Benign lumps

Most of the lumps and bumps around the eye are not serious. They may affect all ages, and most often look quite unlike the skin cancers mentioned elsewhere. Some lumps may disappear by themselves, whilst others will not. The inocuous lumps can start in all of the tissues within the eyelid. The skin can harbour warts and cysts, whilst deeper tissues can also be the precise location of cysts. Uncommonly benign looking lumps may in fact be more serious, and if in doubt you are encouraged to get it seen to.

Removal of the lumps is as a rule done with simple local injection aneasthesia, and can be done as a "minor operation". Admission to hospital either as a daycase or inpatient is not necessary. Several techniques can be used to remove these lesions, depending on the exact site of involvement.

A little rodent ulcer in a young patient. The ulcer and some surrounding tissue needs removing.

A significant lower eyelid rodent ulcer. A big part of the eyelid will need removing for a cure.

A squamous cell carcinoma is a more malignant tumour that needs more extensive surgery for a cure.