun;96(4):e503-9.[Abstract][Full Text]
19. Goawalla A, Lee V. A prospective randomized treatment study comparing three treatment options for chalazia: triamcinolone acetonide injections, incision and curettage and treatment with hot compresses. Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2007 Nov;35(8):706-12.[Abstract]
20. Chung CF, Lai JS, Li PS. Subcutaneous extralesional triamcinolone acetonide injection versus conservative management in the treatment of chalazion. Hong Kong Med J. 2006 Aug;12(4):278-81.[Abstract][Full Text]
21. Ben Simon GJ, Rosen N, Rosner M, et al. Intralesional triamcinolone acetonide injection versus incision and curettage for primary chalazia: a prospective, randomized study. Am J Ophthalmol. 2011 Apr;151(4):714-8.e1.[Abstract]
22. Aycinena AR, Achiron A, Paul M, et al. Incision and curettage versus steroid injection for the treatment of chalazia: a meta-analysis. Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg. 2016 May-Jun;32(3):220-4.[Abstract]
23. Wong MY, Yau GS, Lee JW, et al. Intralesional triamcinolone acetonide injection for the treatment of primary chalazions. Int Ophthalmol. 2014 Oct;34(5):1049-53.[Abstract]
24. Cheng K, Law A, Guo M, et al. Acupuncture for acute hordeolum. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017 Feb 9;(2):CD011075.[Abstract][Full Text]
25. Zhu D, Gupta RR, Stein RL, et al. Randomized prospective evaluation of microblepharoexfoliation BlephEx as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of chalazia. Cornea. 2023 Feb 1;42(2):172-5.[Abstract][Full Text]
26. Song X, Zhang C, Zhang S, et al. Therapeutic efficacy of optimal pulse technology in the treatment of chalazions. Front Med (Lausanne). 2023 Nov 21:10:1286159.[Abstract][Full Text]
27. Santa Cruz CS, Culotta T, Cohen EJ, et al. Chalazion-induced hyperopia as a cause of decreased vision. Ophthalmic Surg Lasers. 1997 Aug;28(8):683-4.[Abstract]
28. Jin KW, Shin YJ, Hyon JY. Effects of chalazia on corneal astigmatism : large-sized chalazia in middle upper eyelids compress the cornea and induce the corneal astigmatism. BMC Ophthalmol. 2017 Mar 31;17(1):36.[Abstract][Full Text]
29. Park YM, Lee JS. The effects of chalazion excision on corneal surface aberrations. Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2014 Oct;37(5):342-5.[Abstract]
30. American Academy of Ophthalmology. What is the difference between a stye and a chalazion? causes, symptoms, treatment. Jun 2023 [internet publication].[Full Text]
31. American Optometric Association. Chalazion. [internet publication].[Full Text]
32. American Optometric Association. Hordeolum (stye). [internet publication].[Full Text]
33. Patient UK. Chalazion: eyelid cyst. Aug 2023 [internet publication].[Full Text]
34. Patient UK. Stye: eyelid infection. Jan 2024 [internet publication].[Full Text]
