Causes of Stye and Chalazia
In most cases, the main cause of styes is a bacterial infection. Based on the type of infection that causes the condition, styes can be divided into two main forms:
– Internal styes occur inside the eyelid and tend to be caused by an infection in the eyelid’s oil-producing gland.
– External styes occur at the base of the eyelash and tend to be caused by an infection of the hair follicle.
Blepharitis, or inflammation of the eyelids, may also lead to a stye. In some cases, a lump may occur as a stye at first and then turn into a chalazion. [4]
Chalazia occur when the one of the oil glands in your eyelid, called Meibomian glands, is blocked. These glands play an important role in moisturizing the eyes. Other possible risk factors for the development of chalazia include viral infections, tuberculosis, seborrheic dermatitis, rosacea, and blepharitis. High cholesterol levels, diabetes, as well as other medical issues would increase the risk of both styes and chalazia. [5]
