Hordeolum Follow-up

Author: Michael P Ehrenhaus, MD; Chief Editor: Hampton Roy Sr, MD more...

Updated: Feb 15, 2012

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Further Outpatient Care
Deterrence/Prevention
Complications
Prognosis
Patient Education
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References

Further Outpatient Care

Patients should be followed within 2-4 weeks of institution of medical therapy to assess response to therapy and need for surgical incision and curettage.

Try to prevent recurrences by minimizing or eliminating risk factors, such as blepharitis and meibomian gland dysfunction, through daily lid hygiene and warm compresses.

Large lesions of the upper eyelid have been reported to cause decreased vision secondary to induced astigmatism or hyperopia resulting from central corneal flattening.

Hordeola are usually self-limited and spontaneously resolve within 1-2 weeks. The resolution is hastened with the use of warm compresses and lid hygiene.
Internal hordeola may occasionally evolve into chalazia, which may require topical or intralesional steroids or even incision and curettage.^[11]

For excellent patient education resources, visit eMedicine's Eye and Vision Center. Also, see eMedicine's patient education articles Chalazion (Lump in Eyelid) and Sty.

Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Michael P Ehrenhaus, MD Director, Department of Cornea, External Disease & Refractive Surgery, Assistant Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center

Michael P Ehrenhaus, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American College of Surgeons, American Medical Association, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, and Contact Lens Association of Ophthalmologists

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Kirk Alexander Sturridge, MD Staff Physician, Department of Ophthalmology, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Fernando H Murillo-Lopez, MD Senior Surgeon, Unidad Privada de Oftalmologia CEMES

Fernando H Murillo-Lopez, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

Christopher J Rapuano, MD Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University; Director of the Cornea Service, Co-Director of Refractive Surgery Department, Wills Eye Institute

Christopher J Rapuano, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, Contact Lens Association of Ophthalmologists, Cornea Society, Eye Bank Association of America, International Society of Refractive Surgery, and Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology

Disclosure: Allergan Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Allergan Consulting fee Consulting; Alcon Honoraria Speaking and teaching; RPS Ownership interest Other; EyeGate Pharma Consulting fee Consulting; Bausch & Lomb Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Bausch & Lomb Consulting; Merck Honoraria Speaking and teaching

Lance L Brown, OD, MD Ophthalmologist, Affiliated With Freeman Hospital and St John's Hospital, Regional Eye Center, Joplin, Missouri

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Hampton Roy Sr, MD Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Hampton Roy Sr, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American College of Surgeons, and Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

The authors and editors of eMedicine gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous author, George Alexandrakis, MD, to the development and writing of this article.

References

American Academy of Ophthalmology. Eyelids. In: Ophthalmic Pathology and Intraocular Tumors. 4. San Francisco, CA: LEO; 2007-2008.
American Academy of Ophthalmology. Infectious diseases of the external eye: clinical aspects. In: External Disease and Cornea. 8. San Francisco, CA: LEO; 2006-2007.
Destafeno JJ, Kodsi SR, Primack JD. Recurrent Staphylococcus aureus chalazia in hyperimmunoglobulinemia E (Job's) syndrome. Am J Ophthalmol. Dec 2004;138(6):1057-8. [Medline].
Lederman C, Miller M. Hordeola and chalazia. Pediatr Rev. Aug 1999;20(8):283-4. [Medline].
Katowitz WR, Shields CL, Shields JA, Eagle RC Jr, Mulvey LD. Pilomatrixoma of the eyelid simulating a chalazion. J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. Jul-Aug 2003;40(4):247-8. [Medline].
Raskin EM, Speaker MG, Laibson PR. Blepharitis. Infect Dis Clin North Am. Dec 1992;6(4):777-87. [Medline].
Kiratli HK, Akar Y. Multiple recurrent hordeola associated with selective IgM deficiency. J AAPOS. 2001;5(1):60-1. [Medline].
Shields JA, Demirci H, Marr BP, Eagle RC Jr, Shields CL. Sebaceous carcinoma of the eyelids: personal experience with 60 cases. Ophthalmology. Dec 2004;111(12):2151-7. [Medline].
Panicharoen C, Hirunwiwatkul P. Current pattern treatment of hordeolum by ophthalmologists in Thailand. J Med Assoc Thai. Jun 2011;94(6):721-4. [Medline].
Lindsley K, Nichols JJ, Dickersin K. Interventions for acute internal hordeolum. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. Sep 8 2010;CD007742. [Medline].
Hosal BM, Zilelioglu G. Ocular complication of intralesional corticosteroid injection of a chalazion. Eur J Ophthalmol. Nov-Dec 2003;13(9-10):798-9. [Medline].

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Hordeolum Follow-up

Further Outpatient Care

Deterrence/Prevention

Complications

Prognosis

Patient Education