Sty – How to Treat Sties

What is a sty?

A sty is a painful, red bump that forms on the edge of your eyelid. It may look like an acne pimple. Sties may cause discomfort, but they are not usually serious and are easy to treat. They are very common, especially in children.

What eye problems are similar to sties?

A chalazion is a firm (but less painful) bump in the middle of the eyelid. It is caused by an inflamed, blocked gland. A chalazion may also cause blurry vision. Treatment for a chalazion is similar to treatment for a sty; however, the bump may not go away for 2 to 8 weeks.

Symptoms of a sty

The main symptom is a swollen, painful, red bump on the edge of the eyelid. It usually forms on the outside of the eyelid. But sometimes it forms on the inside. You may also have the following:

• Discharge from the eye
• Tearing of the eye
• Scratchy feeling in the eye
• Crusting on the eyelid

How is a sty diagnosed?

Your family doctor can diagnose a sty by examining your eye. No special tests are needed.

Can a sty be prevented or avoided?

The best way to avoid getting sties is to practice good eye hygiene. Make sure you keep your eyes clean. Remove makeup and dirt. Throw away old eye makeup (for example, mascara should be replaced every 2 to 3 months). Do not share makeup with others. Always wash your hands before touching your eyes. If you wear contacts, wash your hands before putting them in or taking them out. Also, make sure that you disinfect your lenses correctly with a contact lens cleaning solution.

Sty treatment

Sties can usually be treated at home. They should go away in 7 to 10 days. Don’t try any over-the-counter medicines, drops, or ointments without talking to your family doctor first.

The following are some things you can do to help your sty go away:

• Put a warm, damp compress on your eye for 5 to 10 minutes, 3 or 4 times a day. The compress should be warm but not so hot that it burns your eyelid.
• Keep the area around your eye clean.
• Avoid touching or rubbing your eye.
• Avoid wearing eye makeup or contact lenses while the sty heals.
• Never try to squeeze or pop any bumps near your eye. Doing this can spread infection.

If a sty requires medical treatment, your doctor may use antibiotics, minor surgery to drain the sty, or a steroid injection to reduce swelling. Your doctor may also treat any underlying conditions that are causing your sty or making it worse.

Living with a sty

A sty is usually a harmless condition. It may cause you some irritation, but it should go away on its own. Home treatment measures such as warm compresses can help. If a sty gets infected, you may need to take antibiotic medicine.

When should I see a doctor?

If you have any concerns, or if your sty does not go away after 10 to 14 days, talk to your family doctor. You should also call your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms:

• An eyelid that is swollen shut
• Increased pain with home treatment
• Increased swelling after the first 2 to 3 days
• An eyelid that feels hot
• Thick pus or blood coming from the bump
• Blistering on your eyelid
• Fever or chills
• Vision changes
• Sties that keep coming back

Questions to ask your doctor

• What is the best treatment for me?
• Is it okay for my child to go to daycare with a sty?
• How can I stop my child from scratching or picking at a sty?
• Will the sty go away on its own?
• If the sty hurts a lot, should I take a pain reliever?
• How long will it be before the sty goes away?
• I seem to get sties a lot. Should I consider not wearing contact lenses?

Copyright © American Academy of Family Physicians

This information provides a general overview and may not apply to everyone. Talk to your family doctor to find out if this information applies to you and to get more information on this subject.

What Causes a Stye? Risks, How You Can Treat and Prevent One

A stye is a lump on the eyelid caused by a bacterial infection. Certain medical conditions, such as diabetes and rosacea, and practices like rubbing your eye can increase the chances of getting one.

Styes can be uncomfortable and annoying. Even if you take great care of your eyes, you can still get them.

Styes are caused by a bacterial infection in an oil gland or hair follicle on your eyelid. These glands and follicles can get clogged with dead skin cells and other debris.

Sometimes, bacteria get trapped inside and cause an infection. This results in a swollen, painful lump called a stye.

A stye is a reddish lump on the outer edge of your eyelid. It’s filled with pus and inflammatory cells produced when a clogged gland or follicle becomes infected. It’s tender to the touch and can be very painful.

Doctors call a stye (sometimes spelled “sty”) a hordeolum.

Types of styes

A stye can be on the outside (external) or inside (internal) of your eyelid.

• External styes: Much more common than internal styes, most external styes start in an eyelash follicle. Occasionally, they start in an oil (sebaceous) gland. They’re located on the outside edge of your eyelid.
• Internal styes: Most of these begin in an oil (meibomian) gland within your eyelid tissue (meibomian gland). They push on your eye as they grow, so they tend to be more painful than external styes.

Like a pimple, the pus produced by the infection within the style usually comes to a head. It creates a beige or yellowish spot on top of the stye.

Other symptoms of a stye include:

• eyelid swelling
• yellowish discharge
• sensitivity to light (photophobia)
• feeling like there’s something in the eye
• eyelid tenderness
• a gritty feeling in the eye
• watery eye
• a crust that forms on the edge of the eyelid
• eyelid redness

Most styes are caused by Staphylococcus, a type of bacteria that live on your skin and are normally harmless.

When the bacteria are transferred to your eye and become trapped in a gland or hair follicle, they cause an infection.

Risks for developing a stye

Touching or rubbing your eye is the most common way for bacteria to be transferred. Some factors that increase the risk of bacteria entering your eye include:

• having itchy eyes from hay fever or allergies
• inflammation of your eyelid (blepharitis)
• using contaminated mascara or eye liner
• leaving makeup on overnight
• skin conditions, such as rosacea and seborrheic dermatitis
• some medical conditions, like diabetes
• anything that makes you more likely to rub your eye, such as not getting enough sleep
• meibomian gland dysfunction

Eye infections are frequently caused by improper care or use of contact lenses. Behaviors that increase your risk of a contact lens-related infection include:

• improperly cleaned contacts
• touching contacts before washing your hands
• wearing contacts while sleeping
• reusing disposable contacts
• using contacts after they’ve expired

Your risk of getting a stye is increased if you’ve had one previously. Styes can also reoccur after they’ve healed.

Some ways you can lower your risk of getting a stye include:

• Avoid touching or rubbing your eyes.
• Take medications to relieve itchiness from hay fever or allergies.
• Treat blepharitis, rosacea, seborrheic dermatitis, and meibomian gland dysfunction.
• Keep contacts clean and disinfected.
• Wash your hands before touching contacts.
• Don’t reuse disposable contacts.
• Wash your hands with soap and warm water, or use a hand sanitizer that contains alcohol.

Some precautions to take while you have a stye include:

• Wash your hands frequently.
• Avoid wearing eye makeup.
• Discard all old eye makeup.
• Don’t wear contact lenses.

Styes aren’t contagious, but bacteria can be transferred through infected makeup. You should never let anyone else use your makeup, especially mascara and eyeliner.

Makeup safety

Replace makeup regularly according to the following general guidelines:

• Mascara: every 3 months
• Liquid eye liner: every 3 months
• Solid eye pencil: every 2 to 3 years

A doctor can usually diagnose a stye by looking at it. They may also use a light or magnifying device to examine it more clearly or “flip” the eyelid to look underneath it before making a diagnosis.

However, no special tests or exams are usually needed to diagnose a stye.

Styes usually get better without treatment. Occasionally, a problem that requires a doctor’s evaluation occurs, such as:

• your stye doesn’t start to improve within a few days
• the drainage contains a lot of blood
• rapid growth
• there’s a lot of swelling

Increased swelling or new signs of infection could mean you’re developing a severe infection.

See a doctor immediately if:

• your vision is affected, which could mean the infection is spreading in your eyelid
• you develop swelling and redness around your eyes, which could indicate the infection has spread to the skin around your eye (periorbital cellulitis)

How do I know if a stye is draining?

Once a stye has started draining, you may also experience noticeable improvements in symptoms, including pain and swelling.

However, keep in mind that you should never try to pop, squeeze, or drain a stye on your own. Instead, it’s best to seek treatment from a doctor to determine whether incision and drainage is necessary.

What’s the worst that can happen from a stye in your eye?

In rare cases, the infection can spread to other areas around the eye, causing a condition called periorbital cellulitis. This leads to symptoms like swelling, pain, and redness around the eye and requires treatment with antibiotics.

How do I know if a stye is getting worse?

If you don’t notice any improvements within a few days, if the stye gets bigger, or symptoms begin to worsen, you should talk to a doctor to determine whether additional treatment is necessary.

If I have an eye stye, how often should I change my pillowcase?

In most cases, you don’t need to change your pillowcase more frequently if you have a stye.

However, the bacteria can spread through direct contact with contaminated pillowcases or towels, especially if the stye is oozing. Though this is rare, it’s best to avoid sharing pillowcases, towels, or bedsheets if you have a stye.

Why does the stye come back on the same eye?

Frequent styes may be a sign of certain skin conditions, including rosacea or blepharitis. If you experience recurring styes in one or both eyes, it’s best to talk to a doctor to determine the specific cause and best course of treatment.

Styes develop when a clogged gland or hair follicle on the edge of your eyelid becomes infected. They’re very common, especially in people who frequently rub their eyes or don’t clean their contacts properly.

Styes can be quite painful, but they usually go away on their own. Warm compresses can help them drain and heal more quickly.

A stye that doesn’t start improving in a couple of days, causes vision problems, or bleeds heavily should be evaluated by a doctor.

Styes on the eye – treatment, causes and symptoms of the disease

What is stye on the eye?

Symptoms of barley

Causes of barley

How to treat barley on the eye

Prevention of barley on the eye

What is barley on the eye?

Anyone who has had styes on their eyes at least once knows how unpleasant it can be, and even if it does not look aesthetically pleasing. How do you go to work like this? Tonic barley obviously will not smear, and you don’t need to do this. Barley requires immediate treatment.

From a medical point of view, stye is an inflammation of the eyelid, namely its glands, against the background of a variety of causes. These often include a decrease in immunity, poor hygiene, infectious inflammatory processes in the eye, and parasitic infections.

Symptoms of barley

Barley has characteristic symptoms, which can immediately suspect the presence of an inflammatory process. Usually people immediately notice the presence of barley on the eye. It is impossible not to notice it: barley causes severe discomfort. Among the typical manifestations of barley on the eye:

Among other signs of barley, there are also itching, burning, the eye may itch, hurt. Usually these symptoms occur on the second day of barley development. In some cases, barley can trigger severe migraines and even fever. A person feels unwell, severe weakness.

healthy eye and eye with barley

As it “ripens”, the seal on the eyelid turns into a tubercle with a yellow or white tip – an abscess forms. Ophthalmologists warn that in no case should you touch the abscess, much less squeeze out the pus. See a doctor to get rid of the inflammation.

Causes of barley

Barley can occur for various reasons. Often it is caused by a banal neglect of personal hygiene – a person touches his eyes with unwashed hands, scratches them, uses low-quality cosmetics or those cosmetics that have expired.

There are cases when barley is formed due to a mite called Demodex. This mite usually settles in the root of the eyelash. Barley can also cause diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, diabetes.

Reduced immunity is one of the main factors in the appearance of barley on the eye. Against the background of reduced immunity, the protective functions of the body are weakened, which allows pathogenic bacteria and infections to enter the body.

Barley may be the result of chronic stress, nervous tension.

How to treat stye on the eye

Styes can dissolve on their own: after passing through all the stages of “ripening”, the purulent tubercle breaks, releasing pus, and the inflammation disappears. But this outcome is the exception rather than the rule. In most cases, a patient with barley needs the help of a doctor.

One thing you definitely shouldn’t do is self-medicate. If you abuse home medicine against the background of reduced immunity, you can provoke complications and additional health problems. Traditional medicine, especially such popular “techniques” as “applying a tea bag to the eyelid” is more likely to aggravate the situation than improve it. The infection will continue to spread.

The safest and surest way to cure stye is to see an ophthalmologist to diagnose and treat inflammation. There are several signs that signal that a visit to the doctor can no longer be postponed.

The doctor will examine the stye, assess the degree of its development and prescribe an effective treatment. As a rule, its complex includes certain tablets, ointments that have the necessary components.

Prevention of the appearance of barley on the eye

Doctors advise to pay special attention to supporting the immune system, because its weakening is one of the most common reasons why barley appears. Include more fresh vegetables and fruits in your diet, go in for sports, monitor the condition of the gastrointestinal tract.

Wash your hands often, eat more fruits and vegetables, see an ophthalmologist, exercise

Practice good personal hygiene: wash your hands before touching your eyes, rubbing your eyelids. Wash your hands as often as possible. Use only high-quality hypoallergenic cosmetics, make sure that its expiration date does not expire.

Do not forget to see an ophthalmologist regularly to avoid negative consequences for the visual system.

Signs of barley on the eye: symptoms and what to do

Barley (hordeolum) is an acute purulent inflammatory disease of the eyelid. The focus of inflammation is localized in the sac of the eyelash or the sebaceous gland of its bulb. This pathology should be given special attention, as it may indicate a decrease in overall immunity.

In the human body, there is a conditionally pathogenic microflora, which is not the cause of diseases during the normal functioning of the immune system. As soon as the protective functions of the body are reduced, the microflora is activated and becomes the cause of various pathological conditions, for example, barley. Gordeolum at 90% of cases are caused by a bacterial pathogen – Staphylococcus aureus. According to statistics, most often barley is diagnosed in the age range from 20 to 50 years, but its manifestations are also frequent in childhood. Pathology at least once manifested itself in 90 people out of 1000.

Barley classification

Typically, barley in adults and children is divided into external and internal, based on the site of the inflammatory process.

1. External.

It is characterized by the appearance of an abscess on the outer side of the upper or lower eyelid with a white abscess at the top. Over time, the abscess matures and opens. After this, tissue regeneration begins: most often, within a few days, there is no trace of inflammation.

It usually affects the glands of Zeiss and Moll. The sebaceous glands of Zeiss are located in pairs around each follicle, into which they secrete their secret. Moll’s sweat glands are located there, their function has not yet been fully elucidated.

Features of outdoor barley:

• More common than internal
• The cause of the appearance is infection of the follicles of the eyelashes or glands that are located at the edge of the eyelids
• Infection spreads to nearby tissues
• There is a risk of sore or abscess at the margin of the eyelid.
• Place of localization – external, visible surface of the eyelid

Primary signs:

• Eyelid hyperemia (redness)
• Puffiness
• Pain, tingling in affected area
• Lachrymation

The onset of the disease can be almost asymptomatic. At the height of inflammation, the infiltrate bursts, the purulent contents come out for a few more days. After that, the pain subsides and the healing process begins.

2. Internal.

Features:

• Place of localization – lobules of the meibomian glands located in the cartilaginous plate of the eyelid (their secret is involved in the formation of the lipid layer of the tear film covering the ocular surface and the inner part of the eyelids)
• Inflammation located inside the eyelid
• More painful course
• Easy to diagnose

Symptoms:

• Pain
• Edema
• Increased lacrimation
• Foreign body sensation in the eye

On the inside of the eyelid, you can see a hyperemic area with a yellowish center. The inner barley is usually more painful than the outer one and takes longer to ripen.

Ripened internal barley is opened into the conjunctival sac. With an unfavorable course of the disease, a chalazion may form at the site of barley – a chronic inflammation of the cartilage and gland area, in which the gland duct is clogged and the secret cannot come out. The chalazion looks like a dense, hyperemic ball ranging in size from millet grain to a pea. This condition requires mandatory treatment under the supervision of an ophthalmologist.

In rare cases, the formation of barley – both internal and external – may be accompanied by general malaise, fever, aching joints, muscle and headache, swollen lymph nodes located near the affected eye. Usually such a reaction of the body indicates a complicated course of the disease. If you notice the first symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Main stages of barley:

• Infiltration. At this stage, itching, swelling, hyperemia appear. At first, the symptoms are mild, then the discomfort intensifies.

• Suppuration. At this stage, the formation can turn into an elastic purulent capsule.

• Breakthrough. The purulent capsule breaks through on its own. If this does not happen, the barley is opened by the surgeon. For several days, pus will separate from the area of ​​\u200b\u200binflammation.

• Healing. The duration of the stage ranges from several days to weeks. A crust forms at the site of the former inflammation, then a new layer of tissue forms under it. After the regeneration is completed, the crust disappears on its own.

Causes of barley

The causes leading to the onset of the disease include:

• Non-observance of hygiene rules
• Use of someone else’s or expired cosmetics, dirty brushes and applicators
• Untreated Demodex
• Prolonged exposure to a dusty, dirty room
• Vitamin deficiency
• Colds, hypothermia, reduced immunity
• Constant stress
• Diabetes mellitus
• Obesity
• Worm infestation
• Chronic infection

Often the inflammatory process occurs after rubbing the eyes with dirty hands.

Diagnosis

When symptoms of barley appear, an ophthalmologist’s consultation is required. A visual examination of the eye is performed with eversion of the eyelids under lateral illumination. Additional diagnostics are not required.

With often recurrent barley, consultations with an endocrinologist, gastroenterologist and dermatologist are necessary, as well as additional diagnostics:

• Glucose test (blood and urine)

• Glucose tolerance test
• Eyelash examination for Demodex
• Examination of feces for helminth eggs
• Bacteriological examination of a smear from the conjunctiva to identify the pathogen
• Blood culture for sterility

In rare cases, the formation of barley, both internal and external, may be accompanied by general malaise, fever, aching joints, muscle and headache, swollen lymph nodes located near the affected eye. Usually such a reaction of the body indicates a complicated course of the disease.

Treatment

Often, barley ripens on its own and opens within a week. The disease without complications does not require medical intervention. To quickly get rid of discomfort, you can resort to warming compresses: 3-4 times a day, apply a towel soaked in warm water or a heated towel to the inflamed area. Compresses with aloe juice, decoction of St. John’s wort, chamomile can also help.

During the period of illness, careful hygiene of the eyelids is especially important: with increasing discharge, the eyes should be cleaned of crusts and pus with sterile wipes and boiled water.

The specialist may prescribe:

• A course of antibiotics for the treatment of chalazion, phlegmon or in case of frequent occurrence and severe course of the disease.
• Local anesthetics, antiseptics, glucocorticoids.
• Ultra-high frequency therapy.
• Removal of an eyelash around which a stye has formed.
• Surgical removal of barley under local anesthesia. If the inflammation is too great and the treatment is ineffective, the surgeon will open the abscess and clean it of the accumulated pus.

The treatment of barley with folk remedies is also popular. Although they work, a standard treatment regimen will include:

• Drops. They fight the cause of inflammation – microorganisms, and prevent the recurrence of the disease. It is necessary to drip 5-6 times a day.
• Eye ointments. They have a long period of influence. Apply in the evening.
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be given to relieve inflammation and discomfort.
• At the stage of infiltration, physiotherapy is the preferred treatment. For a course lasting 6-7 days, microwave and UHF therapy can remove signs of inflammation.

Strictly prohibited self-squeezing of barley. A harmless pathology with this approach can lead to life-threatening complications.

It is also not necessary to select antibiotics on your own.

Barley complications

Untreated barley or an incorrectly selected treatment regimen can lead to a number of unpleasant consequences:

• Conjunctivitis is a bacterial infection that causes purulent discharge and redness. Treatment of the disease is long and complicated.
• Thrombophlebitis – inflammation of the walls of the veins. With such a pathology, the eyes and the area around are hyperemic, migraine, visual impairment and general fatigue are observed.
• Phlegmon of the orbit – suppuration caused by the merger of several abscesses. Phlegmon occurs when the patient tries to squeeze out the abscess on their own. Signs testify to the presence of suppuration: swelling of the eyelids, blurred vision, discomfort in the eye area, drooping of the upper eyelid, etc. If you suspect a phlegmon of the orbit, an immediate appeal to a specialist is required.
• Meningitis. A complication occurs when untreated barley has caused phlegmon. Usually this pathology precedes the development of meningitis. This complication can lead to death! With severe headache and temperature above 39degrees, see a doctor immediately.
• Thrombosis of the vascular plexus is a rare and dangerous pathology that leads to the cessation or slowing of the outflow of fluid from the orbit.