Bumps, which are normally seen on the white part of a person’s eye, are most often very tiny and are a cosmetic annoyance. Sometimes, they can be larger than usual. In fact, they can be so large that the bumps hinder your vision. Most bumps that occur on the eyes are harmless. They tend to grow and shrink by themselves over time. However, there are times that a bump on eye can signal a medical condition that is more serious than expected.

Causes and treatments of bump on eye

1. Pinguecula and pterygia

Causes

• Irritation to the eye by elements such as wind, dust and even the sun can cause pinguecula. Pinguecula is growths that occur in the cornea of the eye. The growth is common and is non-cancerous.
• Ultraviolet light that is released from the sun has the ability to cause pinguecula. If you tend to work with materials that can irritate your eye or even under the sun for a long period of time, then your risk of getting the pinguecula condition is relatively higher than usual. For example, welding for long hours increases your risk for pinguecula.

Symptoms

• The sclera, which is the white part of your eye, has a blood vessel that runs across it. This blood vessel normally doesn’t have bumps. The most evident symptom of pinguecula is the bump that appears on your eye that appears yellowish. The yellowish discoloring or bump appears on the conjunctiva, which is near the cornea. The bump can appear on any side of the eye. However, it mostly appears at the nasal side of the eye. The growth usually appears as a pimple whose size may increase over a period of time.
• Pinguecula in some cases leads to pterygia. These are growths that are wing shaped and are located at the surface of the sclera. This condition, in most cases, causes a problem in the victim’s vision.

Treatments

The treatment for this condition depends on how severe the symptoms you are experiencing are.

• In cases where the pinguecula is mild, one does not require any treatment whatsoever.
• If, at one point, your eye feels like you have a foreign body in it, or when your eye feels dry, the wisest thing to do is to put eye drops meant for lubrication of the eye.
• At times, this condition may cause swelling. Your personal eye doctor may recommend or prescribe a steroid eye drop. You can also be prescribed nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
• In cases where the condition is very severe, your doctor may recommend surgery to have the pinguecula removed. This is because in these severe cases, the condition tends to interfere with one’s vision.

Prevention

Simply protecting your eyes can help in the prevention of pinguecula. It is important that you wear wrap sunglasses and a hat with a wide brim every time you are outside. In case you work with materials that can cause eye irritation causing your eyes to dry out, make it a routine of wearing the proper protective eye wear. Also, lubricate your eyes from time to time with the right lubricating eye drops.

2. Stye and chalazia

Styes and chalazia are lumps that occur along the edge of the eyelids. They can at times be very annoying and even painful. However, they are rarely serious, and most of them will go away on their own without any medication or treatment.

Causes

• Styes are caused by a bacterial infection. The bacterium causing the infection grows in the root of an eyelash. With the infection of a single oil gland inside the eye lid, an internal hordeolum develops.
• A chilazion then forms when there is a blockage in the oil gland that is in the eyelid.

Symptoms

• A stye starts like a red bump which looks like a pimple. This red bump is normally at the edge of the eyelid. As it grows bigger over time, the eyelid swells and becomes very painful, and in some cases, the eye may water.
• A chalazion will start as a firm cyst under the eyelid. It does not hurt. A chalazion rate of growth is slower compared to that of a stye. When chalazia become too large, they may at one point affect your vision.

Treatments

• A stye and a chalazion can be treated at home. You can treat these two eye conditions by applying warm and wet compresses for about 5 to 10 minutes, at least 3 to 6 times every day. This will help the affected area to heal much faster. It also helps unblock the pores that are blocked.
• You can, alternatively, use a treatment that you can buy over the counter. An ointment (such as Stye), solution (such as Lomb Eye Wash and Bausch), or medicated pads (such as Ocusoft Lid Scrub) can help relieve the symptoms.
• You should avoid wearing contact lenses and makeup until the area that was affected heals completely.

Prevention

Practicing proper eyelid hygiene is the most important way to prevent styes. Proper eyelid hygiene means regular eyelid scrubs. This removes harmful germs as well as dead skin, which the harmful bacteria feed on.

3. Other causes

Some other causes of eye bumps are cysts, papilloma and xanthelasma.

When to see a doctor

When you experience a bump in your eye, you should see a doctor under the following circumstances. Make sure to seek the services of a professional eye doctor.

• When you start experiencing vision problems
• When your eye bump does not improve within one to two weeks of self-care
• When it worsens
• When the bumps of your eyelids become very big or very painful.
• In case you experience a blister on your eyelid
• When you have crusting or scaling eyelids,
• When you have red eyelids, and a red eye
• In case you experience a bleeding eye bump
• When a stye comes back soon after you have successfully treated it
• If you are sensitive to light
• If you have excessive tears