Summary
Definition
History and exam
Key diagnostic factors
- acute pain of eyelid only
- pustule at eyelid margin
- pustule at tarsal conjunctiva
- palpable nontender nodule
- lack of constitutional symptoms
- lack of eye pain
- lack of intraocular pathology
Other diagnostic factors
- chronic swelling of eyelid
- age 30 to 50 years
- history of blepharitis and ocular rosacea
Risk factors
- age 30 to 50 years
- blepharitis and ocular rosacea
- seborrheic dermatitis
- elevated serum cholesterol
- diabetes mellitus
Diagnostic investigations
1st investigations to order
- clinical diagnosis
Investigations to consider
- biopsy
- CT scan of face and orbits
Treatment algorithm
stye
chalazion
Contributors
Authors
Christopher McStay, MD

Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine
Chief of Clinical Operations
Emergency Department
University of Colorado Hospital
University of Colorado School Of Medicine
Aurora
CO
Disclosures
CM declares that he has no competing interests.
Peer reviewers
Bob Avery, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor
Ophthalmology
University of New Mexico Medical School
Albuquerque
NM
Disclosures
BA declares that he has no competing interests.
Gus Gazzard, MA, MBBChir, MD, FRCOphth
Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon
King's College Hospital
Honorary Research Fellow
Institute of Ophthalmology
London
UK
Disclosures
GG declares that he has no competing interests.
Michael Ehrenhaus, MD
Director
Cornea, External Disease & Refractive Surgery
Long Island College Hospital Eye Center
Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology
SUNY Downstate Medical Center
Brooklyn
NY
Disclosures
ME declares that he has no competing interests.
Christopher Tedeschi, MD
Instructor in Clinical Medicine
Emergency Medicine Department
New York Presbyterian Hospital
Columbia University Medical Center
New York
NY
Disclosures
CT declares that he has no competing interests.
Differentials
- Blepharitis
- Dacryocystitis
- Dacryoadenitis
More DifferentialsPatient leaflets
Conjunctivitis
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