What type of mass is caused by eyelashes, cotton fibers, or glove powder?

A granuloma is a type of inflammatory mass that can form when foreign materials, such as eyelashes, cotton fibers, or glove powder, enter the eye or surrounding tissues and provoke an immune response. This occurs because the body recognizes these foreign substances as harmful and attempts to encapsulate them through the formation of a granuloma.

Granulomas consist of clusters of macrophages, which transform into giant cells, and are typically a sign of chronic inflammation. In contrast, other types of masses such as cysts, hematomas, and pterygia are formed through different mechanisms. Cysts are fluid-filled sacs, hematomas are localized collections of blood outside blood vessels resulting from trauma, and pterygia are abnormal growths of tissue on the conjunctiva often caused by environmental factors such as UV light exposure.

Recognizing the characteristics and causes of granulomas enhances the understanding of inflammatory responses in the eye, particularly in relation to foreign body reactions.