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Learn about styes

A stye (officially known as hordeolum) is a red, painful lump near the edge of the eyelid, that forms due to backed-up oil producing gland. The eyelid bump usually forms on the outside of your eyelid (base of eyelash), but sometimes it can form under the eyelid. A stye looks like an acne pimple, it usually lasts one to two weeks and can go away on its own.

• There are two kinds styes, defined by their location:

  • Internal hordeolum - form from the inside of eyelids due to infection of oil glands.

  • External hordeolum - form at the base of eyelash due to infection in hair follicle.

How to treat a stye

Most styes will usually go away on its own in one to two weeks. Here are some at home treatments that can help with the healing process:

• Warm compresses - An effective at home treatment to relieve pain is warm compress. First run warm water over clean washcloth then wring it out. Place the warm washcloth over the affected eyelid with the eye closed. Gently massage the eyelid. Re-wet the washcloth under warm water to repeat for 5 to 10 minutes.

• Clean your eyelids regularly - gently wipe the infected eyelid with mild soap and water. Usually, watered-down baby shampoo that are designed not to irritate the eyes will work. You can also buy special eye soap from drugstores.

• Keep eyes clean - Don't wear eye makeup or contact lenses until the style has healed. The contact lenses that were last worn may contain the bacteria. If you wear weekly or monthly disposables, it is safer to throw out the old pair of contact lenses.

• Do not try to pop the stye - Leave the stye alone. Trying to pop or squeeze the stye to get the pus out may cause the infection to spread.

In cases where the stye doesn't start to improve after 48 hours, see a healthcare provider to get medical treatment options. The following treatments maybe performed by the doctor:

• Drain the stye - The doctor may perform a small surgery to drain the pus. A small incision will be made with local anesthetic in the doctor's office.

• Steroid shot - Your doctor may provide a steroid injection to reduce swelling.

• Antibiotics - Prescription antibiotic eye drops or antibiotic eye ointment to apply. Oral antibiotics maybe prescribed if it is observed that the infection had spread beyond the whole eyelid.

When to see a doctor for a stye

See a doctor if the stye does not show any signs of improvement after 48 hours, or the redness/swelling spreads to the entire eyelid or into other parts of your face.