Do you have a white bump on your eyelid? If so, what could be the cause of these bumps? Small dots, spots, cysts and lumps above or below your eyelid could be sties, cholesterol spots, milia cysts or more. If you’ve had small white spots on your upper and lower lid for weeks or months, this article will help you to get rid of them quickly.
White Bump on Eyelid Photos
Sty on the upper eyelid
Milia spots under eye
White spots on your eyelid may well be milias or sties. These usually are painless and small, or sometimes more like pimples, and painful. They are yellow or white because they are generally filled with clear fluid or pus.
What causes white bumps on the eyelid?
Eyelid bumps may be troublesome, since they are so close to your eyes. You don’t want to worry about losing vision. But what causes them, to start with? There are various causes of these bumps. They include:
- Bacterial infection – The most common bacteria to blame are Staphylococcus.
- Poor sloughing of dead cells – This may lead to milia in infants as well as adults.
- Blockage of oil glands – These are abundant on your eyelids, for adequate lubrication.
We will discuss these causes in more detail below.
- Milia spots on the eyelid look like pimples.
These are small white cysts or bumps that can appear on your cheeks, nose or eyelids. They usually appear only in clusters. This condition is much more common in newborn infants and children, but it can affect adults, too.
Milia spots occur when your skin can’t get rid of its dead cells as it should. The cells become trapped under the skin, which results in white bumps on your nose, cheeks or eyelid.
- Sty or white pimple on eyelid
A sty is an oil gland infection found in many eyelids. The cause is usually Staphylococcus bacteria. This infection shows up as a swollen, tender area on your eyelids, and you may also have small, white pus-filled bumps. Sties usually appear on your eyelash line. Rubbing your eyes before you wash your hands may cause a bacterial infection of your eyelids, which may lead to the formation of a sty.
- Makeup-caused small sty on the rim of eyelid
Eye makeup may cause dots on eyes.
Eye infections, including conjunctivitis and pink eye, may leave small white dots on the rim of your eyelid. However, your eye makeup can also cause these little dots. Using old cosmetics or dirty applicators when you apply makeup can cause eye infections.
The makeup can also clog your pores, and you may develop infected cysts on the rim of your eyelid. Be sure you clean off your makeup before you go to bed.
- Small white eyelid bumps after blepharoplasty
If you’ve had surgery on your eyelid, you may develop small white eyelid spots. This can come months or possibly even a year after you have surgery.
New York Oculoplastic Surgeon Dr. Amiya Prasad, MD reports that white cysts on eyelids may be epithelial inclusion cysts. These are milia. The bumps generally form along the lines of the incision.
- Painful white chalazion spots on eyelids
White bumps in your eyelids can also be chalazion. This results when oil glands in the area of the eye become swollen or clogged. The Meibomian gland keeps your eyelashes moisturized, but it can clog at times. When this occurs, you may develop a white bump.
Chalazions begin as painful, small bumps, but the pain will reduce and eventually cease, as the bump gets bigger. They are different than sties because they are caused by blockages, not infection. Chalazions tend to be larger than sties, too. In fact, they may become so large that they cause obstruction or blurry vision.
- White cysts on eyelids from contact lenses
According to MedHealth, if your contacts are contaminated, they can cause eye infections. If your eye is constantly watery, gets a cyst like a pimple inside your eyelid, is painful whenever you blink or is otherwise uncomfortable, the cause may be your contact lenses.
Keeping your contacts clean will clear them of bacteria and other germs. When these get into your eye, they may cause infections that cause the symptoms we just noted.
- Lumps from cholesterol on or under eyelids
Cholesterol lump in eye area
White bumps on the rim of your eyelids, or under them, may be brought on by cholesterol. They appear as small globs of white fat beneath your skin. Cholesterol spots usually begin as a single bump, which will grow. After a while, they develop into clusters.
Although most eyelid bumps aren’t serious, unless they obstruct your vision, they may be unsightly or painful, so you may want to contact your physician or medical eye specialist.
Lower eyelid dots
Some eye symptoms should not be ignored, since they may be signs of cancer. See a physician as soon as you can if you have any of these signs:
- A white bump – not a sty – with no pain
- A white lump or bump that will not go away for months or possibly years
- Itchy eyes
- Dry eyes
- Lumps on the rim of your eyelid that grow
Getting Rid of White Bumps on Eyelids
If you have a troublesome bump on your eye, how can you remove it? Remedies, treatments and cures depend on the underlying cause.
Pimples and sties can be relieved or removed at home, with aloe Vera remedies, warm and cold compresses and other methods of treatment. But you still need to address the underlying conditions. Here are some ways to get rid of a white bump on the eyelid.
- Use proper measures of hygiene. Don’t rub your eyes if your hands aren’t clean. Wash your hands well any time you need to touch your eyes – for example, if you need to put in contact lenses or take them out.
- Don’t share cosmetic products and only use products that haven’t passed their expiration date.
- If you have an infected eyelid, allow it to heal before using cosmetic products on it.
- Chalazions and sties usually heal by themselves, although this may take weeks or months. Applying a warm compress four to six times a day will help the healing process to speed up. Use a warm washcloth to press the eyelids to perform warm compresses.
- Always clean your eyelids with baby shampoo or other gentle types of soap.
- Don’t squeeze or pop a white bump on your eyelid, as this can cause infection. If the bump is already infected, it can make it worse or spread that infection.
- Pre-moistened cleaning pads for eyelids can be used to avoid the development of sties. Do NOT use baby wipes or any other wipes to clean eyelids, other than those that are designed for makeup removal.
- If you are bothered by your eyelid bumps, speak with your physician. She may prescribe medications that can treat problems on the eyelids. Surgery may eventually be required for persistent or serious bumps.
- Antibiotic creams can be used on the advice of your physician, in the treatment of recurrent sties. In rare cases, oral antibiotics can be used to treat chronic sties.
There! Now you know what causes white bumps on your eyelids, and the best ways to get rid of them. If you’re not sure how to rid yourself of these bumps, see a physician first for diagnosis and treatment plans.
Here is a VIDEO with white dots above eyelid.