Quick answer. A stye is a painful, often red lump on the eyelid caused by an infected oil gland or eyelash follicle, while a chalazion is a usually painless lump from a blocked oil gland. Most settle with warm compresses and lid hygiene, but spreading eyelid redness and swelling with fever needs urgent care.
A stye is a common, usually short-lived eyelid problem that many people in Singapore experience at some point. It appears as a tender red bump on or near the edge of the eyelid, caused by infection of an eyelash follicle or one of the small oil glands in the lid. A closely related condition, a chalazion, is a firmer and typically painless lump that forms when one of these oil glands becomes blocked rather than infected.
Most styes and chalazia are harmless and improve with simple home measures such as warm compresses and good eyelid hygiene. They are not usually a sign of anything serious. However, swelling and redness that spreads beyond the lid, or that comes with fever and difficulty moving the eye, can point to a deeper infection that needs prompt medical attention. This guide explains the difference between the two, how they are treated, and when to see an eye specialist.
At a glance
| Feature | Stye | Chalazion |
|---|---|---|
| Cause | Infection of a follicle or oil gland | Blocked, non-infected oil gland |
| Pain | Usually painful and tender | Usually painless |
| Appearance | Red, often with a pus point near the lid edge | Firm lump, often further from the lid edge |
| Onset | Comes up quickly over a day or two | Develops more gradually |
| Typical course | Often settles within a week or two | May persist for weeks; can need a minor procedure |
What is a stye and a chalazion?
A stye (also called a hordeolum) is a small, painful lump on the eyelid that forms when an eyelash follicle or an oil gland in the lid becomes infected, usually with common skin bacteria. It often looks like a red pimple at the lid margin and may come to a pus-filled head.
A chalazion is a lump that develops when one of the oil (meibomian) glands in the eyelid becomes blocked and the trapped oil causes a firm, usually painless swelling. A chalazion sometimes follows a stye that has settled. Both conditions are common and usually affect just one eyelid at a time. They are seen across all ages in Singapore and are generally not serious.
Symptoms & signs
The features depend on whether the lump is an infected stye or a blocked-gland chalazion:
- A localised lump on the upper or lower eyelid
- For a stye: pain, tenderness, redness and sometimes a small yellow pus point
- For a chalazion: a firmer, usually painless lump that may slowly enlarge
- Watering of the eye and a gritty or irritated feeling
- Mild swelling of the affected eyelid
- Blurred vision only if a large chalazion presses on the eye
Causes & risk factors
Styes are caused by infection of an eyelash follicle or eyelid gland, while chalazia result from a blocked oil gland. Several things make them more likely:
- Blepharitis (chronic inflammation of the eyelid margins)
- Rosacea and other skin conditions affecting oil glands
- Touching or rubbing the eyes with unwashed hands
- Leaving eye make-up on overnight or using old eye cosmetics
- Sleeping in contact lenses or poor lens hygiene
- Previous styes or chalazia, which can recur
How it's diagnosed
Styes and chalazia are usually diagnosed by examination alone. A GP or eye doctor can recognise them from the appearance and location of the lump and by asking about how quickly it appeared and whether it is painful.
No tests are normally needed. If a lump keeps recurring in the same spot, is unusually firm or distorts the eyelid, an eye specialist may examine it more closely to make sure it is not a different type of eyelid growth. A swab is only occasionally taken if infection is severe or not settling.
Treatment options
Most styes and many chalazia clear up with simple home care:
- Warm compresses – a clean warm cloth held over the closed eye for several minutes, a few times a day, to encourage drainage
- Lid hygiene – gentle cleaning of the lid margins and avoiding eye make-up or contact lenses until it settles
- Avoid squeezing or trying to pop the lump, which can spread infection
If a stye is infected and spreading, a doctor may prescribe antibiotic ointment or, less commonly, oral antibiotics. A chalazion that does not resolve after several weeks of warm compresses may be treated with a steroid injection or a minor procedure (incision and curettage) to drain it, usually done by an eye specialist under local anaesthetic. The cost of a minor in-clinic eyelid procedure in the private sector varies by clinic and is typically modest compared with major surgery; ask the clinic for its current fees, as this is generally an outpatient treatment without a fixed published price.
When to see a doctor & which specialist
See a doctor if a stye is very painful, is not improving after a week or two of warm compresses, keeps coming back, affects your vision, or if you develop a persistent firm chalazion that does not settle. An eye specialist (ophthalmologist) can drain a stubborn chalazion and check any unusual eyelid lump.
Seek urgent medical care – go to A&E if the redness and swelling spread across the whole eyelid or onto the cheek, the eye becomes painful to move, vision changes, or you develop a fever. These can be signs of orbital cellulitis, a deeper infection around the eye that needs immediate treatment; call 995 if you are very unwell.
For assessment of a persistent or recurrent eyelid lump, find a specialist through our directory of eye specialists in Singapore.
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Sources
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