Stye and chalazion

Last reviewed: 1 Sep 2023
Last updated: 30 Mar 2021

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
More key diagnostic factors

Other diagnostic factors

  • chronic swelling of eyelid
  • age 30 to 50 years
  • history of blepharitis and ocular rosacea
Other diagnostic factors

Risk factors

  • age 30 to 50 years
  • blepharitis and ocular rosacea
  • seborrheic dermatitis
  • elevated serum cholesterol
  • diabetes mellitus
More risk factors

Diagnostic investigations

1st investigations to order

  • clinical diagnosis
More 1st investigations to order

Investigations to consider

  • biopsy
  • CT scan of face and orbits
More investigations to consider

Treatment algorithm

ACUTE

stye

chalazion

Contributors

Authors

Christopher McStay, MD
Christopher McStay

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.

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