Eye Conditions Flashcards
What are the roles of eyelids and lashes
- protect the globe (eyeball) from foregin bodies and maintain wet corneal surface
*skin of eyelid is among the thinnest anywhere on the body which allows for mobility of eyelids.
- underneath the skin of the eyelid = loose areolar tissue capable of significant edema and swelling
- under that is orbicularis oculi responsible for closing eyelid
- behind eyelid is tarsus, dense fibrous connective tissue supposting the lid margin

What is a stye?
Description,
signs and symptoms
onset
- Description
- Acute infection of 1 or more eyelid glands (meibomian, Zeis or Moll)
- Signs and symptoms
- Unilateral painful lesion, localized lid swelling, tenderness, erythema
- Onset
- acute (days)
What is chalazion?
Description,
signs and symptoms
onset
- Description
- Sterile, focal, chronic inflammation of the lid
- due to obstructed meibomian gland
- Signs/symptoms
- Non-tender (painless), rubbery nodule, localized lid swelling, often unilateral
- Onset
- Gradual enlargement (days to weeks)
What is Blepharitis?
Description,
signs and symptoms
onset
- Description
- Chronic inflammation of the lid margins
- associated with infection, dermatological conditions or meibomian gland dysfunction
- Signs and symptoms
- Irritated possibly reddened lid margins
- greasy, scaly and/or flaky
- usually bilateral
- Onset:
- Gradual irritation (weeks to months)
Describe the pathophsiology of a stye
- aka hordeolum -> msot common eyelid infection
- bacterial infection of eye lid glands
- most common infecting organism = staphylococcus aureus
- treatment usually just drainage of lesion -> dont nee dot culture
*styles assocaited with blepharitis and acne rosacae have tendency to reoccur
internal vs external stye
- External
- involves glands of zeis or Moll
- smaller more superficial infection
- lesion always points towards skin
- Internal
- larger area of sweeling
- involves meibomian glands
- lesion can point either to skin or to sonjunctival surface
- more porlonged course than external
what are the goals of therapy for stye
Resolve infection
Prevent recurrence
Prevent transmission to other eye or to household contacts
How do you assess patients with hordeolun or chalazion
- if NOT associated with pain, photophobia, vision disturbances, blunt trauma, chemical exposure, imbedded foreign body, heat exposure, eye protrcution are are contract lens wearer
- see if red/irritated eye or if an eye lid problem, if eye lid problem
- see if lid is swollen with nodule
*then probably hordeolum or chalazion
recc self care, needs medial assess is no imporement after 48 h
*chalazion can be assesses if no pain
How do you assess patients with Blepharitis
– symptoms of blepharitis = irritation, photophobia, burning/ itching of lid margins, crust on the eyelashes, and eyelid sticking
- can be foreign bosy sensation in eyes
- sandy/gritty snesation usually worse upon awakening bc during sleep inflamed lids lie against corea, tear secretion dec and inflammatory mediators ahve several hours to act on surface of eye
*if symptoms worsen in evening, liekly dry eye disease

How to prevent a Hordeolum
* use to avoid infecting other eye or ransmitting to other persons
- Avoid touching the eyes; wash the hands after any contact with the infected eye.
- Change compresses, towels and pillowcases after each use.
- Do not share makeup with others.
- Do not wear makeup or contact lenses until the stye resolves.
- Replace eye makeup, contact lenses and contact lens case after stye resolves.
- Do not allow the tip of eye drop bottles or ophthalmic ointments to touch the eye or eyelashes. If this occurs, discard them due to contamination.
*Conscientious attention to treating symptoms of blepharitis may help to decrease the incidence of recurrent stye
non pharmacologic therapy of styes
- external usually drain spontaneously within 48h
- warm compress applied 10-15 min 3-4x/day can help speed up
*dont microwave cloth, risk of burning, just warm water
- after apply warm compres, gently massage eyelid towards lid margin
*hard boiled egg kept in shell retains heat longer -> wrap in thin cloth, can reboil the egg
- can also use bead filled eye masks
what do do once stye drains
- remove excress discharge by cleaning eye lid with warm water and face towel, or cotton swab sipped in diluted baby shampoo
*seek medical advice is external styes dont drain spontaneously in 48h -> may need incision and drainage
how long does it take acute interal styes to resolve
- 1-2 weeks
- warm compress can be used but not clinical trails to demonstrate effectivness of non surigcal innervations for acute internal styes
- seek medical advice if internal sye doesnt resolve in 1 week
What is pharmacologic therapy for a stye
- self medication with non-rx opthalmic antibacterials is not necessary and not recommended bc most drain spontaneously
- if incisiona nd drainage req, an opthalmic antibacterial like erythromycin applied to conjunctival sac several times a day is common to prevent further infection
*neomycin, polymyxin B and framicidin ineffective to provide significant benefit
what is preseptal cellulitis
- infection from stye spead locally
- presents as generalized swelling and redness of eyelid rather than localized leiosn
- requries assessemnt by ophthalmolosist with systemic antibacterials
what is Chalazion
- chalazion = idiopathic, sterile, chronic inflammation of a meibomian gland
- blockage of meibomian gland orifices = stagnation of sebaceous secretions
- lesion develops over a period of weeks and is characterized by painless, localized swelling
- most point towards conjunctival surface, causing cunjunctival redness and swelling
Who is more prone to Chalazia
- risk factors = smoking, gastritis and IBS
- more common in poeple with blepharitis, acne rosacae or seborrheic dematitis
- these pateints at greater risk of developing multiple or recurring chalazia
- if recurring, require evaluation for more serious condition like meibomian gland carcinoma
initial symptoms of chalazion
localized eyelid swelling, red lesion/nodule may resemble a stye without the acute inflammatory signs (pain, tenderness)
- can be dsitibusihed from styes by lack of pain
- large chalazion may press on eyeball and cause astigmatism or visual distortion
Goals of therapy
Resolve lesion
prevent recurrence
How to rpevent chalazion
- Encourage patients who have recurrent chalazia associated with blepharitis to maintain good lid hygiene
- if have acne rosacea or seborrheic dermatitis to adhere to treatment of those conditions, bc adhereance will decrease lieklihood of blocking meibomian glands and exacerbating chalazia
- encourage and support smoking sensation
non pharmacologic therapy for chalazion
- similar to stye, esp for small lesions
- warm compress applied several times/day -> softens sebacous secretiosn that cna be blocking meibomian grand orifice
*25-50% of lesions resolve with this treatment
- after apply warm compress, gently massage lid towards lid margin
- once drains, remove excess discharge by cleaning lid with warm water, face towel/eyelidwipe/cotton swab and diluted baby shampoo
*further assessment req if lesion does not begin to resolve in few days on initiating warm compress treatment
(immediate referaal if eye pain or impaired vision
Pharmacologic therapy for chalazion
- not result of infection, so self mediaction with non-rx opthalmic antibacterials not recommended
- larger chalazia may req surgical incision, intralesional steriod injection or both
*done by opthalmologist
- when excision req, vertical inciion on conjucntival surface is made, and curettement of gelantinour materal
- can do biposy to rule out malignancy with recurrent chalazia
- topical antibacterials or corticosteriod may be prescribed after surgery to preent infection and dec inflammation



