If you've ever thought you had an eyelash on your eyelid but weren't quite sure, it might be because you had an unwanted relative of that pesky little bump called a chalazion. A chalazion happens when something blocks one of the glands in the eyelid that is responsible for secreting an oily substance that the body uses to keep the eye moist .

What Is a Chalazion?

A chalazion is a tiny, typically painless, red-colored swelling or lump that appears on the eyelid. A blocked oil gland, also known as a Meibomian grand, is the most likely cause. It is why the medical community commonly refers to this condition as a Meibomian cyst or an eyelid cyst.  During the initial stages, you might feel a bit of pain. However, after some time, it usually does not hurt at all. Most form on the upper eyelid, but you can sometimes find them on the lower eyelid .

Chalazion vs. Stye

Sometimes people confuse chalazia with a stye because of how similar they look. Even though many people use these two terms interchangeably, they’re not the same thing. A chalazion occurs when something blocks the oil gland. A stye is a sign of a hair follicle or oil gland infection. 
A stye can occur in two ways:

• An external tender red bump (hordeolum) develops at the bottom edge of the eyelid
• An internal hordeolum occurs deeper in the eyelash

Both happen when something blocks the oil glands, and they get infected. If the internal hordeolum doesn’t heal, it can become a chalazion.

What differentiates a stye and a chalazion is that chalazia are usually painless. A stye often hurts and can cause your eyes to feel scratchy and sore. Other stye symptoms include:

• A painful lump that causes the eyelid to swell
• Eye-watering
• Sensitivity to light
• A tiny spot of pus at the center
• Crustiness along the eyelid’s edges

Chalazion surgery cost in Iran

In Iran, the price of chalazion surgery is between 200 and 400 dollars. The very low price of surgery in Iran does not compromise the quality of care in the country. In fact, Iran has a remarkable reputation for the high quality of care and expertise of its medical professionals .

Chalazion Causes & risk factors

• Acne rosacea.
• Chronic blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelids, often from excess bacteria).
• Seborrhea.
• Tuberculosis.
• Viral infection.
• Rarely chalazions
• may be an indication of an infection or skin cancer.

Chalazion Symptoms

• Painless bump or lump in the upper eyelid or, less frequently, in the lower eyelid.
• Caused by a thickening of the fluid in the oil (meibomian) glands of the eyelid.
• Tearing and mild irritation may result as the obstructed glands are needed for healthy tears.
• Blurred vision, if the chalazion is large enough to press against the eyeball.
• More common in adults than children; most frequently occurs in people ages 30-50.
• Typically disappears without treatment within several weeks to a month, although they often recur

During the chalazion Surgery IN IRAN

• Chalazion surgery takes about 20 to 45 minutes to perform.
• Here's how a procedure using local anesthesia proceeds:

• Numbing the area: The surgery will start with the surgeon injecting a numbing medication into your eyelid around the area of the chalazion. You may feel a stinging sensation and some discomfort during the injection.
• Positioning and incision: Next, your surgeon will use a clamp to hold your eyelid open during the procedure. They will then make a small incision in either in the front or back of the eyelid depending on the size of the chalazion. If a large chalazion is present, the incision is generally made on the front of the eyelid.
• Removal: A curette will then be used to remove the contents of the chalazion. A cotton swab will be placed on the wound site to stop any bleeding. The clamp will then be removed, and the doctor will apply pressure to the wound site with his gloved finger pads.

Typically, the incision site is usually left to heal on its own. But if a large chalazion is removed, the surgeon may close the incision site with dissolvable stitches.
Contents of the chalazion may be sent to a lab , especially if the chalazion has been present for a long time or is a recurrent one. A pathologist will examine the contents to rule out potential eyelid cancers .

After the chalazion Surgery

If you underwent local anesthesia, you will be able to go home right after the procedure. If you underwent local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia, you will be taken to a recovery area to slowly wake up. Once you are fully awake and ready, you will be discharged home with post-operative instructions.

Recovery after chalazion surgery

Recovery is expected to take around a week, although the timeline may be slightly shorter or longer depending on the location and size of the chalazion.

You may experience some minor and temporary side effects from chalazion surgery, including:

• Eyelid discomfort, bruising, and swelling
• Slightly blurry vision
• Minimal oozing of red fluid from the surgical site