What does the post-treatment look like? | OP for a hailstone

What does the post-treatment look like?

As a follow-up treatment, an antibiotic eye ointment is prescribed, but the patient can apply it himself. The material removed during the procedure is securely packed and sent for histological, i.e. tissue microscopic examination. In this way it can be made sure that it was actually only a hailstone and not another, similar-looking disease.

What risks are to be expected?

Major complications during or after the operation are not expected. Sometimes there may be slight bleeding during the operation or post-operative bleeding, and infection is also possible in principle (but this is also very unlikely due to the antibiotic treatment afterwards). Of course, it cannot be excluded that the eye itself could be injured or that a nerve or the eyelid could be affected.

However, all this is very rare and only of statistical relevance. The removal of a hailstone is therefore a fairly uncomplicated matter and absolutely routine in everyday ophthalmological practice. However, it is not uncommon for a hailstone to reappear after some time, which may then have to be surgically removed again.

Especially if the patient suffers from skin or metabolic diseases, such as acne or diabetes mellitus, the risk of a new chalazion is higher than in the normal population. Swelling of the eyelid and pain immediately after surgery are perfectly normal. Due to the mechanical manipulation during the operation, messenger substances are released in the surrounding tissue, which cause both swelling and pain. This is part of the healing process and to a certain extent a protective mechanism of the body to leave the affected area alone.

Duration of a hailstone

Normally a hailstone heals by itself within a few weeks. An operative treatment is therefore only paid by the health insurance in case of medical necessity. Usually, doctors offer the surgical removal of the hailstone as an individual health service (IGeL), the costs of which the patient must pay for himself. These amount to approximately 50 to 90 Euro per eyelid, depending on the complexity of the operation.