Lid lumps Flashcards
(106 cards)
What are the two broad groups into which lid lumps can be classified?
- Non-neoplastic lesions of the eyelids
- Neoplastic lesions:
- benign lid tumours
- malignant lid tumours
What are the 4 layers of the eyelid?
- Skin
- Orbicularis
- Tarsal plate
- Conjunctiva

How can the skin on the outer surface of the eyelid be described, and why is this the case?
Particularly thin to allow the eyelid to move freely
What is the orbicularis layer of the eyelid?
Second layer beneath skin; orbital part of orbicularis oculi muscle, thin layer of muscle responsible for closing the eyelids
What is the tarsal plate layer of the eyelid?
Stiff structure, third layer below skin, that acts like skeleton of eyelid giving rigidity and shape
Within which layer of the eyelid are Meibomien glands located?
The tarsal plate
What are Meibomien glands?
Oil-producing glands closely related to the sebaceous glands of the skin. Produce oily materal called Meibom
What is the role of the substance Meibom (produced by Meibomien glands)?
Plays important part in stability of the tear film
What is the conjunctiva in relation to the eyelid?
Fourth and final layer of the eyelid. Thin clear layer, lies over sclera and is reflected onto the inside of the eyelids
What are 5 types of non-neoplastic lid lumps?
- External hordeola (styes)
- Internal hordeola
- Chalazia
- Cysts of Möll and Zeiss (lid cysts)
- Xanthelasmata
What does the lid lump in the image show?

External hordeolum (stye)
What is a stye/ external hordeolum and what causes it?
common, small lid lump that occurs when there is a blockage and infection of a gland of Zeiss - one of the small glands associated with the lash follicle
What is the treatment of external hordeola aka styes?
Pull out the offending lash
What type of lid lump is shown in the image?

Internal hordeolum
What is the commonest acute lid lump?
Internal hordeolum
What is the cause of internal hordeola?
Blockage to the Meibomien glands or glands of Zeiss/ Möll; usually due to chronic lid inflammation e.g. blepharitis
What is the presentation of an internal hordeolum?
Acute, red, swollen, painful lid lump
What is the treatment of internal hordeola? 4 stages
- Usually self-resolve or respond to conservative treatment
- Warm compress
- Topical and/or systemic antibiotics: if frank signs of infection
- rarely, may require incision and drainage, if form an abscess
What do internal hordeola often lead to?
chalazion formation
What is the commonest lid lump (not just acute) seen in clinical practice?
Chalazion
What is a chalazion and what is it caused by?
- non-infective lid lump.
- Meibomien secretions may be secreted from gland into lid itself, these are treated as a foreign body which causes a lipo-granulomatous reaction
- Is a consequence of a hordeolum
How does a chalazion clinically appear?
As a quiet, painless eye with a hard, discrete nodule under the skin of the lid
What type of lid lump is shown in the image?

Chalazion
What are 2 management options for chalazia?
- Usually self-resolve but may take many months
- Incision and curettage (scrape and remove with curette) may be required if persistent (as are unsightly and take too long to resolve)
- under LA for adults, GA for children














