What Is the Connection Between ACCUTANE and CHALAZION?

One interesting self referral I get commonly is a new patient suffering from ACCUTANE (isotretinoin) ocular side effects. Moderate to severe dry eye is the symptom that usually brings the patient in: red eyes, burring eyes, and blurry vision while working behind the computer. Is this you too?

How ACCUTANE Affects Oil Glands

ACCUTANE reduces sebum production throughout your body, including your face. The facial skin is the target organ, but ACCUTANE also has effects on the eyelids that have specialized oil glands MEIBOMIBAN OIL GLANDS. Think of healthy meibomian gland oil - it looks like olive oil. Smooth and silky. For many of my ACCUTANE patients, the meibomian gland oil starts to resemble toothpaste! Thick, sluggish - frankly, not useful for vision! 

Dryness and Gland Obstruction

With ACCUTANE-induced dryness, your tear film loses its oily layer. Tears evaporate more quickly. Your glands compensate by thickening secretions. Those thicker oils are more likely to stick and block the gland openings. Blocked meibomian glands eventually lead to full on localized clogs . . . a CHALAZION.

Managing Eyelid Health on ACCUTANE with MGD CLEANSING SYSTEM

To keep your meibomian glands clear and to prevent clogging and CHALAZION from forming –  ask your dry eye specialist optometrist for a personalized eye care routine. Here is our Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD) Cleansing System:

1) Warm Compress & Massage: Heat is your friend. Use Focused Eye Roll for 30 seconds a day soften and slowly drain debris. Repeat 30 second sessions during the day as needed. Spread the sessions apart so the eyelid skin doesn't become damaged. For upper eyelid, roll down towards the eyelid margin. For lower lid, roll up towards eyelid margin. 

2) Gentle Eyelid Scrub: Add 1 drop of Tea Tree (brown label) or Rosemary (green label) Eyelid & Eyelash Cleansing Oil on Eyelid Margin Scrub Brush. Gently scrub along the eyelid margin to keep an exit site open for debris to drain. The body will want to heal itself. Without an exit site, the debris will likely pop through the eyelid and we don't want that.

3) Foaming Lid Cleanser: Finish the double cleanse Tea Tree (blue label) or SuperGLA (purple label) Eyelid & Eyelash Foaming Cleanser to wash away any drainage material. 

When to Seek Professional Care on ACCUTANE

Use a lighted magnifying mirror and observe your eyelid margins. Do you see little white-ish bumps forming? Are your eyes feeling more dry? If so, you'll want to see an optometrist. Not just a regular optometrist, but a DRY EYE SPECIALIST OPTOMETRIST. They don't cost more, they just have specialized testing equipment and the clinical expertise to offer proper guidance during your ACCUTANE journey. Find a Dry Eye Specialist Optometrist here.

• Find a Dry Eye Specialist Optometrist here
• Read my other blogs about ACCUTANE here

• ACCUTANE eyelid side effects

• ACCUTANE meibomian gland health

• ACCUTANE dry eyes

• eyelid hygiene on ACCUTANE

• warm compress routine

• foaming lid cleanser

• meibomian gland expression

• We Love Eyes ACCUTANE care

• post-ACCUTANE eyelid bumps

• eye doctor ACCUTANE advice