The Difference Between a Stye and a Chalazion
Styes are caused from swollen eyelid glands, stemming from the base of an eyelash. It is usually red in appearance and the bump caused by the stye can be painful to the touch. Styes can occur on either the upper or lower eyelid. A chalazion can also occur on either the upper or lower eyelid, but is inside or underneath the eyelid. A chalazion can occur when a gland in the eyelid becomes clogged and inflamed.

DIAGNOSIS:
Patients often request an examination after an episode of pain and swelling of the lid. The doctor can make the diagnosis during a simple examination of the eyelids
TREATMENT:
Sometimes, warm compresses will work to relieve the growths, but a chalazion may require medical attention. This may include draining the chalazion along with the use of antibiotic and anti-inflammatory medications.

Both styes and chalazia can come back, once they have gone away, so it is important to listen to yours advice!

Luckily, most chalazion stay small and are just a minor annoyance and some can be treated at home with warm compresses and gentle massaging of the affected area to loosen the plugged oil gland. Sometimes they resolve on their own within a few weeks, but when they persist, or become encapsulated by the body's defense mechanism, a steroid injection will help make it disappear. If the chalazion resists these treatments, a surgical incision or excision can be made.

In the worst cases, the chalazion can be surgically drained and/or removed in the doctor's office. If the chalazion returns or if you have had them over a long period of time, your doctor may send the moved chalazion to a laboratory to be tested.

Antibiotics may be helpful to decrease the number of germs present once the gland bursts and may prevent the spread of infection. Plucking out the lash from the middle of a stye will often promote its drainage. Rarely is surgical drainage or lancing necessary. For chronic problems, newer therapies include topical azithromycin, i.e. AzaSite, as well as oral antibiotics. These may be helpful in maintaining comfort. Scarring is a very rare consequence of styes.