Sophia Lau, 40, tried to ignore a little bump that was growing on her right upper eyelid, along her lash line. Lau (whose name has been changed for patient confidentiality reasons) thought it was a stye and hoped it would go away on its own.
Many styes, which are much like pimples, do disappear eventually. But Lau's continued to grow in size and discomfort. Eventually, she could not take the pain and discomfort any longer - the growth was now 5mm in diameter - and she turned to Dr Arthur Cheng Chak-kwan, a specialist in ophthalmology at the Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital, for help.
Cheng saw that the stye had become a chalazion, where the inflamed oil gland had become fully blocked and infected. The collection of pus inside the cyst was too much for antibiotics alone to resolve. He had to make an incision to drain the pus and deflate the chalazion. He then gave Lau antibiotic eye drops for day use and an antibiotic ointment for the nighttime.
By the end of the week's course of antibiotics, Lau's eyelid was good as new. But several weeks later, she noticed another little bump emerging on the lower lid. Having learned her lesson with the first stye, Lau made a beeline for Cheng's office.
Cheng was puzzled at the recurrence of the stye. It was evident that the medications were effective in clearing out the stye-causing bacteria. But it was rather unusual for another stye to develop in a different location on the same eye. Nevertheless, Cheng prescribed another course of medication.
Lau was relieved when the bump shrivelled up and disappeared in days. But, again, another popped up a few weeks later, this time on the upper lid of her left eye.