Chalazion (from Greek - node, hailstone) is characterized by chronic proliferative inflammation of the eyelid around the meibomian gland, which develops under the condition of blockage of its derivative canal and accumulation of secretions in it. The meibomian glands are located in the very thickness of the cartilage, have a cylindrical structure and open with their outgoing ducts to the inner surface of the eyelid. In any eyelid, there are about 50-70 glands that produce the outer (lipid) layer of the tear film. The role of the meibomian glands is to keep the eyeball moist and prevent tears from evaporating from the surface of the eye.
In ophthalmology, chalazion is considered a widespread pathology. The disease can affect people of absolutely all ages, but is more common among adults in their thirties and fifties.
Ointments
Treatment of chalazion without surgery with drugs is carried out quite often. At the same time, it should be noted that in this situation it is very important to conduct a correct qualified diagnosis, since chalazion can be easily confused with barley in terms of symptoms, but thistwo completely different pathologies. They naturally require completely different therapies.
As a rule, chalazion has a chronic form, and periodically a new inflamed node appears on the eyelid. Therefore, it is necessary to navigate among the existing pharmacological preparations in order to choose the right one in time. Below are the most commonly used ointments for chalazion.
Floxal
"Floxal" - an ointment based on the antibiotic ofloxocin - is used at the initial stage of the disease. This drug is a universal remedy for both chalazion and barley due to its antimicrobial properties, it is non-toxic. The ointment is placed behind the lower eyelid, while the ointment must be applied immediately on both eyes, since the inflammatory process has already started.
Tetracycline ointment
"Tetracycline ointment" is a broad-spectrum antibiotic used in inflammatory processes, infections and bacterial pathologies of the eye. The application of the ointment is carried out both by laying behind the lower eyelid and by lubricating the eyelid from the outside. It should be noted that the above ointments, in addition to the direct treatment of the inflammatory process, can be used as prophylactic agents. However, these ointments should only be used after consultation with your doctor to avoid side effects and clarify contraindications.
Hydrocortisone ointment
"Hydrocortisone ointment" is a drug that promotes the outflow of accumulated secretions fromcapsules (hailstones), relieves inflammation, relieves pain, reduces swelling. At home, the ointment is applied to the lower eyelid and the skin around the affected area after a warming (gauze soaked in warm water) compress. In addition, the ointment can be placed behind the lower eyelid and lightly massaged. For greater effectiveness, the drug is used several times a day for several days. When treating with "Hydrocortisone ointment", you need to remember that it reduces immunity, which, in turn, can lead to fungal and bacterial infections against the background of chalazion. The ointment is contraindicated during pregnancy and lactation.
Ointment Vishnevsky
"Vishnevsky's ointment" (or "balsamic liniment") is an antiseptic drug that has been prescribed by more than one generation of doctors, but does not lose its relevance to this day. The ointment was created on the basis of such a natural component as tar, with the addition of castor oil and xeroform, due to which it has excellent disinfecting properties and promotes the outflow of fluid from the chalazion. The advantages of Vishnevsky Ointment include the fact that it has practically no contraindications and is well tolerated by all age groups.
Ricinoleic emulsion
"Ricinoleic emulsion" is a mild drug, due to the high content of oxygen-containing components, it is recommended for use in chalazion in children. The emulsion helps relieve painsensations, reduce swelling and hyperemia, expand clogged ducts.
Levomikol
"Levomikol" is an antibacterial ointment that contains antibiotics and immunomodulators, so it should be used only as directed by a doctor.
To achieve greater efficiency, the use of the above ointments is recommended to be combined with instillation of eye drops of a similar composition.
Drops
For the treatment of chalazion, doctors prefer to use the following drops:
- antibacterial;
- anti-inflammatory non-steroidal origin;
- corticosteroid (hormonal) drugs.
Let's take a closer look at the drugs used.
Antibacterial
Treatment of chalazion without surgery in children is carried out using Tobrex drops, because they are approved for use even by infants, which mothers really like. The active substance of the drug - tobramycin - effectively eliminates bacteria. Duration of treatment - no more than 2 weeks. 2 drops are instilled into the affected eye, making a four-hour interval.
Floxal drops, which resist the development of fungus and infection and kill pathogenic microbes, are used for 1-2 weeks, 1 drop 2-4 times a day. It is important to remember that contact lenses should not be worn during this time!
Drops "Tsipromed" do not allow microorganisms to multiply and are used for a maximum of 2weeks. Daily (5-8 times a day) you need to use 1-2 drops, but you need to take into account the severity of the chalazion. Only hard lenses are allowed.
Anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal
Drops "Diclofenac" - according to reviews, the most powerful anti-inflammatory drug that should be used for 3 weeks, 1 drop 4-5 times a day. Drops "Indocollir" is forbidden to use for children, women during pregnancy and lactation. Apply these drops 1 drop 3 times a day for a maximum of 4 weeks.
Nevanak drops for the treatment of chalazion in a child and an adult are prescribed both for therapy and for the prevention of eye diseases, especially after surgery. 3 times a day you need to instill 1 drop for 1-3 weeks.
Hormonal
Treatment without surgery of the chalazion of the lower eyelid can also be carried out using the following remedy. Drops "Maxitrol" have 3 active ingredients at once - dexamethasone, polymyxin and neamycin. In the acute form of chalazion, the drug is applied to the eye 2 drops every hour, but after a while the frequency of administration should be reduced to 4-6 times. The duration of the use of drops should be determined only by the attending physician.
Dexamethasone drops 2 drops every hour for acute chalazion, gradually reducing the amount of use to 4-6 times and continuing the course for 2-3 weeks.
After pathogenic microorganisms are eliminated through the use of antibiotics, it is necessary to relieve pain and swelling with anti-inflammatory drops of the non-steroidal group. Hormonal drugs also remove inflammation, swelling, pain and itching in the eye area.
Surgery
To begin with, let's figure out what a chalazion is and whether it needs urgent removal through surgery. A chalazion is a small, pea-sized tumor-like nodule located on the eyelid near the eyelashes. In the people, such a disease is called boil or barley. The difference is that a chalazion is an already advanced form of sebaceous gland disease. The etiology of origin has not been fully identified. There is a blockage of the sebaceous glands, which, when inflamed, cannot break out and harden, bringing some discomfort when blinking the eyelids.
The inflammatory process is almost painless. Should it be removed immediately promptly?
No, you can first treat at home, on your own, with the permission of the doctor, applying warm compresses and doing massage. Make a compress with a soaked napkin in hot water, then it must be applied to the affected area, but so as not to burn yourself. Hold for about a minute. After that, you can rub the tumor with your fingertips. This procedure is done several times during the day. Thus, massage and heat will help the exudate to come out.
How to identify an ailment
Consider the symptoms of the disease. The most important complaints are itching in the eyelid area, swelling, redness of the affected area, possibly someredness of the eye socket, discharge of pus. With spontaneous opening of the chalazion, the dried exudate is covered with a crust on the skin, and if this happened at night, the eyelid is stuck and the eye does not open.
If the chalazion becomes inflamed very often, bringing anxiety, see a specialist to remove it and treat it. Surgical removal occurs by dissecting the inflamed area and scraping the contents. The operation takes place under local anesthesia in a hospital. The operating process takes about 20 minutes. After that, an eye ointment is applied, followed by its use until complete recovery. Anti-inflammatory drops are prescribed in the eyeball. Also, a positive result in the treatment gives the introduction of steroids into the center of the tumor by injection, and the inflammatory process goes away on its own. The prognosis for recovery is favorable and does not require additional measures.
Folk remedies
Treatment of chalazion with folk remedies without surgery gives pretty good results if the pathology is not running. At the same time, correct diagnosis is important, since the chalazion itself is easy for an unprepared person to confuse with barley, and this disease is of a completely different etiology, and the methods of its treatment are different.
Popular among the people means and methods for the treatment of eyelid chalazion (upper) without surgery can be divided into several types.
Washing with herbal infusions. For brewing infusion, herbs such as marshmallow are widely used,medicinal chamomile, cornflower flowers. Before use, such herbal infusions must be carefully filtered to avoid injury to the mucous membrane of the eye with pieces of grass.
Compresses are another effective way to combat the manifestation of chalazion, they improve the outflow of the secret collected in the capsule, have an anti-inflammatory effect, and increase blood circulation. Treatment with compresses is carried out as follows: a gauze swab is abundantly wetted in a filtered solution and applied to the affected area for at least a week. Compresses for the treatment of chalazion in a child and an adult can be done using the following components:
- With herbal infusions such as chamomile, raspberry leaves, calendula, cornflower flowers, parsley and dill.
- Compresses with heated linseed oil have a good anti-inflammatory effect.
- From crushed cabbage leaves, thanks to vitamins and antioxidants, they relieve inflammation well.
- A compress made from a mixture of rye bread, plantain and milk is effective in the presence of pain and reduces inflammation.
- Curd compress with low concentration of boric acid (2%).
Separately, it should be noted the treatment of chalazion with healing aloe juice (or Kalanchoe), which contains a lot of antibacterial and antiseptic agents. Many people share that using fresh juice from washed leaves for a week gives excellent results.
Heating the affected eye with a hot boiled egg or a well-heatedand s alt folded into a tight cloth bag. Patients are advised to carry out such procedures at night, they contribute to the discharge of the secret accumulated in the capsule.
Eating figs brewed in milk twice a day will help in the fight against chalazion in its early stages.
You should first consult your doctor regarding the treatment of chalazion without surgery. Reviews of folk remedies and medications are sometimes contradictory.
