Common risk factors for hordeolum?

• A. Regular exercise and hydration.
• B. Previous stye, blepharitis, skin conditions, diabetes, hormonal changes.
• C. High-sodium diet.
• D. Injury to the cornea.

Answer: (B)

Hordeolum risk factors center on conditions that disrupt the eyelid margin, gland drainage, or immune defense. A prior stye shows a tendency for recurrent infection and ongoing gland vulnerability. Blepharitis keeps the eyelid margins inflamed and chronically colonized by bacteria, making new infections more likely. Skin conditions affecting the eyelid skin, such as dermatitis or rosacea, further disrupt the lid barrier and promote bacterial invasion. Diabetes impairs immune function and healing, increasing susceptibility to infections like a hordeolum. Hormonal changes can alter meibomian gland secretions and duct function, leading to blockage and stasis that predispose to infection. Together, these factors explain why this set of risk factors is most linked to developing a hordeolum, which is typically caused by Staphylococcus aureus.

The other options don’t describe factors that specifically raise the risk of an eyelid gland infection: regular exercise and hydration are general health factors; a high-sodium diet has no direct link to hordeolum risk; injury to the cornea affects the corneal surface rather than the eyelid glands.