Cysts on Eye Lids Common?

[CoCoShaunelle]

I have been getting a lot of styes and cysts on my eye lids along my lashes for about 4 years now. More often than not they still solidify even post warm compresses. I have been to a plastic surgeon a few times to have them removed only after I went to 2 opthalmologists only to have a blank stare of confusion. I kept changing my make up thinking that is what caused the problems, but after reading on Dr. Nase's site rosacea sufferers are prone to getting cysts on the eye lid due to clogged glands.

Does anyone know if Oracea could help with this? I was on it for a while but never had serious pimples/postules. Just the intense flushing syndromes. Suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Melissa W]

Hi Shaunelle and welcome.

Clogged lid glands can lead to styes which can become encapsulated and difficult to eradicate without surgery. The best treatment is prevention and this is done by cleansing the lid margins so the glands don't become clogged in the first place. I recommend doing lid scrubs twice a day to help control this. Low dose antibiotic can help as an antiinflammatory but if you don't prevent the glands from becoming clogged in the first place you will still get styes and chalazions.

Best wishes,
Melissa

[CoCoShaunelle]

Hi Shaunelle and welcome.

Clogged lid glands can lead to styes which can become encapsulated and difficult to eradicate without surgery. The best treatment is prevention and this is done by cleansing the lid margins so the glands don't become clogged in the first place. I recommend doing lid scrubs twice a day to help control this. Low dose antibiotic can help as an antiinflammatory but if you don't prevent the glands from becoming clogged in the first place you will still get styes and chalazions.

Best wishes,
Melissa



Thank you for the welcome and the information, Melissa! I remember reading up on getting a qtip and cleaning the eye lid. But when you wear eye liner I suppose the only time I could do that is when I wake up in the morning and before I go to bed. And I do have a terrible habit of not taking off the eye make up prior to bed time! Thanks again!

[Melissa W]

Hi Shaunelle,

That is most likely what is causing the majority of your clogged lid glands.
You need to remove all your eye makeup before bed. And the best time to do lid scrubs is first thing in the AM and right before bedtime in the PM.

If you don't remove all your eye makeup it will clog your glands as you sleep. When you are sleeping you are providing a warm, dark and moist environment which the bacteria thrive on and bam...clogged glands.

You can buy premoistened lid scrubs which make it so easy to cleanse your lids and remove your eyemakeup. Two brands are Ocusoft and Theralid. Good luck.

Best wishes,
Melissa

[LavenderVA]

Hi Shaunelle,

Did your ophthalmologists say anything about infection and prescribe you antibiotic (not an low anti-inflammation dose but an anti-infection dose)? How did you get rid of the styes? Your ophthalmologists did not help at all? Did they say it is an stye(inflammation of an eye-lash follide) or chalazia(inflammationary bump on eyelid)

I got a swollen eye lid with slight redness, and saw my ophthalmologists yesterday. She said it is chalazia and it is cyst in the eyelid. yes it is tender when you touch it. She said it is an infection so she prescribed me,

1. oral azithromycin for 5 days
2. eyedrop Alrex 3 x daily for 2 weeks – weaker steroid eyedrop than tobradex
3. eyedrop Inquix(not sure on spelling) 3 x daily for 2 weeks – antibiotic eyedrop
4. warm compresses 3 x daily for 20 mins each.

She said usually she would prescribe Doxycycline 100mg 2 x daily but cauz I had reaction on tetracycline before so she prescribed A-Zak. I told her I am on Doxy- 50mg x 2 daily prescribed by my derm. She said in this case, you need anti-infection dose so Oracea and low dose Doxy- won’t be effective.

I did some search on internet about styes/chalazia. It says usually stye goes away in a week and chalazia takes months. Didn’t it happen in your case therefore you had to go to cosmetic surgery?

I feel terrible these days – a new breakout on p&ps and this chalazia came out. Oracea did not work on surpressing p&ps after trying for 4 weeks, tried new prescription low dose Doxy- for the pimples but only 2 days, now have to switch to azithromycin for the chalazia.

The good thing is that I stopped Restasis when I found chalazia, so my eyes are not that dry as before and I am happy today – not sure about tomorrow though.

I will be on 3-weeks vacation next week so seems that my vacation will be ruined because of this chalazia things. :-(

I would suggest you to stop using eye make-up fopr a while and do lid-scrubbing as Mellisa suggested. stye/chalazia on Ocular rosacea might be different than stye/chalazia on regular eyes.

Crystal

[LavenderVA]

correction on the anti-infection eyedrop - It is IQUIX. 1.5%(levofloxacin).

I did a search in this forum and seems that nobody has ever used this eyedrop in this forum. Maybe this stye/chalazia problem is not that common, or maybe my doctor's approach is too aggressive.

C.