Chalazion is a tumor formation that develops over a long time. It occurs as a result of blockage and swelling of the sebaceous glands in the eyelid. These glands are located inside the eyelid, immediately behind the eyelashes. They help maintain a normal degree of hydration of the eye, while preventing the evaporation of the aqueous layer from their surface. Often, many people confuse halazion with barley, which also manifests itself as a slight swelling of the eyelid.
Features of the disease
Chalazion is a chronic disease and is an inflammation of the edge of the eyelid, as well as the meibomian gland. The disease can occur as a result of clogging of the outlet channels of this gland and the accumulation of fluid in it. If the formation does not open for a long time, then this can lead to the appearance of a cyst.
The disease develops gradually over a period of approximately 2 weeks. The first signs are characterized by a change in the appearance of the eyelid. The size of the neoplasm is approximately 5-6 mm, but may continue to grow.
This puts additional pressure on the eyeball, which can cause astigmatism. Often the tumor is benign, it can occur at any age, and relapse is possible after treatment. Halazion is treated in a variety of ways, and in the most difficult cases, surgery is required.
Features of the disease in children
Despite the fact that chalazion mainly appears in adults, however, in some cases it can also occur in childhood. At risk are children with:
- diabetes
- immunocompromised.
Such a disease is often quite difficult to detect, especially when the neoplasm is located on the cartilaginous region of the eyelid. Sometimes it breaks on its own. Often, blockage of the gland in children is accompanied by the attachment of an infection, in which case an ophthalmologist consultation is certainly required.
Be sure to conduct timely treatment of halazion of the upper eyelid in a child, since this disease can degenerate into a cyst.
Main reasons
Before prescribing treatment for halazion, the doctor must determine the cause of the disease and conduct a comprehensive diagnosis. Complications of eye diseases of an inflammatory nature, as well as many other disorders occurring in the body, in particular, such as:
- poor eye hygiene;
- relapse of barley;
- colds;
- stress and vitamin deficiency;
- low immunity;
- skin problems
- diabetes;
- allergy.
Wearing lenses or false eyelashes can sometimes lead to disease. It is not always possible to determine what provoked halazion. If the disease arose once, then this is not very important. However, with frequently recurring relapses, it is necessary to determine the cause of the pathology.
Signs and Symptoms
There are several different signs of the course of halazion, among which there are such as:
- swelling and redness of the eyelids;
- itching and sore eyes;
- severe lacrimation;
- visual impairment;
- painful sensations;
- accumulation of pus.
Often a person does not pay any attention to the presence of a small pea, but when it begins to grow, the temperature rises. In advanced cases, blockage of the sebaceous glands of the eyelid can go into the malignant stage.
Diagnostics
Before treating halazion, a comprehensive diagnosis is required. It is carried out very simply. The main sign is the formation at the edge of the eyelid with a gradual increase in size, which is why it is possible to determine a similar pathology. Basically, such a neoplasm does not cause much discomfort, unless it is greatly increased in size.
A more thorough diagnosis is required for frequently occurring pathologies, as well as relapses after surgery. In this case, it is necessary to determine the cause of the pathology. At the same time, such diagnostic methods are used as:
- skin scraping;
- analysis of blood and feces;
- screening immunogram.
Only after a thorough diagnosis, treatment of a halazion is prescribed, which can be conservative or surgical.
Treatment features
In the initial stages, the treatment of a century halazion is carried out with conservative means. Basically, medications are used for this, as well as alternative methods.
If the disease recurs very often, then surgery is indicated. When carrying out therapy, it is necessary to take into account the body's response to certain means. At the initial stage, the treatment of a halazion of the upper eyelid, as well as the lower one, is carried out using such techniques as:
- warming up;
- the use of drugs;
- massage.
Warming up can be carried out in a clinic using special equipment and at home. It is important that it is carried out using dry heat. Its effect on the affected area should not be long, and the applied item should not be too hot.
With the help of massage, it is possible to quickly eliminate blockage of the glands and ensure the removal of pathological contents. As medicines, ointments and drops are most often used.
In the presence of purulent contents, it is forbidden to massage and warming up, as this can provoke the spread of pus through the bloodstream. A neoplasm can burst on its own, but it is strictly forbidden to squeeze it out, as this can provoke sepsis.
Medications
The main methods of treating halazion of the upper eyelid are the use of medications, in particular such as:
- anti-inflammatory;
- hormonal;
- antihistamines;
- immunomodulators.
Anti-inflammatory therapy begins with topical application of antiseptic and disinfectants. To do this, ointments and drops with antibacterial components are used. Also required are sulfonamides, in particular such as Albucid, as well as antiviral agents (Ophthalmoferon).
In some cases, medications containing hormonal components are used to treat halazion. These include ointments such as "Hydrocortisone", "Dexamethasone", "Triamcinolone", which are administered under the eyelid. Such a tool has a particularly good effect if applied at the very beginning of the development of the disease. In this case, a pea of ointment is laid under the eyelid, and a person should blink to distribute it evenly. Immediately after this, you need to massage for several minutes.
If such therapy does not bring the desired result and in case of neglect of the pathological process, injections of steroids into the node itself can be prescribed. In particular, such means as Diprospan, Hydrocortisone, Kenalog are used. Injections should only be carried out by a qualified doctor.
For the treatment of halazion in a child and an adult, it is carried out with the help of antihistamines. They help eliminate itching and allergies. Such medicines include Cetrin, Loratadin, Suprastin, Fenistil. Often, the doctor recommends the use of vitamin-mineral complexes or brewer's yeast.
Folk techniques
At the initial stages of the course of the disease, halazion is treated with folk remedies. In particular, various compresses and lotions have a good effect. However, it is worth remembering that warming up should be carried out very carefully, since it can provoke the formation of phlegmon and then various kinds of complications arise.
When the first signs of the disease occur, it is possible to treat halazion in a child and an adult with the help of lotions from yogurt. And then you need to wrap a hot egg in a well-washed sheet of plantain, peeled and applied to the affected area. Keep it to cool completely. This manipulation is repeated every 2 hours several times a day. After the swelling has passed, a fresh crushed burdock root should be applied to the eye.
Alternative treatment of halazion is carried out with the help of figs. This method is well suited for adults and children. This fruit contains many useful and valuable ingredients. For treatment, you need to brew dry figs in boiling milk and grind it to a state of gruel. You need to take this remedy daily before consuming food.
Cabbage has anti-inflammatory qualities. For treatment, you need to grind a leaf of cabbage, mix it with raw egg white, wrap in gauze and apply on the eyelid. Such a compress will help reduce compaction. In addition, you can additionally make compresses with strong tea leaves.
For the treatment of halazion of the upper eyelid in a child, young sticky poplar leaves can be used. They need to be taken not from a tree, but from shoots that grow directly from the ground. Such leaves need to be glued on the eyelid, on the abscess area. It is very useful to apply them all night. Literally in a week the neoplasm will resolve.
Operation
When treating halazion, surgery is prescribed only if conservative methods have not brought the desired result. In the main, this type of therapy is used if:
- the diameter of the neoplasm is more than 5 cm;
- there is an infectious purulent lesion;
- relapses are repeated.
Radical intervention involves dissecting the capsule with a scalpel. Then, using surgical instruments, the contents are scraped out. An ointment with an antibacterial effect is placed inside the wound, after which a sterile dressing is applied.
The operation is performed by an ophthalmologist under local anesthesia. Intervention lasts for 30 minutes. The incision is small and does not require suturing. The wound heals quickly enough and practically does not provoke complications.
In the case of relapses, tissue is taken for examination to exclude malignant degeneration. An alternative to traditional surgery is laser removal of the neoplasm. With this method of treatment, the risk of injury is minimal.
Physiotherapeutic Techniques
Treatment of a halazion of the century in a child and an adult is often carried out using physiotherapy techniques. If there is no inflammation in the pathology area, then dry heat can be used. From physiotherapeutic techniques, you can use:
- electrophoresis;
- laser therapy;
- UHF
Timely access to a doctor allows you to do only with conservative therapy.
What could be the consequences
It is believed that halazion has very little effect on the state of the organs of vision. However, in advanced cases, the neoplasm can squeeze the eyeball, which leads to the development of astigmatism and provokes distortion of vision.
More often than not, the disease bothers a person as a cosmetic problem, since halazion blushes, and women are also prevented from doing makeup. Neglected forms of neoplasm are quite common in older people. If halazion is formed in a person after 40 years, then you need to be very careful about your health, since any neoplasms can be very dangerous.
Forecast and Prevention
When conducting timely competent treatment, the prognosis is often quite favorable. In people with reduced immunity, periodic relapses are possible. With the course of the advanced form of the disease, the development of phlegmon or abscess is possible. A rare complication is the formation of a cyst or the transition of a pathology into a malignant form.
Prevention is important. Its main rules:
- prevention of hypothermia;
- depression and stress should be avoided;
- it is important to observe personal hygiene;
- It is not recommended for a long time to be indoors with smokers;
- contact lenses must be treated with antiseptic agents.
Before starting treatment of halazion with home remedies, you need to consult a doctor.
Treatment Reviews
With proper treatment of halazion, patient reviews are quite positive. Some say that warming and special antibacterial drops help well.
Others say that a good result is exerted by the use of folk remedies, in particular aloe, calendula tinctures. And some complain that even carrying out a surgical intervention does not make it possible to completely get rid of the problem, since relapses periodically occur.