What are the symptoms of a chalazion?

• A. Small red and swollen area forming a painful lump
• B. Small red and swollen area forming a painless, slow-growing lump
• C. Itchy watery eyes with discharge
• D. Sudden severe eye pain with photophobia

Answer: (B)

Chalazion arises when a meibomian gland in the eyelid becomes blocked, triggering a sterile granulomatous inflammatory response. The hallmark feature is a painless, firm lump in the eyelid that grows slowly over weeks. Redness of the lid can be mild, but there is typically little or no acute pain or discharge. Vision is usually unaffected unless the swelling is large enough to press on the视觉 surface or lid margin.

This fits best with a description of a painless, slow-growing lump on the eyelid. In contrast, a painful red lump near the lid margin suggests a stye (infection), itchy watery eyes with discharge points toward conjunctivitis or allergies, and sudden severe eye pain with photophobia indicates an urgent condition such as keratitis or glaucoma. For management, warm compresses and lid hygiene are first-line, with options for persistence or recurrence including incision and drainage or corticosteroid injection, and attention to blepharitis.