Chalazion Treatment: Causes, Removal, and Surgery

Medically reviewed by Dr. Y. Shira Kresch, OD, MS

A chalazion is a firm, usually painless lump in the eyelid caused by a blocked Meibomian (oil) gland. Unlike a stye, it isn’t an active infection — it’s a slow buildup of trapped oil that can linger for weeks or months. This page is part of our stye & chalazion treatment guide.

What Is a Chalazion?

Your eyelids contain rows of Meibomian glands that secrete oil into your tear film. When one becomes blocked, the oil backs up and the body walls it off, forming a firm, round nodule in the middle of the eyelid. A chalazion is typically painless (though it can be tender if inflamed), and it often develops after a stye that didn’t fully resolve. Large chalazia can press on the eye and temporarily blur vision.

What Causes a Chalazion?

Chalazia come from the same underlying problem as recurrent styes: poorly draining, inflamed eyelid oil glands. Common drivers include Meibomian Gland Dysfunction, blepharitis and Demodex mites, and ocular rosacea. If you get chalazia repeatedly, treating that underlying gland disease is the key to stopping them.

Chalazion Treatment

Warm compresses and gland expression

Early on, frequent warm compresses plus in-office expression of the blocked gland can release the trapped oil and resolve a chalazion without a procedure.

IPL and radiofrequency

IPL and radiofrequency heat and clear the blocked Meibomian glands, reduce inflammation, and treat the gland dysfunction that caused the chalazion in the first place — which is why they both help resolve a current chalazion and prevent the next one.

Chalazion removal and surgery

A chalazion that won’t clear with conservative care can be treated with a quick in-office procedure — either a small steroid injection to shrink it, or a minor incision and drainage (incision and curettage). Both are done under local anesthesia and take only a few minutes. We’ll always try to resolve a chalazion and prevent recurrence before recommending surgery.

Stopping Chalazia from Coming Back

A single chalazion can be drained — but if the underlying gland disease isn’t treated, another one usually forms. That’s why our approach pairs removal with treatment of the root cause. See why you keep getting styes and chalazia.

Chalazion or Stye?

Not sure which one you have? Here’s how to tell a chalazion from a stye.

Chalazion Treatment in Southfield, MI

Dr. Shira Kresch treats chalazia — and the gland disease behind them — at the 1-800-Dry-Eyes Specialty Vision Institute, serving Southfield and Metro Detroit.

Schedule an appointment → | Call 1-800-DRY-EYES →

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a chalazion last? A chalazion can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to resolve. Warm compresses and in-office treatment speed things up; without treatment of the underlying gland problem, they often linger or recur.

What’s the difference between a chalazion and a stye? A stye is an acute, red, painful, infected bump usually at the lash line. A chalazion is a firmer, usually painless lump in the body of the eyelid from a blocked oil gland, and it often develops after a stye.

Do chalazia require surgery? Most don’t. Many resolve with warm compresses, gland expression, and treatment of the underlying gland dysfunction. Surgery (a minor incision and drainage) or a steroid injection is reserved for chalazia that don’t respond to conservative care.

Can IPL treat a chalazion? Yes. IPL clears the blocked Meibomian glands and calms the inflammation that causes chalazia, which helps resolve a current chalazion and makes recurrences much less likely.