What are styes & chalazia?
A stye and chalazion may appear alike, but they differ in their causes, symptoms, and how they’re treated.
These conditions occur when the delicate oil glands in the eyelids become clogged or inflamed, disrupting healthy tear film and eyelid function.
Styes (hordeola) are painful, red, swollen bumps on the eyelid caused by an infected oil gland, often resembling a pimple.
Chalazia are firm, painless nodules that develop when an oil gland becomes blocked, often after a stye has healed.
While a stye may resolve on its own, a chalazion often lingers and may require professional treatment to fully resolve. At BRIGHT Eyes, we offer advanced in-office treatments and personalized care plans to safely resolve styes and chalazia, while helping prevent them from coming back.
Common Causes of Styes & Chalazia:
✔️ Bacterial overgrowth along the lash line
✔️ Overactive or clogged oil glands (meibomian gland dysfunction)
✔️ Skin conditions like rosacea or seborrheic dermatitis
✔️ Infestation by Demodex mites
Common Symptoms of Styes & Chalazia:
✔️ Localized redness and swelling on the eyelid
✔️ Tenderness or pain when blinking
✔️ A lump or bump that appeared suddenly and/or lingers for weeks
✔️ Crusting or discharge around the lashes
Stye & chalazion treatment
At BRIGHT Eyes, we offer safe, effective, and comfortable in-office treatments to help resolve and reduce the recurrence of styes & chalazia:
✔️ OptiLight Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) reduces eyelid inflammation, melts blocked oils, and helps shrink abnormal blood vessels
✔️ MiBoFlo thermal therapy to warm and unclog congested oil glands
✔️ Low-Level Light Therapy (LLLT) to target bacteria and reduce inflammation
✔️ Prescription Medications for persistent infection or significant inflammation
✔️ Customized home care plans including lid cleansing protocols to reduce recurrence
Your eyelids aren’t just cosmetic — they are critical to eye health. Styes and chalazia can:
✔️ Cause eye pain, swelling, and tenderness
✔️ Lead to deeper tissue infections or damage the oil glands of the eyelid
✔️ Indicate underlying eyelid conditions such as blepharitis, meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), or Demodex infestation
Get relief from styes & chalazia
If you’re struggling with recurring styes or chalazia, relief is possible. At BRIGHT Eyes in Boone, North Carolina, we can help you address the root cause and restore long-term eyelid health with targeted treatments for styes and chalazia.