Could anyone tell me what this is?

[Stacey247]

Hi All!

New to the forum here, I have had mild dry eye over the past few years (27 year old female) that has progressed I believe.

I have ave a few questions here as I have developed something in my lower right eyelid that I am concerned about.

I thought it may have been a Chalazion after googling, but my Optometorst doesn’t believe it to be as it doesn’t represent as the usual type as he mentioned. He thinks it deeper within the tissue and possibly a tumour (maybe benign).

With my mild dry eye I’ve experienced foreign body sensation, burning, grittiness. Menthol feeling etc. but usually comes and goes depending on if I go easy on my eyes with computer use and get adequate sleep. I use Flaxseed oil and Systane Ultra Preservative Free drops, but I’m worried I may have overused them daily as a preventative measure that I’ve developed this cyst from overusing them?

I guess I would just like to see if anyone recognises what this cyst might be and if so, given I may have to have it surgically removed, if anyone could chime in with some answers to these questions:

1. Does this look like a Chazalion? Cyst?

2. If I have it removed, do they also remove Meibomian glands? If so, will that effect my dry eye and make it much worse given I’ve got less glands?

3. Would scar tissue on the inside of the eyelid after surgery cause chronic foreign body sensation?

4. Is the surgery safe for my eyesight? / Will surgery on the tissues of my eyelids exacerbate my DES?

Thank you in advance to anyone who can take the time to answer some of my questions.

Photo attached.

thank you Stacey. X

[deep_dry_eye]

I suggest you to consult an ophthalmologist if you suspect it is a tumour. Nobody in this forum is a qualified medical expert to give you advice over the internet.

If it is a Chalazion, it will go away on its own. You can help assist it to go away faster via warm compress and more recently, there's been a lot of success with IPL and Chalazion.

[Guest]

Unfortunately the Optometrist seems to think it may be a tumour or deep cyst, but he said he’s not ruling out a Chazalion so I’ll be heading to The Opthamologist tomorrow and also a second one next week.

i guess I’m just really concerned with the side effects on my dry eye or tissue scarring of my inner eyelids if I was to go through surgery.

Wasn’t sure if anyone had any experience or stories similar.

thank you so much for your reply. Xxx

[Fifi87]

Hi Stacey

I hope the doctors can determine what that really is.
I drinked also flax seed oil, a bit much, but the normal quantity is 2-3ml/day.
After i drank a lot my sebaceous glands became more active, but I had no problem with that. Anyway after a limit no matter how much oil one digests, it can't fully recover one's functions.
But maybe your glands become more active and got inflamed and causes Chalazion, but no one could ever tell you what really happend, because it's cell biology.
I think it'd be logical if first they will treat it as Chalazion, and when it doesnt disappear then they can remove it surgically.
When it's some kinda inflammation why dont they prescribe antibiotics or steroid eyedrop?
When you have dry eyes make sure not to use eyedrops with a preservative called: benzalkonium-chlorid. It worsens the state of dry eye.

[Stacey247]

Thank you very much for the responses!

I am am currently awaiting my first specialist appointment and very nervous.

The Optometrist said he was not going to prescribe drops as he felt no infection was present and it appeared as more of a lesion than Chazalion.

I have been hot steaming, tried massage but the cyst seems to far down from the lash line and I also read massage with a heated cornea after steam or compress can cause corneal warpage?

How can I avoid the Preservative in any drops they give me, does that particular Preservative cause DES permanent damage?

Thank you xx

[Fifi87]

Hi

I used Artelac CL(German) for 14 years, it has a preservative called cetrimid and caused no harm to me. I dont know where you live, but i think you can get Artelac CL.
Now I use Vizol eyedrop, it's preservative-free. I dont know if you can get Vizol, it's made in Croatia.
There should be other preserv-free eye drops. For inflammation I was given Alleopti eyedrop and it also has a preservative-free pack/series.
Here is a study about benzalkonium-chlorid: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5407244/
It induces P2X7 cell death receptor, there are other studies too. Type in google: benzalkonium-chlorid p2x7.

[farmgirl]

My Dr says you can be comfortable with only 60% gland working. If it is a tumor you will need to deal with it regardless.