What Parents Should Know About Bumps Under Eyelids

Does your child have a swollen area or bump under the eyelid? It's most likely something called a stye (also called a hordeolum) or a chalazion. These types of eyelid bumps are common in children. Thankfully, they're rarely serious and they are usually to treat. Here's what parents should know about bumps under the eyelid like styes and chalazia in kids.

What Are Styes and Chalazia?

Our eyelids have hundreds of small oil glands near the eyelashes. These glands help to lubricate the eye. Sometimes they can become blocked or infected, causing a small red bump. The two most common causes of bumps under eyelids in children are:

• Chalazia: When an oil gland becomes blocked, it is called a chalazion. A chalazion tends to look swollen, tender, red, and lumpy, and sometimes it can grow as large as a pea. 
• Styes: When a gland becomes infected, it is called a stye, or hordeolum. The infection is generally caused by staphylococcal bacteria. It produces a red, swollen lump.

Stye and Chalazion Symptoms

While these eyelid bumps are similar, their appearance and symptoms differ. For example, a stye is often smaller than a chalazion, and it's usually located on the edge or the inside of the eyelid, closer to the surface of the eyelid. Styes also tend to be painful, while chalazions usually aren't. 

Chalazion symptoms can include:

• Red bump along the edge of the eyelid at the base of the eyelashes
• Blurry vision (if it is large enough to press on the eyeball)
• Crustiness along the eyelid margin
• Eyelid swelling
• Feeling like something is in your eye
• Light sensitivity
• Scratchy feeling in the eye
• Small pus spot at the center of the bump (like a pimple)
• Tearing in that eye

Stye symptoms can include:

• Bump on the eyelid, sometimes becoming red, swollen, and tender
• An entirely swollen eyelid (rare)

Although most eyelid bumps are mild and harmless, some can indicate a more serious condition. Possible symptoms of a more serious issue include:

• Blisters on the eyelid
• Copious discharge from the eye
• Color change to the white part of the eye
• Eyelids that bleed, get bigger, or become very painful
• Scaly, crusty, or red eyelids
• Sensitivity to even low light
• Trouble seeing
• Very watery eyes

How To Treat Styes and Chalazia in Kids

A health care provider can diagnose a stye or chalazion simply by looking at it. No other tests are necessary unless there is a concern that it's something more serious. These eyelid bumps can also be treated at home.

A chalazion or stye will usually disappear on their own within a few days or weeks, but using warm compresses can speed healing and provide temporary relief from the more irritating symptoms. In the case of a chalazion specifically, warm compresses can loosen the hardened oil and allow it to drain.

To make a warm compress, dip a washcloth in warm water, wring it out, and then have your child apply it to the affected area four to six times a day for 10 to 15 minutes at a time.

When To Call the Doctor for an Eyelid Bump

If your child has been using a warm compress several times a day for two consecutive days and you don't see any improvement, or if symptoms are becoming more severe or spreading to other parts of the face, call a pediatrician or a pediatric ophthalmologist (a children's eye doctor), as further treatment may be necessary.

For example, styes that don't go away on their own may need to be treated with antibiotic eye drops or an antibiotic ointment. If the infection spreads outside the eye, the doctor may advise taking an oral antibiotic pill.

In rare cases, a doctor may need to drain a stye using a small scalpel. Styes normally heal on their own within a few days or so after draining. Call a health care provider if the stye doesn’t go away within one to two weeks after draining.

How To Prevent Eyelid Bumps

The best way to prevent styes and chalazia is by practicing good hygiene. Prevent the spread of bacteria by having your child wash their hands regularly and avoid touching their eyes in general. Neither chalazia nor styes are contagious, so having one should not prevent your child from attending school or being around other kids.