Some advice needed: Mild DE with recent development of cyst/ chalazion?

[Stacey247]

Hi All.

This is my very first post, I have browsed the forum a few times over the past few years since being diagnosed with dry eye.

I am am quite lucky this far that my dry eye is mild (27 years of age, female) , but I have noticed it increasing over the past twelve months. I use Systane Ultra Preservative free drops two - three times a day to keep on top of it, I also try to have hot showers to help the steam open my meibomian glands when they sometimes need a nudge.

Unfortunately five days ago I woke up to a sore right eye (more around the socket tenderness) and slight swelling. I thought I may have bumped my cheek bone and bruised it until the day after I awoke to the same feeling only worse with a more puffy eye.

On investigation, pulling my lower lid down, I saw a small yellowish bump, I assumed it was either a stye or blocked gland, so I booked into the optometrist for the next day.

When I saw the Optometrist he let me know that it wasn’t a stye, but did not present as a typical Chalazion either? More so of a “fluid filled cyst with blood vessels running over it” (so a Chalazion?) he also said it was deep and low in the lid. Which. I did notice and that’s why I am also worried because it’s not near enough to the lash line to secrete.

I’ve been attempting hot compresses, which I couldn’t keep hot long enough, so I’m replacement I’ve been steaming over a boiling water bowl with my eyes closed for 10-15 minutes, 3-4 times daily along with lid washes and Systane Preservative free drops when needed as per the Optometrists instruction.

But, unfortunately the cyst just looks like it’s getting bigger and not at all moving toward the lash line to secrete.

I attempted a few times to massage the lid upwards after the hot steams, but I read online and on the forum that massage over the lid/ cornea when the cornea is heated can cause possible corneal warpage/ astigmatisms etc? Which has me too worried to attempt it again. Also that the massaging seemed to not shift it up at all.

I guess all in all I’m worried as the Optometrist let me know that if it does not subside then it will need to be surgically removed, which gives me the worst anxiety! I really don’t want to have to have that done out of fear for some many things, it’s gotten me very upset that I worry about the following things:

- Meibomian gland removal along with the removal of the cyst? If so, wouldn’t this contribute to making my dry eye worse? Less glands can’t be good, especially if they’re permanently gone?

- Scar tissue on the inside of the bottom lid after surgery? If that happens then wouldn’t I be left with foreign body sensation for the rest of time?

- Injury of any kind from the surgery?

I understand most post is long and that compared to others I should not complain! But I do have extreme anxiety when it comes to my eyes because after developing dry eye.

I’m upset with myself for even getting this cyst, I feel like I flooded my eyes with too many vials of drops the day before that may have clogged my gland, or not been washing my lids enough.

Any help or advice on the matter id be so so so grateful! Especially regarding the surgery concerns or even what this thing might be?

I have attached a photo of it and how it looks at the moment if anyone could be so kind to chime in!

Thank you so much in advance!

Stacey xxxx

[Fifi87]

That cyst contains at least 2-3 glands and ducts. How could you get this problem? What caused this?

I have found the followings about the treatment of the cyst: https://www.ouh.nhs.uk/patient-guide...Pchalazion.pdf
First you should take some antibiotic eye drops then warm compresses which may help. Maybe it takes 1-3 months or more to go away.

If its baceuse of inflammation, a stronge anti-inflammatory is Tobradex gel, it's a steroid.
I would use an anti-biotic eyedrop daytime, Tobradex gel for the night, and after 3-5 days I'd begint to try the warm compresses.
Tobradex could have sideeffects, you should decide what kinda anti-inflammatory product you use.
When it doesnt go away, you should consider the OP.

And for MGD I use (not every day)organic castor oil, hexane-free, high-quality. Sometimes a very little amound of Evening primrose oil, but it's very high quality.

For conjunctivis, which I have at the moment I use 40mg hialuronic acid/day internal, and 1 natrium/sodium-hialuronat eyedrop per day. And castor oil every third day.
When it's about conjunctiva inflammation I feel these things are helping, I'm getting better but it takes so much time.

Wish you will be better.

[Fifi87]

Hi Stacey!

I hope you will get better.
I'm still suffering from conjunctivis, but it gets from time to time better.
I'm looking forward hearing from you

[Guest]

Thank you all for your response!

Unfortunately i I had my follow up with the Optometrist today and he does not seem the think it is a Chalazion, but a small tumour, possibly benign.

He has referred me on to an Opthamologist for their opinion and I will be getting two seperate opinions as I always want to be covered with education.

I am very upset and concerned that surgery will ruin the tissues of my conjunctiva and potentially make my deet eye worse or leave me with scar tissue that remains a foreign body sensation forever.

if anyone has any advice I’d be so grateful.

Thank you.

[Fifi87]

They wont operate the conjunctiva, so it wont be affected. I have no idea about scar tissues, the docs will tell you what you should calculate with.
I hope they will let the glands inside. There are about 25 to 40 meibomian glands in the upper eyelid and 20 to 30 in the lower eyelid. I dont think it'd cause any problem when they get 2 out.
Afterwards for healing I'd use 1000mg fish oil/krill oil capsule.
I dont know about how your eyes react to castor oil, but when they like it then you could use a little amount of that. It was also used by the ancient egyptians 3000BC for scar healing (on the cornea/konjunctiva). I dont think it functions when you ahve scar on the lower-eyelid.

[Fifi87]

Hi again Stacey!

And in the future you could write an update on your dry eye problem.
After the surgery you will have to deal with that, if you dont want consequences.
I suffered a year through because of inflammation, and the only thing that caused it was dry eyes.
For 12 years with dry eyes I had absolutely no other problem, just dry eyes. And now I had this eye infection (from the air, from a particle that came to my eye) and other complications can occur sooner or later when you dont do anything about it.

I hope you will get over the OP soon and you will get better.