Eyelid crease approach for chalazion excision.

Chronic chalazia that predominantly involve the anterior eyelid lamellae are most easily approached through a transcutaneous incision. We describe the use of an eyelid crease incision for chalazia of the upper lid as an alternative to incision directly over the lesion. The technique has been used successfully in 16 patients with anteriorly situated upper eyelid chalazia. The advantages of this technique include excellent exposure with minimal patient discomfort. There is no need for eyelid eversion or compression with a chalazion clamp. The inflamed tissue can be directly inspected and the controlled excision will yield a superior specimen if biopsy is contemplated.