Eyelid lesions are an unfortunate condition that can interfere with an individual’s ability to see and generally invade someone’s quality of life. Removing these eyelid lesions is essential for returning a patient’s life back to normal. Below, we cover eyelid lesions causes and treatment.
There are many different plausible sources for eyelid lesions, and learning which ones might be impacting your own case can give you a stronger chance of treating this condition successfully.
If you are experience benign eyelid lesions or are just interested in learning how to deal with them with eyelid treatment should the problem arise in the future, take a look at this guide, which acts as an overview of the subject.
What Are Eyelid Lesions?
Eyelid Lesions comprise a wide variety of lesions that can arise on the eyelids. The origins of these lesions can come from many different forms of stress. In addition, there are many different forms of treatment that are available for individuals depending on the size and extent of the lesions.
Why Do Eyelid Lesions Develop?
The eyelids contain some of the thinnest skin in the body, and despite this, lift a heavy load in terms of protecting the eyes from fairly intense phenomena. A litany of different causes can make the eyes produce lesions out of stress.
The eyelids have several different layers, and lesions have the potential to develop on any of the layers.
Eyelid Lesions Causes and Treatment
Several different causes give rise to the presence of eyelid lesions. Some of the primary sources of this condition include the following:
- Infection
- Excessive inflammation
- Trauma to the eyes
- Neuroplasticity in the eyes
Eyelid lesions are a relatively common condition that can cause worry about the presence of malignancy in many patients. Fortunately, lesions are noncancerous and represent a much milder issue than malignant tumors. However, making this distinction will be one of the primary tasks of your physician as you head to the clinic for treatment.
Just as there are many sources for eyelid lesions, there are many different treatment methods that can be employed to attempt to get rid of them. Some of the common treatment methods for removing eyelid lesions include:
- Steroid injections
- Excision
- Biopsy
- Topical application of steroids
- Antimicrobials
- Antibiotics
- Oral antibiotics
- Regular cleaning of the eyelids
Your physician will determine the right course of treatment for your particular situation after an evaluation of your medical situation and the nature of the eyelid lesion at hand. The treatment course may involve several of the methods listed above.
Diagnosing Eyelid Lesions
Eyelid lesions are most typically discovered during a routine eye exam by an eye care provider. There are several different types of lesions, including their definition and diagnosis. This includes the following:
- Chalazion
- Pyogenic granuloma
- Verruca vulgaris
- Dermoid cysts
- Seborrheic keratosis
- And many more
The differences between these lesions can oftentimes be easily confused with one another. This is why the discerning eye of an expert specialist is often required to determine exactly what type of lesion is present on the eye. In order to accomplish this, they will ask some clarifying questions regarding the lesion, which may include questions like:
- Duration of the lesion’s presence
- Rate of growth of the lesion
- Relative tenderness, discharge, and bleeding
- Whether the lesion has remained the same size or not
Elements of an Eye Lesion
As stated prior, many subtle indications can help a physician determine the exact type of eyelid lesion present. This includes some of the following elements:
- Size
- Shape
- Anatomical location
- Consistency
- Surface appearance and general color
- Fluctuation
- Transillumination
Once the type of lesion is identified, then your physician may perform additional tests to determine what the right course might be for treatment. This includes some of the following tests:
- CT scans
- MRI scans
- Biopsy
- High-resolution ultrasound
Treating Eyelid Lesions
The treatment method for an eyelid lesion is highly dependent on the type of eyelid lesion that is present, as well as the size of it. Outlined below are some of the common methods of treatment for various types of eyelid lesions:
- Seborrheic keratosis: This type of eyelid lesion is typically treated with excision.
- Epidermal cysts: cysts are typically treated with excision or with a process known as marsupialization
- Adnexal Lesions: These types of lesions are typically treated with hot compresses and antibiotics
There are many other different types of eyelid lesions, and each one demands its own specific type of treatment method. In general, treating eyelid lesions is a relatively non-invasive process with a high chance of success that should not involve additional amounts of surgery.
Complications of Eyelid Lesion Treatment
One of the more common complications that can come with treating eyelid lesions is when a benign eyelid lesion is misdiagnosed as such rather than as a malignant tumor. This can lead to a litany of negative health consequences, stemming from misapplication of treatment techniques, to delaying necessary treatment for the malignant tumor.
In addition, if an eyelid lesion requires excision, it may lightly damage cosmetic elements of the eyes and surrounding area. On top of this, there is some chance that the excision of an eyelid lesion may encounter complications, meaning that further surgical work will be required to achieve aesthetic satisfaction from the patient.
Having a Successful Treatment Procedure
You will likely have a successful treatment procedure if you communicate well with your physician. In addition, taking heed of the following steps and practices can help to ensure that whatever treatment you receive is a success:
- Your physician will likely be concerned if your eyes are prone to developing lesions, and will educate you on the ways to recognize whether an eyelid lesion is transforming from benign to malignant
- Advice in terms of practices to undertake to reduce the possibility of further lesions developing
- Schedule follow-up appointments with your physician to check your eyes for additional lesions
- Possible additional appointment that will be given to additional specialists to determine the state of your eye
Following your physician’s advice at every step of the process is absolutely essential for giving you the highest chance of success of ridding your eyes of lesions.
Preparing for Lesion Removal
Regardless of the exact type of lesion removal treatment that you might engage in. There are a number of steps that one can take to ensure that you will have a safe and successful treatment period. This includes taking the following steps:
- Avoid exposing your eyes to excessive stress or sunlight
- Reduce the amount of alcohol that you imbibe leading up to treatment
- Engage in smoking cessation
- Keeping your eyelids clean and free of debris leading up to treatment
- Get plenty of rest in the weeks leading up to your treatment
In addition, there are steps that one can take on an emotional level to ensure that they are prepared in the case of a cancerous diagnosis. These types of diagnoses always require more tests and can represent possibly life-changing developments in terms of needing to receive consistent medical care.
After Your Procedure
Depending on the specifics of your procedure, you may be advised to undergo further treatment for your eyes, especially if the lesion removal has altered their cosmetic elements.
There are many different procedures that can be employed towards these ends. The primary treatment method will likely be blepharoplasty, a type of eyelid surgery that is apt at changing the aesthetic features of the eye.
If you are interested in receiving a blepharoplasty, you will have to undergo additional consultations with your physician to determine your fitness for surgery. Should you be approved, it could represent an easy way to recover aesthetically from the impact of your lesion removal treatment in a full sense.
Choosing the Right Doctor
Verifying your doctor’s board certification is the most crucial step in ensuring they are qualified to perform the procedure you desire – this is especially true if your physician feels the need to excise the lesion via invasive surgery.
Board-certified individuals are those who have earned certification from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Those who meet these qualifications to practice medicine must follow a stringent set of guidelines that ensure their safe practice.
These requirements consist of, but are not restricted to:
- Obtained a medical degree, and have finished at least six years of surgical training
- Completed a three-year plastic surgery residency program.
- Passing multiple challenging written and oral exams
- Completing medical school at an accredited university.
- Completing the yearly CME requirements
- Provide proof that they have a track record of performing similar procedures successfully
LA’s Best Eyelid Surgeon
Dr. Christopher Zoumalan and his fantastic team are completely dedicated to offering the best cosmetic eyelid surgery in Los Angeles. If you’re interested in receiving a consultation regarding your options in terms of treatment, contact the office of Dr. Zoumalan today to have a discussion.
