Most of these lesions can be curetted or excised in the treatment room of the clinic and do not need admission for the procedure.
This is a diagram of the lower eyelid showing normal Meibomian glands in grey. When the opening of these glands get blocked a meibomian cyst or chalazion develops (pink). This chalazion is treated by a procedure called “Incision and curettage”. After injecting local anaesthetic into the eyelid, a clamp is inserted on the lid, the lid everted and the cyst is incised and cleaned from the undersurface of the eyelid. A patch will then need to be worn for about 6 hours. Following removal of the patch, you will need to apply an antibiotic ointment for 5 days.
If there is a benign growth on the eyelid or periocular skin then an excision biopsy is performed. The area of the eyelid or periocular Region is numbed with a local anaesthetic and the lesion is then excised or removed. Sometimes sutures may be required. I offer to send the excised specimen for histological examination, i.e. a Pathologist looks at the specimen that was excised, under the microscope to ascertain it’s diagnosis and to make sure that there are no signs of malignancy. This attracts an additional charge. Some patients decide not to have the specimens looked at by a pathologist if the lesion is almost certain to be benign by its behaviour and clinical appearance.
https://www.bopss.co.uk/public-information/common-conditions/eyelid-cysts/
It’s natural to feel anxious when it comes to treatment and surgical procedures especially in relation to your eyes. I encourage you to ask questions about your condition, so I can help you to be better informed of your condition, the treatment options available and allay any fears that you may have. During the consultation I will explain the procedures to you and help you to make positive choices, and remember there is always the option of doing nothing, so you have nothing to worry about.
