Sty and chalazion: differences

The difference between sty and chalazion can appear difficult to spot, because both of these disorders present themselves as boils on the eyelids.  A few basic notions are enough, however, to be able to distinguish them.

The sty consists of a bacterial inflammation at the level of the eyelashes, which affects the Zeiss gland . The latter has the task of producing a greasy secretion along the hair bulb.

The sty looks like a boil along the eyelashes , which increases in size very quickly and is accompanied by other annoying symptoms: itching, redness, purulent abscess with secretions , sensation of a foreign body in the eye , pain.

The chalazion , on the other hand, is an inflammation of the meibomian gland , which has the task of producing the lipid component of the tears, which protect the cornea layer. When this gland is blocked, the chalazion arises.

The chalazion therefore initially appears as a small white dot in the thickness of the eyelid, along which the meibomian glands are located in clusters. This small swelling increases in size over the course of a few days and usually persists until the gland clears, releasing the sebum.

Chalazion does not cause pain on contact , discomfort is associated with size. Another symptom is redness of the eye and conjunctiva. Unlike the sty, there is no excretion of pus .

The main difference therefore concerns pain and the presence of purulent material . Sty and chalazion also differ in the duration and course of symptoms : sty arises very quickly, while chalazion occurs more slowly.

Read also Treating the sty: the 10 most effective remedies >>

Sty and chalazion: natural remedies

The sty has bacterial origin, so the first natural remedy is to clean the area and avoid the further proliferation of inflammation.

Even if it clears up on its own, it is possible to cure sty naturally to speed up healing . So you can use  antibacterial essential oils for sty , such as tea tree and chamomile, or packs based on green tea and dandelion . It is also necessary to keep the eye clean and strengthen the body’s immune system , to modify the terrain on which bacteria can settle.

Since the chalazion is the obstruction of a gland that produces lipids, to solve it it is necessary to pay attention to hygiene : the eyes must be cleaned promptly and gently with  hot water, without soaps or aggressive detergents.

Warm water and chamomile packs are also very useful for chalazion . Face creams and cosmetics should be avoided as they may get into your eyes.

Finally, for both disorders, it is good  to avoid rubbing the eyes with hands or unclean fabrics.