Q. I have a red, painless bump in my upper eyelid. Should I be worried?

A. It sounds like you may have a chalazion. A chalazion, is a pea-like bump, in your eyelid caused by inflammation of one of the small oil-producing glands (meibomian glands) located in the upper and lower eyelids.

When a chalazion is small, it may disappear without treatment. If the chalazion is large, it can often cause blurred vision.

Many patients confuse a chalazion with a stye, which also appears as a lump in the eyelid. However, a stye is usually sore and chalazions are often painless.

I would recommend that you contact your eye doctor for an official diagnosis. As far as treatment at home, you can try warm compresses on your eye for a few minutes, 3 or 4 times a day.

If the at home treatment doesn’t work, medical treatment may include antibiotics, steroid drops, injections or surgical drainage.

Chalazions usually respond well to treatment, although some people are prone to recurrences and may require continuing treatment.