What are the main symptoms of a stye infection. How long does a stye typically last. What are the most effective home remedies for treating a stye. When should you seek medical attention for a stye.

Understanding Stye Infections: An Overview

A stye, also known as a hordeolum, is a common eye condition characterized by a small, painful lump on or inside the eyelid. These infections are typically caused by bacteria, most commonly Staphylococcus, which can be found naturally in the nose and transferred to the eye area through touch. While styes can be uncomfortable, they are generally harmless and often resolve on their own within a week.

Recognizing the Symptoms of a Stye

Identifying a stye early can help in managing its symptoms and preventing complications. The primary signs of a stye include:

• A painful, red lump on the eyelid or along the lash line
• Swelling of the affected eyelid
• Tenderness and discomfort when blinking
• Watery eyes
• A feeling of grittiness or irritation in the eye

In some cases, you may notice a small yellow spot at the center of the lump, indicating the presence of pus. It’s important to note that while styes can be uncomfortable, they typically do not affect vision.

External vs. Internal Styes

Styes can be classified into two main types:

1. External styes: These develop along the edge of the eyelid and are often more visible and painful. They may eventually form a yellow, pus-filled spot.
2. Internal styes: These occur on the inner surface of the eyelid and are usually less painful but can cause more generalized swelling.

Causes and Risk Factors for Stye Development

Understanding the causes of styes can help in preventing their occurrence. Styes typically form when oil glands or hair follicles in the eyelid become clogged and infected. Common causes include:

• Poor hygiene, such as not washing hands before touching the eyes
• Using contaminated or expired eye makeup
• Leaving eye makeup on overnight
• Chronic blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelids)
• Hormonal changes
• Stress and lack of sleep

Individuals with certain medical conditions, such as diabetes or rosacea, may be at a higher risk of developing styes. Additionally, those who have had styes in the past are more likely to experience recurrent infections.

Effective Home Remedies for Treating Styes

While styes often resolve on their own, several home remedies can help alleviate symptoms and promote faster healing:

1. Warm Compresses

Applying a warm compress is one of the most effective treatments for a stye. Here’s how to do it:

1. Soak a clean cloth in warm water
2. Gently press the cloth against the affected eye for 10-15 minutes
3. Repeat this process 3-4 times daily

The warmth helps increase blood circulation to the area, which can speed up the healing process and encourage the stye to drain naturally.

2. Gentle Massage

After applying a warm compress, gently massaging the affected area can help promote drainage. Use clean hands and be careful not to apply too much pressure.

3. Proper Hygiene

Maintaining good eye hygiene is crucial for treating and preventing styes:

• Wash your hands thoroughly before touching your eyes
• Remove eye makeup before bed
• Replace eye makeup regularly, especially after having a stye
• Clean your eyelids daily with a mild, tear-free baby shampoo

4. Over-the-Counter Pain Relief

If the stye is causing significant discomfort, over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help manage pain and reduce inflammation.

When to Seek Medical Attention for a Stye

While most styes resolve without medical intervention, there are instances where professional help may be necessary. Consider seeing a healthcare provider if:

• The stye persists for more than two weeks
• The pain becomes severe or spreads to other parts of your face
• Your vision becomes affected
• The stye is accompanied by fever or chills
• You experience recurrent styes

In these cases, a doctor may prescribe topical or oral antibiotics to treat the infection. In rare instances, surgical drainage may be necessary for particularly large or persistent styes.

Preventing Stye Infections: Tips for Healthy Eyes

Prevention is always better than cure when it comes to eye health. Here are some strategies to reduce your risk of developing styes:

• Practice good hand hygiene, especially before touching your eyes or applying makeup
• Avoid sharing towels, washcloths, or eye makeup with others
• Replace eye makeup every 3-6 months
• Remove eye makeup before going to bed
• Clean your eyelids regularly with a gentle, tear-free cleanser
• If you wear contact lenses, follow proper hygiene and replacement schedules
• Manage underlying conditions like blepharitis or rosacea

By incorporating these habits into your daily routine, you can significantly reduce your risk of developing styes and maintain overall eye health.

Understanding the Connection Between Styes and Other Eye Conditions

While styes are typically isolated incidents, they can sometimes be related to other eye conditions. Understanding these connections can help in managing and preventing recurrent stye infections:

Blepharitis and Styes

Blepharitis, a chronic inflammation of the eyelids, can increase the risk of developing styes. Symptoms of blepharitis include:

• Red, swollen eyelids
• Itchy or burning sensation in the eyes
• Flaky skin around the eyes
• Crusty eyelashes

Managing blepharitis through proper eyelid hygiene and, if necessary, medicated treatments can help reduce the frequency of stye occurrences.

Chalazion vs. Stye

Chalazia are often confused with styes due to their similar appearance. However, there are key differences:

• A chalazion is typically painless, while a stye is usually painful
• Chalazia tend to be larger and can persist for longer periods
• Styes are usually caused by bacterial infections, while chalazia result from blocked oil glands

Understanding these differences can help in determining the appropriate treatment approach.

The Role of Diet and Lifestyle in Stye Prevention

While not directly linked to stye formation, certain lifestyle factors and dietary habits can contribute to overall eye health and potentially reduce the risk of styes:

Nutritional Considerations

A balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals can support eye health. Consider incorporating the following into your diet:

• Omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts)
• Vitamin A (found in carrots, sweet potatoes, and leafy greens)
• Vitamin C (found in citrus fruits, berries, and bell peppers)
• Vitamin E (found in nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils)

Hydration and Eye Health

Staying well-hydrated is crucial for maintaining the natural moisture balance in your eyes. Adequate hydration can help prevent dry eyes, which can sometimes contribute to eye irritation and infection.

Stress Management

Chronic stress can weaken the immune system, potentially making you more susceptible to infections, including styes. Incorporating stress-reduction techniques such as meditation, yoga, or regular exercise can contribute to overall health and potentially reduce the risk of eye infections.

Debunking Common Myths About Styes

There are several misconceptions surrounding styes that can lead to improper treatment or unnecessary worry. Let’s address some common myths:

Myth 1: Styes are contagious

While the bacteria that cause styes can be transferred, styes themselves are not directly contagious. However, practicing good hygiene is still important to prevent the spread of bacteria.

Myth 2: Applying makeup will make a stye worse

While it’s generally recommended to avoid eye makeup when you have a stye, using clean, non-expired makeup shouldn’t worsen the condition. However, it’s best to wait until the stye has healed before resuming makeup use.

Myth 3: Styes always require antibiotics

Most styes resolve on their own without the need for antibiotics. In fact, overuse of antibiotics for minor infections like styes can contribute to antibiotic resistance.

Myth 4: Squeezing a stye will make it heal faster

Attempting to pop or squeeze a stye can actually worsen the infection and potentially spread bacteria to other areas. It’s best to let the stye drain naturally.

By understanding these facts about styes, you can approach their treatment and prevention with greater confidence and effectiveness. Remember, while styes can be uncomfortable, they are generally harmless and manageable with proper care and patience.

Stye | nidirect

A stye is a small, painful lump (cyst) on the inside or outside of the eyelid. Styes are usually caused by a bacterial infection. They usually affect one eye. It’s possible to get them in both eyes or to have more than one stye in the same eye.

Symptoms of a stye

Styes are usually caused by a bacterial infection. Your vision shouldn’t be affected. Doctors sometimes refer to them as infected eyelid cysts.

The main symptoms of a stye include:

• a painful yellow lump on or in the eyelid
• redness of the eye or eyelid
• a watery eye (in some cases)

Styes often get better without treatment, particularly after they burst and release pus.

Don’t try to burst the stye yourself. See your GP if you have a stye that’s very painful with a very swollen eyelid (see below).

Types of stye

There are two general types of stye:

• an external stye – a swelling that develops along the edge of your eyelid – it may turn into a yellow pus-filled spot that’s painful to touch
• an internal stye – a swelling that develops on the inside of your eyelid – it’s usually less painful than an external stye

External styes

A stye on the outside of your eyelid may be caused by an infection of:

• an eyelash follicle – these are small holes in your skin that individual eyelashes grow out of
• the sebaceous (Zeis) gland – this gland is attached to the eyelash follicle and produces an oily substance called sebum, which lubricates the eyelash to prevent it drying out
• the apocrine (Moll) gland – this sweat gland empties into the eyelash follicle and helps prevent the eye drying out

Internal styes

Internal styes can occur when the meibomian glands become infected. These glands are found on the eyelids. They produce an oily liquid that makes up part of the tear film that covers your eye.

If the glands become blocked, a cyst can develop, which can become infected.

Blepharitis

Eyelash follicle infections can sometimes be a complication of blepharitis.

Symptoms of blepharitis include:

• inflamed (red and swollen) eyelids
• burning or sore eyes
• crusty eyelashes
• itchy eyelids

Blepharitis can be a complication of rosacea (a skin condition that mainly affects the face).

Treating a stye

Most styes get better without treatment within one week. In the meantime, the treatments below should help ease your symptoms.

Warm compress

A warm compress is a cloth or flannel warmed with hot water that can be held against the affected eye.

Be careful not to use water that’s too hot, particularly on children. Check the temperature of the cloth using the skin on the back of your hand.

You should:

• hold the warm compress over the affected eye for five to 10 minutes
• gently massage the area
• repeat this three or four times a day until the stye clears up or releases some pus

The warmth of the compress will help the stye to release any pus. This will drain away. After this, your symptoms should quickly improve.

You should also keep the area around your eye clean and free from crusting.

Regularly using warm compresses as part of your daily routine can also help prevent styes forming in the first place.

Painkillers

If your stye is very painful, over-the-counter painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, may help ease the pain.

Always read the manufacturer’s instructions to make sure the medication is suitable for you and that you take the right dose. Don’t give aspirin to children under 16 years of age.

Other eye conditions

If you have another eye condition that’s making your stye worse, your GP may prescribe separate medication for this. They may also recommend a different course of treatment.

For example, if you have:

• conjunctivitis – a short course of antibiotic ointment may be prescribed
• blepharitis – your GP may recommend eye hygiene measures, such as using a cotton bud to clean the rim of your eyelids

Antibiotics aren’t recommended for treating styes. This is because there’s little evidence they’re effective. Styes usually get better on their own.

When to see your GP

See your GP if you’ve tried the above measures and your stye hasn’t got better. 

Don’t try to remove the eyelash or burst the stye yourself.

Your GP may refer you to an ophthalmologist if you have a cyst on the inside of your eyelid that’s particularly large or painful.

The ophthalmologist, a specialist in diagnosing and treating eye conditions, may make an incision (cut) in the cyst to drain out any pus.

Complications of styes are uncommon and they’re rarely serious.

More useful links

• How to use your health services

Help improve this page – send your feedback

Stye eye infections: Symptoms and how to treat them

22 October 2019

Author: Kate Green

A stye is a relatively common eye infection and is usually harmless. Styes are caused by a build-up of the Staphylococcus bacteria which can be found in your nose. It is often transferred when you touch the inside of your nose and then your eyes, causing a stye to develop. Styes are also contagious and so can be spread by touching the stye itself and then not washing your hands before touching other objects.

When the bacteria builds up inside the affected eyelash follicle or gland, it causes it to become inflamed and collect pus. The infection can occur at the base of an eyelash and be visible externally (which is more common), or occur deeper inside the gland, causing an internal bump. If you can see the lump, it will probably look a bit like a boil or a zit with a red or pink colour, often filled with pus. If the stye is internal, however, you might suffer from swelling on the eyelid and some redness, without seeing a pimple-like lump.

How do I know if it’s a stye?

There can sometimes be a bit of confusion when it comes to knowing whether a lump on your eyelid is a stye or not. If the lump is painful, chances are it’s a stye. If it doesn’t hurt when pressed, it could be a chalazion, a small cyst which develops as a result of a blocked oil gland – but shares stye characteristics for the first few days. Chalazia also tend to occur further away from the edge of the eyelid. Styes will always have a lump; if you’re experiencing redness or discomfort without finding a lump in or around your eyelid, you could well be suffering from conjunctivitis or blepharitis instead.

Further symptoms of styes include:

• A hard, painful lump
• Redness and swelling of the eyelid
• Itching, burning and foreign body sensation
• Mucus discharge and crusting around the eyes
• Tearing and blurry vision
• Light sensitivity
• Drooping of the eyelid

Styes tend to reduce in size and disappear after around a week, and will usually go away on their own. If your symptoms persist for longer than two weeks, however, it might be worth getting your eye checked to ensure that it heals properly. Styes also usually only affect one eye but it is possible to have more than one stye in an eye at a time.

What increases my risk of developing a stye?

There are a number of factors which increase your likelihood of developing a stye. They usually pertain to your hygiene habits and lifestyle choices, as well as diet and age. Typically, children and teenagers are more likely to suffer with styes as their oil glands can become blocked more frequently. Children are also generally in closer contact with other children each day, encouraging the spread of styes through Staphylococcus bacteria.

Makeup hygiene has a lot to do with the spread of styes too. Using products after their expiry dates puts you at risk due to the build-up of bacteria. It’s actually recommended that you don’t use mascara for longer than three months due to the risk it poses to your eye health. This comes hand in hand with another stye risk factor: not removing your eye makeup at night. Allowing the makeup to stay in and around your eyes for an extended period – as well as sometimes becoming trapped under the eyelid – provides the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Styes often develop as a result of infected eyelash follicles, and with mascara clinging to your lashes overnight, the risk of infection is even higher.

Contact lens hygiene also plays a part in the development of styes. If contact lenses aren’t properly disinfected before they are put into your eye, they could carry Staphylococcus bacteria, triggering a stye. Similarly, if you don’t wash your hands thoroughly before putting contacts in, it could cause the same problem. Poor nutrition and a lack of sleep can also make you more susceptible to developing styes, lowering your eye’s natural defences against bacteria.

Treatment and prevention

We’ve talked a lot about how to identify a stye and risk factors for developing them, but what are the actual dangers of them? If left untreated, a stye can sometimes progress into a chalazion, a hard lump requiring surgical removal. Styes can also affect eyelash growth and cause eyelid deformation, or occur as a result of blepharitis. This is a condition where the eyelids become inflamed, red and sore, requiring treatment as severe cases can interfere with your vision. Likewise, particularly sore styes can also affect your vision, highlighting even further the need for treatment.

Most styes can be managed at home with a warm compress held against the affected eye. This can help to draw the pus out, speeding up the healing process, while also helping with the pain and swelling. You should do this up to four times a day for between 5-10 minutes for the best results. As tempting as it might be to squeeze the stye to get the pus out, this is something you really shouldn’t do at home. You might cause more damage than good and put yourself at risk of more infections through the open wound. The stye should rupture on its own within a week and, when it does, your symptoms should disappear quite quickly.

Treatment at Optimax

For more serious cases, we have treatment options available at Optimax. We offer eyelid surgery to remove persistent lumps which interfere with your vision. We also offer blepharitis treatment to eliminate crusting and swelling on the eyelids, a condition which, in itself, is often a risk factor for styes.

If you feel that these treatments would benefit you, please get in touch and we can discuss the most suitable options for you. Give us a call on 0800 093 1110 or email us on [email protected] for further information.

Back to Blog

Styes on the eye – treatment, causes and symptoms

• Good to know
• Good to know
• Vision care
• Styes on the eye – treatment, causes and symptoms

900 13 Ask a question

Barley is an active purulent inflammation of the sebaceous glands of the eyelid. The process of its formation is accompanied by severe redness and severe swelling of the eyelid in the initial stages of the disease.
After 2-3 days, the inflammation is localized in a limited area. At the same time, the focus still gives redness, swelling, pain, and also the release of pus.

Causes of barley

The main cause of barley is an introduced infection. Most often this is due to insufficient hand hygiene, so most cases of diagnosing barley occur in children.
Another common reason lately is cosmetic procedures on the eyelashes. So, when building up, various chemical components and tools are used – all this can damage the skin of the eyelids and cause a protective reaction.
There are factors that increase the likelihood of barley. These include a decrease in local immunity on the mucous membranes. This can happen due to microtraumas on the eye or eyelids – microbes can penetrate tissues through them. Scratches are formed when a foreign body gets into the eye.
A decrease in general immunity also weakens the body’s resistance to infections and can lead to, among other things, barley. The fact is that microorganisms are always present on the eyelashes, skin of the eyelid and face. Under normal conditions, they do not manifest themselves, but can be activated with a decrease in the body’s defense mechanisms.
Weakens the immune system diabetes. In patients with this disease, barley can form even without obvious reasons. The fact is that diabetes disrupts local microcirculation in various organs, including the eyes.

If the patient has strong immunity, the body gives a powerful response to the infection and does not allow the development of a full-fledged infection, in which case a chalazion may form on the eyelids. If immunity is undermined, for example, by a cold, chemical exposure, then the inflammation takes place in the violent form of barley – with pain and purulent discharge.

Barley development

Most often, barley occurs in children and young people.
Inflammation begins with swelling of the eyelid, sometimes it is so strong that the patient cannot even open his eyes. On the second third, an abscess is formed, resembling a pimple. It can appear on the outside of the eyelid or on the mucosa. A few days later, the abscess breaks through, and its contents are released. After that, the focus of inflammation heals. Barley usually goes away after 10 days.
However, if the immunity forces are not enough to fight, it can give serious complications. So, it can be more pronounced inflammation, when not only one gland is affected, but also the surrounding tissue of the eyelid. Which, in turn, can lead to an abscess of the eyelid, which requires surgical treatment.
Decaying barley can turn into a slowly ongoing inflammation – chalazion. Surgical methods are also used for its treatment.
Also among the possible complications of barley are conjunctivitis, meningitis, cellulitis of the orbit (inflammation of the fiber), thrombosis of the vessels of the eye, blepharitis and marginal keratitis. All these problems are associated with the risk of contamination of adjacent tissues of the optical system. In addition, barley can leave an unaesthetic mark on the skin of the eyelids for a long time.

Barley treatment

For the treatment of standard developing barley, conservative methods are used: drops and ointments. If an abscess has matured, and purulent inflammation is visible, puncture can be used: the doctor is pierced with a sterile needle, the purulent discharge goes away. This allows you to reduce pressure in the focus of inflammation, reduce pain, after which healing is faster.
Without contacting a specialist, the patient cannot assess the stage of the inflammatory process and the degree of its development. In difficult cases, a comprehensive solution is required, for example, antibiotics may be required in addition to drops. But only a doctor can prescribe such treatment, as well as assess the risk of complications.

Projects

Share link:

Back to list

causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention

Barley on the eye is a disease that almost every person faces sooner or later. Someone suffered the disease at an early age, someone was unlucky in adulthood. Some get sick with barley repeatedly. The pathology itself, despite its unsightly appearance and unpleasant symptoms, seems quite harmless. Since ancient times, the main medicines for barley were strong tea, diluted alcohol and a boiled egg, which was applied to the abscess. But is it really that simple?

Most often, the disease appears in one eye, but with insufficient hand hygiene (for example, due to the habit of rubbing the eyes with unwashed hands), it can spread to the other. Barley can be either single or consist of several elements of an inflammatory nature (multiple); in debilitated people and in childhood, recurrent barley occurs.

Causes of barley

Styes on the eye is a common acute infection that occurs on the eyelid. Previously, it was believed that it appears mainly due to the negative impact on the eyes of drafts and dirty hands. Actually this is not true. Almost all causes come down to a bacterial infection against a background of reduced immunity.

Any purulent-inflammatory process indicates a bacterial component of the disease. The most common causative agents of barley are staphylococcal and streptococcal infections (although other types of bacteria can cause a purulent inflammatory process), because these microorganisms surround us almost everywhere, including human skin and hair. You can find them even on conditionally clean hands.

The likelihood of barley occurrence is higher in people with chronic infectious diseases, such as caries, tonsillitis, sinusitis, etc. Hereditary predisposition also plays a role in the development of the disease.

Other possible causes include:

• immunosuppressed;
• lack of vitamins in the body;
• hypothermia;
• diseases of the digestive and endocrine systems;
• demodicosis – a skin disease caused by a tick;
• use of poor quality and expired eye cosmetics;
• use of dirty towels;
• eye manipulation with dirty hands.

Hypothermia is dangerous for the eyes precisely because of the decrease in immunity under the influence of cold, wind, moisture, drafts. Weaken the work of the immune system and other factors: stress, heavy physical exertion, physical and mental strain. Reduce the body’s defenses and various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, metabolic disorders, as well as drugs for their treatment.

There are several other risk factors:

• Wearing contact lenses. Contact lenses, even if cleaned regularly, contain bacteria, so wearing them can contribute to styes.
• A frequent occurrence of stye in the past may make a person more likely to develop it again. Sometimes regular eyelid care is required to prevent a recurrence of styes. This usually includes eyelid hygiene and warm compresses with massage.
• Blepharitis is an inflammatory disease of the eyelids. Although blepharitis can present as an acute condition, it usually has a chronic course. Blepharitis is usually caused by bacteria on the eyelids. An overgrowth of bacteria can lead to barley.
• Meibomian gland dysfunction. These glands normally secrete sebum into the tear film. With dysfunction, the meibomian glands do not function properly. They clog up and become more susceptible to infections, including stye, especially of the internal type.
• Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that causes flushing. In some people with rosacea, the eyes are affected (called ocular rosacea). Symptoms include dry eyes, meibomian gland dysfunction, and recurrent styes.

In the case of frequent barley, it is necessary to understand the causes of its occurrence and eliminate them in the first place. Symptomatic treatment will only have a temporary effect.

Barley symptoms

The disease usually begins with mild itching in the area of ​​the eyelid where the inflammatory process began. This symptom can occur even in the absence of visual signs.

Later, there is redness, soreness and swelling of the eyelid, sensation of a foreign body in the eye, lacrimation. Approximately on the 3rd day, a yellowish vesicle with purulent contents can be seen at the top of the swelling. After a few days, the pus spontaneously comes out.

Swelling and redness persist for another 1-2 days, after which there is no trace of the disease.

Barley symptoms:

• red bump on eyelid;
• edema;
• itching, burning and pain at the site of inflammation;
• fog in the eyes – you can always check your eyesight at Ochi Clinic;
• sensation as if something were in the eyes;
• tearing eyes.

In childhood, due to the weakness of the immune system, the disease may be accompanied by fever, headache, weakness. In some children and adolescents, in response to the inflammatory process, there is also an increase in lymph nodes. The same symptomatology is characteristic of multiple or recurrent barley, which usually occurs in people with severely weakened immunity.

Diagnosis is based on the symptoms and complaints of the patient, the doctor may prescribe additional tests.

Barley species

Barley is of two types: external and internal. External barley occurs at the base of the eyelashes, and internal – on the inside of the eyelid.

With external barley, the glands of Zeiss or Moll are affected. Zeiss glands are sebaceous glands located along the edge of the eyelid. Moll’s glands are sweat-producing structures, also located at the edge of the eyelid, and their ducts drain into the follicles of the eyelashes. External barley appears as a pimple on the outer side of the eyelid at the edge of the eyelashes.

In internal barley, the meibomian glands are affected. The abscess is located on the inside of the eyelid.

Depending on the number of purulent formations, single and multiple barley are distinguished.

Reasons for immediate medical attention

Many people do not go to the doctor when they find barley on their eyes. This is fraught with complications, therefore, in case of the following symptoms, it is necessary to make an appointment with a doctor as soon as possible:

• several abscesses appeared on the eyelid at once;
• there are symptoms of general intoxication – fever, weakness;
• lymph nodes in the neck are enlarged.

These symptoms indicate a severe infection, so self-medication can be dangerous. The specialists of our clinic carry out diagnostics and treatment of barley, subconjunctival hemorrhages and other ophthalmic diseases.

Treatment of barley

Which method of treating barley to choose is up to you. It is recommended to seek medical advice. Modern pharmacology offers a large selection of various ointments, creams and drops. The doctor prescribes sulfonamides to the patient, and with severe pain, also analgesics. In addition, physiotherapeutic procedures (UHF therapy) can be prescribed to patients, and surgical intervention is indicated for abscesses and phlegmon of the eyelids.

The disease may go away on its own. The following manipulations will help speed up the process and reduce pain:

• Warm compresses. Applying warm compresses will help drain the stye. They can be made using a washcloth with warm water. Combining warm compresses with a light eyelid massage can be especially helpful. When using warm compresses, care must be taken not to burn the delicate skin of the eyelids.
• Eyelid hygiene. Measures to keep the eyelid area clean can be helpful in treating stye. This is especially important if blepharitis is also present in history. There are various products for cleaning the eyelids on the market.

The following rules must be followed when taking medication:

• wash hands with soap before washing;
• while applying the ointment or drops, do not touch the eyelid or skin to avoid the spread of infection;
• during treatment, do not apply decorative cosmetics and do not wear lenses;
• for instillation, use a pipette with a rounded nose so as not to injure the eye;
• if the disease occurs in both eyes, one swab or cotton swab cannot be used for their treatment.

If stye is caused by staphylococcus aureus or streptococcus, a doctor may prescribe oral antibiotics to treat the infection. Topical antibiotics may be used to prevent the spread of bacteria when the lesion is drained. In the form of an ointment, they do not penetrate tissues very well. The prescription of antibiotics is due precisely to the fact that inflammation is always closely associated with a bacterial infection, which cannot be destroyed by any means other than antibacterial drugs.

Barley prophylaxis

If stye occurs frequently, or the patient has encountered its recurrent form, it is recommended to pay attention to prevention. It includes the following measures:

• treatment of infectious and chronic diseases;
• strengthening immunity;
• enough vitamins in the diet;
• use of clean towels.

It is very important to practice good hand hygiene before touching your eyes.

Pins

A stye is a red, painful lump at the edge of the eyelid that may look like a boil or pus-filled pimple.