Eye Stye: Causes, Symptoms & Treatments

If you've ever known someone who has ever suffered from styes on their eyes, then you understand how uncomfortable it can be. A stye is a painful bump that develops on the edge of the eyelid due to a bacterial infection. Not only can these lesions be cosmetically unappealing, but they can cause symptoms like burning, itching and pain throughout the whole eyelid. Read on to learn about what causes an eye stye, its symptoms and available treatments that may help alleviate your discomfort.

What is a Stye?

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A stye, also known as a hordeolum, is a bacterial infection of the oil glands on the upper or lower eyelid. It results in swelling and redness around the surrounding eye area, causing tenderness and pain. Styes often appear as a bump on our eyelid and can be accompanied by watery, sticky, or crusty discharge.

Causes of Stye

Bacteria such as staphylococcus or streptococcus can cause a stye. In addition, styes can also be influenced by poor hygiene, not washing the eyelids regularly, or wearing contact lenses for too long without removing them. Blocked oil glands in the entire eyelid are another common cause of a stye.

If you wear contact lenses, it is crucial to take extra caution. Improper cleaning and handling of lenses can increase the risk of developing a stye as it increases the number of bacteria that builds up on the eyelid, as well as a clogged oil gland which can lead to an infected and inflamed oil gland.

Stye Symptoms

Symptoms of a stye include:

• Pain: A person with a stye may experience mild to severe pain at the edge of the eyelid. The area may feel tender, and the painful red bump may worsen with blinking.

• Swelling: The affected area may become swollen, and there can be a noticeable swollen bump near the eyelash follicle or gland.

• Crusting: Crusting around the eyelids or lashes is common with a stye. It can be accompanied by yellow, white, or green eye discharge.

• Blurred Vision: A stye can cause blurred vision due to swelling at the edge of your eyelid or lid margin. In some cases, the affected eye may seem blurry or watery.

How to get rid of a Stye?

If you're dealing with a stye, several treatment options may help alleviate the symptoms and reduce the size of the stye.

Self-Care

You can treat a stye by applying warm compresses over the eye to reduce inflammation and encourage drainage. Gently massage around the stye to promote drainage.

Home Remedies

Natural remedies such as tea bags, aloe vera juice or apple cider vinegar may help reduce swelling and irritation associated with a stye. However, it is essential to use natural remedies in moderation and only after consulting with your doctor or an optometrist.

Medical Treatment Options

If a stye persists or is painful, talk to your doctor about prescription antibiotics. Antibiotics can help reduce swelling and clear up the infection causing the stye. Depending on the severity of the stye, surgery may be necessary to remove it.

How to prevent a Stye?

Styes can be prevented by practising good hygiene, proper contact lens care, boosting the immune system, and using eyewear.

Maintain good hygiene

Wash your hands regularly and avoid touching or rubbing your eyes. Disinfect contact lenses as directed by your optometrist and replace them when needed. When removing makeup make sure there is no residue left to avoid bacterial contamination.

Proper contact lens care

Wash your hands before touching your lenses and replace them as often as the manufacturer instructed. Avoid swimming or showering with contact lenses on, and avoid sleeping in them overnight.

Boost your immune system

Eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, and avoiding stress can help to strengthen your immune system to make it easier for your body to fight off infection.

Wear eyewear

Wear sunglasses or protective eyewear outdoors to protect your eyes from bacteria and other irritants. Wearing glasses instead of contact lenses can also reduce the risk of stye.

When to Seek Medical Attention

If you develop a stye and have persistent or worsening symptoms, it's important to seek medical attention. It is especially true if the eye becomes redder, more painful, swollen, or increasingly light-sensitive. Additionally, if your vision changes—even slightly—or if you develop a fever, you should speak to a healthcare professional immediately.

Stye FAQs

Are styes contagious?

No, styes are not contagious. A stye is an eyelid infection caused by a blocked oil gland or clogged sweat gland. It is important to note that while a person cannot spread a stye from one eye to another, contact with infected items (such as eye makeup) can still cause an infection in the other eye.

How long does a stye last?

The duration of a stye infection can vary from person to person. Most styes go away over a few days without needing treatment, although some may last longer. If symptoms worsen after two weeks, visiting an optometrist or GP for professional medical advice is important.

Can I pop a stye?

Popping a stye is not recommended as it may cause further infection and worsen symptoms. Exposing the inner eyelid can also lead to serious damage and scarring of the eye.

Is it OK to leave a stye?

It is generally safe to leave a stye alone, but it is still important to keep the entire eyelid clean and avoid touching or rubbing it.

What makes a stye worse?

Not getting enough sleep, smoking, excessive contact lenses or eye makeup use, and environmental irritants can worsen a stye. It is also possible that wearing glasses with dirty lenses or sharing towels or pillows with others can cause infection on the eyelid and worsen existing styes. Therefore, it is important to regularly clean your glasses and avoid sharing personal items. Furthermore, a doctor may prescribe antibiotic ointment or antibiotic eye drops to treat the stye and reduce the chance of it worsening.

Conclusion

A stye can be uncomfortable and irritating. Practising good hygiene, including washing hands regularly and avoiding touching or rubbing your eyes, is important. Additionally, it is advisable to wear protective eyewear outdoors to avoid further irritation, use contact lenses correctly, and replace them on time. If the symptoms of a stye are persistent or worsen, it is vital to seek medical attention. With the right care and management, most styes improve without permanent damage within 7 to 10 days. By taking the necessary steps to manage your eye health, you can help reduce your risk of developing a stye in the future.