Uveitis Eye Inflammation Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
What To Know About The Types Of Eyelid Bump
There are many types of eyelid bumps, including styes, chalazion, milia, and xanthelasmas. They may look white or red in color but can vary in appearance.
Eyelashes protect the eyes from tiny objects, such as dust, that can irritate the eye. Oil glands around the eyelids help to keep the lashes healthy. If an infection or swelling affects the eyelid, a bump might develop.
This article explores eyelid bumps, symptoms, possible causes, and treatments. It also looks at additional treatments or preventions for styes and chalazion.
Different types of bumps can appear on the eyelid. These include:
The specific symptoms, causes, and treatments for each are detailed below.
Styes are infectious red bumps that can pain and discomfort when touching or palpitating the area. The eyelid bump is edema, an area where fluid gets trapped within the skin. The fluid may cause pus to collect in the middle of the bump, causing swelling.
A stye can irritate the eye, making it feel itchy. It can also cause the edges of the eyelid to become crusty, and a person's eyes may water a lot. Sometimes, the entire eyelid may swell up. A person who has a stye may also be more sensitive to light.
CausesAround 90–95% of styes result from exposure to the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus.
TreatmentApplying a warm compress to the stye can help prevent it from worsening. Doctors can prescribe erythromycin ointment for a person to apply twice a day.
A person can usually treat a stye at home, but they may need to see a doctor if it is especially painful or bothersome. Consider seeking medical advice for a stye that:
Learn how to get rid of stye here.
A chalazion is the most common type of inflammatory eyelid bump. It looks very similar to a stye. However, unlike a stye, the chalazion bump is not infectious.
A chalazion is red and creates a tender, swollen area on the eyelid. It is painful for the first few days but becomes a painless lump.
Chalazia, plural for chalazion, can be deep or superficial. Deep chalazia develop further under the skin of the eyelid, and superficial chalazia grow on the eyelid's surface.
A chalazion can develop without presenting any direct symptoms. However, the eyelid bump may swell up or feel tender. If the lump is particularly large, it may press on the eyeball, causing blurry eyesight. A chalazion can also cause the eyes to water.
CausesBlockage and swelling in the oil glands of the eye cause chalazia, but working out which gland depends on the level of the bump. Deep chalazia results from inflammation in the tarsal meibomian gland, and superficial chalazia results from inflammation in the Zeis gland.
A chalazion occurs due to obstruction and inflammation in the sebaceous glands in the eyelids. These glands produce an oil that helps prevent tears in the eye's surface.
TreatmentPeople can treat a chalazion at home. They should be aware of any changes in the condition and may wish to see a doctor if:
It is not always possible to prevent a chalazion from developing, but cleaning the eyelids regularly and applying a warm compress when symptoms appear might help.
Learn about other causes and treatments for a swollen eyelid here.
Xanthelasmas are yellowish plaques and papules that develop on the eyelids. They feel like soft lumps under the skin of the eyelid. They do not tend to cause any symptoms or complications, but people sometimes seek treatment for cosmetic reasons.
CausesThe primary triggers of xanthelasma are hyperlipidemia, thyroid dysfunction, and diabetes.
Xanthelasmas occurs when fatty deposits accumulate on the eyelids. The excess fat in this area may result from indirect causes, such as physiological states and systemic diseases, including:
TreatmentThere are several methods for treating xanthelasmas, but removing it to prevent it from returning will require treatment from a doctor.
A doctor can offer the following treatments:
Read more about cholesterol and xanthelasma here.
Milia are common white bumps that can grow on the eyelids. They also develop on other body areas, including the forehead, cheeks, and genitals. They are small keratin cysts.
CausesMilia occur when a protein called keratin gets trapped underneath the skin's surface. This can happen for various reasons, including injury and medical conditions.
TreatmentMilia are harmless and do not usually require treatment as they tend to go away on their own. Typically, people with milia do not need to seek treatment unless the bumps impact vision.
Alternatively, a doctor can remove milia surgically.
Learn more about milia under the eyes here.
Home remedies for styes and chalazia include:
The first treatment to try at home is a warm compress. This treatment can help to speed up healing and reduce swelling of an eyelid bump.
To apply a warm compress, a person should:
Additionally, it can help to wash the eyelids regularly using water or diluted baby shampoo.
Sometimes, if the bump becomes infected, people may need antibiotics. These may come in the form of eye drops or ointment. If the infection spreads, a person might need to take antibiotic medication by mouth.
A person with a chalazion or stye should not touch the area too much. It is usually a good idea to avoid wearing eye makeup or contact lenses until the eyelid bump has healed.
Learn about other eye infections here.
It is not always possible to prevent styes and chalazia, but keeping the eyes clean might help to stop them from forming.
To keep the eyes clean:
It may also help to clean the eyelids themselves. To do so:
Learn how long a stye lasts here.
An eyelid bump can be irritating but is not usually harmful.
There is a range of home remedies a person can use to help treat the cause of an eyelid bump. Alternatively, doctors may recommend topical creams or procedures to safely remove the eyelid bump.
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What You Need To Know About Eye Redness
Now let's explore the different causes of eye redness. For each one, we'll cover what it is, what causes it, and any other additional symptoms to be aware of.
AllergiesAllergies can affect the eyes, leading them to become red and swollen. Other symptoms that you may experience include:
Eye allergy symptoms can also be accompanied by other allergy symptoms, such as sneezing and an itchy, running nose.
Some common allergy triggers include:
Dry eyesTears are made by small glands above the eyes. They work to help protect and lubricate the eyes. You have dry eyes when your eyes don't produce enough tears.
Dry eyes are very common, with studies estimating a prevalence rate of between 5 to 50 percent. The condition is more likely to occur in women, people over the age of 50, and individuals who wear contact lenses.
If you have dry eyes, you may notice that your eyes appear red. Other symptoms include:
ConjunctivitisConjunctivitis happens when the membrane covering the insides of your eyelids and the white part of your eye, called the conjunctiva, becomes inflamed. This condition is also called pink eye.
Inflammation of the conjunctiva causes the whites of your eyes to appear pink or red in color. Some other symptoms that may occur with conjunctivitis are:
Conjunctivitis can have a variety of causes, including:
Conjunctivitis due to a viral or bacterial infection is very contagious. That means that it can easily be spread from one person to another.
BlepharitisBlepharitis is when your eyelids become inflamed. It can cause your eyelids or eyes to appear red and swollen.
Some additional symptoms of blepharitis are:
It's also possible for blepharitis to cause more serious symptoms, particularly if not managed. These can include things like loss of eyelashes, eyelashes that grow in the wrong location, or blurred vision.
Blepharitis can happen if you have high amounts of bacteria on your eyelids. The condition may also develop if oil glands in your eyelids become clogged. A mite infestation can also cause blepharitis in rare cases.
UveitisUveitis is inflammation that happens in the middle part of your eye, called the uvea. The uvea is an area found between the white of your eye and your retina.
Inflammation due to uveitis can lead to eye redness. Additional symptoms to look out for are:
There are a few known causes of uveitis, including:
Getting timely treatment for uveitis is vital. This is because the condition can lead to vision loss if not managed.
ScleritisScleritis is when inflammation affects the white of your eye, which is called the sclera. When this occurs, the white of your eye can become red and swollen. Additional symptoms can be:
The development of scleritis is often associated with an autoimmune disease. Examples include:
It's also possible for scleritis to happen due to an injury to the eye or an eye infection.
Subconjunctival hemorrhageSometimes, a blood vessel in an eye can break, leaking blood on the surface of your eye This is called a subconjunctival hemorrhage.
The condition may look serious, but it's often benign and goes away on its own in 1 to 2 weeks. Typically, the redness in the affected eye is the only symptom, although in some cases, your eye may feel slightly irritated.
However, if you have subconjunctival hemorrhage and your vision is decreased, talk with a doctor.
Some potential causes of subconjunctival hemorrhage are:
You may be more prone to this condition if you're taking blood thinners or have diabetes or hypertension.
Eyelid styeA stye is a blockage of the meibomian gland in the eye that causes inflammation. It can affect the outside or inside of either your upper or lower eyelid.
If you have a stye, the area at the edge of your eyelid can become red, swollen, and painful. The affected area may fill with meibum (due to the blocked gland) and can potentially grow to the size of a pea.
Angle-closure glaucomaGlaucoma is a condition where the pressure in your eye increases due to the eye producing more fluid than the normal rate. This can damage your optic nerve, potentially leading to vision loss.
There are different types of glaucoma. In one type, called angle-closure glaucoma, a rapid increase in eye pressure occurs. You may also see this type of glaucoma called closed-angle glaucoma or narrow-angle glaucoma.
The symptoms of angle-closure glaucoma come on suddenly and may include eye redness. Other symptoms to be aware of are:
Angle-closure glaucoma happens when your iris blocks the area through which eye fluid drains. Fluid begins building up in the eye, leading to a rapid increase in eye pressure. This type of glaucoma is an emergency and can lead to vision loss if you don't seek treatment right away.
Corneal ulcersCorneal ulcers are ulcers, or sores, that affect the outer part of your eye, which is called the cornea. This condition is also called keratitis.
In addition to red eyes, other symptoms of a corneal ulcer are:
There are several things that can cause corneal ulcers to develop:
It's important to seek timely medical attention if you have symptoms of a corneal ulcer. If not managed, this condition can permanently damage your vision.
InjurySustaining an injury that affects your eye may cause it to become red, often due to irritation or bleeding. Other symptoms that may occur with an eye injury are:
A few examples of common sources of eye injuries include:
Individuals who wear contact lenses have to touch their eyes and the surrounding area more often than those who don't wear contact lenses. As such, they're at an increased risk of eye redness due to a variety of factors. Some of these include:
In addition to eye redness, some symptoms of complications related to contact lenses are:
If you wear contact lenses and have any of the symptoms above, remove your contacts for a few hours. If your symptoms continue or become worse, contact an eye doctor.
Additional causes of eye rednessIn addition to the causes discussed above, some further causes of eye redness include:
Castor Oil May Have Potential As A Natural Treatment For Dry Eye Disease
Dry eye disease is a common condition that can cause inflammation in the eyes. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), it affects approximately 20 million people in the U.S.
While there are some treatments available for dry eye disease, researchers from the University of Auckland were curious if a natural remedy could be effective. They conducted a pilot study where participants applied castor oil to their eyelids, which proved beneficial for the participants.
The researchers are conducting another study to see if they can enhance those benefits further by mixing castor oil with mānuka and kanuka oils.
Further information about the current trial is available via the University of Auckland.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) says that dry eye disease can occur for a number of reasons, including disease, environmental factors, and allergies.
A disease called is a common culprit as it causes inflammation that leads to a thickening of the and flaking and crusting of the eyelids. This contributes to developing dry eyes.
Some signs and symptoms of dry eye disease include:
The disease is more common in people ages 50 and older, particularly in women. Women undergoing menopause are more at risk for dry eye disease since the hormone changes can lead to changes in the tear film of the eyes.
Some treatments available for dry eye disease include over-the-counter remedies such as artificial tears and nighttime lubricants. Additionally, research has shown that some people may improve the quality of their tears but not the quantity by taking vitamin A. There may be a role for omega-3 supplements, particularly in those with low dietary intake, but evidence from a systematic review concluded that the results of trials were inconsistent.
Doctors may prescribe eye drops such as cyclosporine (Restasis) or lifitegrast (Xiidra), which have an anti-inflammatory effect.
is a vegetable oil made from a plant called Ricinus communis and works as a laxative and a natural treatment for some skin conditions such as acne.
According to the National Institutes of Health, castor oil can enhance the "smoothness and softening" of the skin and can also promote "an increase in healthy pores and skin tissue through moisturizing, hydrating, and cleansing."
With those benefits in mind, the study researchers wanted to see whether castor oil could be beneficial for treating dry eye disease.
The scientists recruited 26 people with the disease caused by blepharitis to participate in the trial. In order to be eligible for the study, the participants could not have had ocular surgery in the past three months, they could not wear contacts during the study, and they had to agree to discontinue the use of any lid hygiene products.
At the beginning of the trial, participants completed questionnaires that assessed their symptoms and participated in eye exams. After these assessments, the scientists instructed the participants to apply castor oil to their bottom and top eyelids in the morning and at night for four weeks.
After the 4-week period was over, the researchers assessed the participants again to see whether there were any improvements in their symptoms.
Using castor oil as a treatment for dry eye disease showed promise during the month-long trial.
By the end of the trial period, participants saw an overall improvement in their dry eye symptoms.
Some benefits the participants experienced included lessened crusting around the eyelashes and improvement in the eyelid thickening.
The latter is especially significant since that is a hallmark of blepharitis. Any reduction in the eyelid thickening will lead to improvement of other symptoms associated with it as well.
Trial participants also did not have as much redness on their eyelids when they completed four weeks of the castor oil treatment.
"Castor oil has been proposed as a natural product that could offer a safe, effective and easy-to-use alternative to existing therapies," says study investigator Professor Jennifer Craig.
"My hope is this study will produce evidence-based guidance for clinicians with regard to offering castor oil as a possible management option for patients suffering from blepharitis," continues Prof. Craig.
Dr. Cory Bovenzi, a facial plastic surgeon at Smith Cosmetic Surgery based in Denver, Colorado, weighed in on the castor oil trial for Medical News Today. Dr. Bovenzi often treats people with dry eye disease, including performing surgery on the eyelids when necessary.
"Castor oil has a number of properties that may make it a good candidate for treating dry eye disease," Dr. Bovenzi told MNT. "It acts as an emollient (moisturizing agent) that has a long-lasting effect that may have a longer duration than the current eye drops on the market."
"It also has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects that may help decrease the amount of microbes that can block or inflame the meibomian glands which normally lubricate the eyes," Dr. Bovenzi continued.
Dr. Bovenzi thinks that castor oil has the potential to be a cheaper alternative to other treatments for dry eye disease.
"Using castor oil to treat dry eye disease may give more long-lasting and substantial relief to patients who suffer from this condition compared to current treatments available," said Dr. Bovenzi. "It has been shown to be a safe treatment for other medical applications, and it is promising to see these preliminary reports about another potential use for this relatively cheap and safe treatment option."
Dr. Bovenzi advises people who have dry eye symptoms to consult their doctors since sometimes it can be a result of an autoimmune disease such as Sjogren's syndrome.
Since Sjogren's syndrome can cause vision problems and peripheral neuropathy if it is not properly treated, it is best to consult with a healthcare professional before trying natural remedies to avoid causing long-term damage.
Dr. Margaret Wang French also spoke with MNT about the trial. Dr. Wang French is an assistant professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas and is board certified in ophthalmology.
"Their initial study of 26 patients did show improvement in blepharitis, a disease that can cause evaporative dry eye disease," commented Dr. Wang French. "However, this small pilot study was done without controls or randomization, so they are in the process of studying their hypothesis in a randomized controlled trial — a golden standard for meaningful medical research."
Dr. Wang French also noted that patients should work with their doctors on a treatment plan.
"Each patient should have a tailored regimen, depending on their subjective issues and objective findings with their dry eye specialist," noted Dr. Wang French. "Consistency and patience with therapy are the two characteristics that have helped my patients the most."
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