Styes and Chalazions: How to Tell Them Apart and Get Rid of Them

By Nizam Diveli, registered optometrist and founder of BlinkBetter

A stye is a small, painful, red lump on the edge of the eyelid, usually caused by an infected lash root or tiny gland. It normally clears on its own within about a week. A chalazion is a firm, usually painless lump further inside the lid, caused by a blocked oil gland; it can take weeks to months to settle. Both are helped by warm compresses, and neither should be squeezed.

Not sure what you've got? Try our free eyelid symptom checker. It takes about a minute.

What is a stye?

A stye (sometimes spelt "sty", and called a hordeolum by doctors) is a small, painful lump on or inside the eyelid. The skin around it is often swollen and red, and it can fill with yellow pus. Your eye may be red and watery, but your vision shouldn't be affected (NHS). Styes are common, rarely serious, and usually affect one eye.

What is a chalazion?

A chalazion (also called a meibomian cyst) is a small, oil-filled lump in the eyelid. It forms when one of the tiny oil glands in the lid, the meibomian glands, becomes blocked and the oil builds up behind it (University Hospital Southampton NHS). It tends to feel firm or rubbery, sits a little further back from the lid edge, and is usually not very painful once any early swelling settles.

Stye or chalazion: how to tell the difference

	Stye	Chalazion
Where	At the edge of the lid, near the lashes	Inside the lid, a little back from the edge
How it feels	Sore, tender, red	Firm or rubbery, usually not painful
Pus	Often comes to a yellow head	Usually not
Cause	Infection of a lash root or small gland	A blocked oil (meibomian) gland
How long	Usually around a week	A few weeks to a few months

The NHS notes that if there's no lump and the whole lid is red, swollen and watery, it's more likely to be blepharitis or conjunctivitis, and that a hard lump that isn't very painful is more likely to be a chalazion than a stye (NHS).

What causes them?

Styes are usually caused by a bacterial infection, often from the bacteria that normally live on our skin. Chalazia come from a blocked oil gland, sometimes after a stye has settled.

Both are more likely if you have:

• Blepharitis, inflamed, crusty lid edges
• Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), where the oil glands are already sluggish or blocked
• skin conditions such as rosacea
• eye make-up that isn't fully removed, or old make-up
• a habit of rubbing your eyes, or touching contact lenses without washing your hands

If you keep getting them, it's usually a sign the lid margins need ongoing care, not just the lump in front of you.

How to get rid of a stye at home

Most styes clear by themselves. NHS advice is to (NHS):

1. Use a warm compress. Soak a clean flannel in warm water and hold it against the closed eye for 5 to 10 minutes, 2 to 4 times a day.
2. Don't squeeze it or try to pop it, and don't pull out the lash. This can spread the infection.
3. Keep the area clean. Wash your face and remove eye make-up before bed, and keep your lids and lashes clean.
4. Skip contact lenses and eye make-up until the stye has burst and healed.
5. Take paracetamol or ibuprofen if it's painful (no aspirin for under-16s).
6. Don't share towels or flannels.

How to help a chalazion go down

Chalazia take longer, so patience matters. Hospital eye services usually advise (University Hospital Southampton NHS):

1. Warm compress for 10 to 15 minutes, several times a day. It should be hot but comfortable, never scalding. Re-warm it as it cools; the heat is what softens the trapped oil.
2. Gentle massage straight afterwards. With clean fingers, gently massage over the lump in the direction of the lashes, to help the oil drain out.
3. Keep the lid edge clean once a day. Our step-by-step lid cleaning guide shows how.

It can take a few weeks to a few months to go down. Keeping up the routine afterwards also helps stop new ones forming.

What helps

A flannel works, but it cools in a minute or two, so it's hard to keep it warm for the full time. That's what most people struggle with.

• For warmth: our SelfHeat eye mask is designed to give steady, comfortable warmth for a full session. It heats up on its own, with no microwave, and is single-use, so there's no washing a flannel between goes.
• For keeping lids clean: our BetterScrub eyelid wipes are a UKCA-registered medical device for eyelid hygiene, and useful for keeping the lid margins clear once the stye has settled, especially if you get them often. Use a fresh wipe for each eye.

See the full range in our styes collection.

Treatments a GP or optometrist might suggest

• For a stye that doesn't settle, a GP may drain it with a sterile needle, remove the lash next to it, or refer you to an eye specialist (NHS). Antibiotics aren't usually needed unless the infection is spreading.
• For a chalazion that becomes infected, you may be given a short course of antibiotics. If it's still there after several months of home care, or is affecting your vision, you can be referred to an eyelid clinic. There it can be drained under local anaesthetic (University Hospital Southampton NHS, Moorfields).

When to get help

Get an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111 if (NHS):

• the lump is very painful or swollen
• it affects your vision
• your eye is producing pus
• redness or swelling is spreading across the eyelid or around the eye

See a GP or optometrist if:

• a stye hasn't got better within a few weeks
• a chalazion is getting bigger, more red or more painful
• a lump hasn't gone after about six months (UHS)
• you keep getting lumps in the same place, or a lump looks unusual (for example, bleeding or with lost lashes). This is worth having checked

How to stop styes coming back

• Clean along your lash line daily if you're prone to them, especially if you have blepharitis or MGD.
• Use a short warm compress a few times a week to keep the oil glands flowing.
• Remove all eye make-up every night, and replace mascara and liners regularly.
• Wash your hands before touching your eyes or contact lenses.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a stye last?

Most clear within about a week, sometimes after bursting and draining by themselves. If it's still there after a few weeks, see a GP or optometrist.

Are styes contagious?

Not in the usual sense, but the bacteria can spread. Don't share towels or flannels, and wash your hands after touching the area.

Can I pop a stye?

No. Squeezing or popping a stye can push the infection deeper or spread it. Let warmth do the work.

Is a chalazion dangerous?

Usually not. Most are harmless and settle with home care. A lump that keeps growing, bleeds or keeps coming back in the same spot should be checked.

Can children get styes and chalazia?

Yes, both are common in children. The same warm compress advice applies; just make sure the compress is comfortably warm, not hot.

The short version

A stye is a sore, red lump at the lash line that usually clears within a week. A chalazion is a firm, painless lump inside the lid that takes longer. For both: warm compresses, no squeezing, clean lids. Get help quickly if your vision changes or redness spreads.

This guide is general information, not a diagnosis. If you're worried about your eyes, see an optometrist or GP.