Chalazion Excision and Drainage

Important information:

What is a chalazion?

A chalazion is a blocked oil gland, called the meibomian gland, on the inside of the eyelid that shows on the outside as a bump. If other treatments like warm compresses and antibiotic ointment do not work, your healthcare provider may recommend a procedure to drain the chalazion.

The surgery

Your child will be asleep during chalazion surgery. The procedure is short. The total time depends on if there is more than one chalazion to drain and includes the time it takes for anesthesia.

The surgeon begins by numbing the eyelid and then making a small incision in the bump on the inside of the eyelid. Your child won't have a scar on the outside of their eyelid. After the incision is made, the contents of the chalazion are removed. Usually, no stitches are required. An antibiotic ointment is placed into the eye to help the healing process. In some cases, a pressure dressing may be placed over the eye to prevent swelling. If your child does have a pressure dressing over their eye, you can remove it at home. 

What to expect after the surgery

Right after eye surgery your child may feel some nausea due to the anesthesia. In the recovery area, intravenous (IV) fluid and medicine are given to help your child feel better. Once your child is in the recovery area, they may drink clear liquids. 

Your child may have bruising from the procedure. They may have blurry vision from the ointment that is placed in the eye. This usually resolves quickly.

Instructions for care after the surgery:

• At home, slowly return to your child’s normal diet. 

• Gentle eye rubbing after surgery is expected and okay. Please distract your child from rubbing their eye too roughly or too often. Please make sure that your child’s hands are clean. 

• Please call the Ophthalmology office at 215-590-2791 if your team instructs you to make a follow-up appointment.

Medicines

• Your child may be prescribed an antibiotic ointment to place in the eye to prevent infection. Your team will teach you how to use the medicine and how often to do so. 

• Although rarely needed, if your child has pain after surgery, please choose one of the following options: 

  • Give acetaminophen, known by the brand names Tylenol®, Tempra® or Panadol®, every 4 hours as needed.

  • Give ibuprofen, also called Motrin® or Advil®, every 6 hours as needed. Follow the dosage instructions on the bottle.

  • If pain is not controlled with one medicine, you can alternate acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Write down the times that you give each medicine. You do not want to give too much of either medicine.

Preventing infection

• To prevent infection:

  • Use a clean washcloth to wash your child’s face

  • Do not play with play in sand or dirt or with glitter for 1 week

  • No swimming or hot tubs for 2 weeks

• There are NO other activity restrictions. Your child may bathe as usual, return to sports and school as soon as they are feeling well.

Contact your CHOP healthcare team with questions, concerns or if your child has:

• Pain that is not relieved by acetaminophen or ibuprofen 

• Fever greater than 101.3° Fahrenheit or 38.5° Celsius taken under the arm within 24 hours after surgery 

• Vomiting 2 or more times at home 

• Any excessive swelling or drainage after the first 2 days 

• Worsening eye redness after the first 2 days

Division of Ophthalmology

8:00am-5:00pm, Monday-Friday
215-590-2791

Evenings, weekends, and holidays
215-590-1000, ask the hospital operator for the ophthalmology resident on-call

Non-urgent questions
Send a message through the MyCHOP portal

Reviewed February 2024 by Ivy Kuhn, MSN, CRNP and Machelle Woolston, MSN, MHA, CPN, RN