Most of us have experienced the pain and discomfort of a stye on our eyelids at some point in our lives. A stye is an infection of an eyelid caused by bacteria that can be very painful and irritating. This article will discuss everything you need to know about treating a stye on your eyelid, including symptoms, causes, types, treatments, and prevention.
What is a stye on the eyelid?
A stye is a common eye infection caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. It is a small, red, painful bump that appears inside or outside the eyelid. Styes are often accompanied by swelling, redness, and tenderness of the eyelid. The infection can be uncomfortable and painful but is usually not serious.
Stye on Eyelid Symptoms
Common stye symptoms include a crust that forms around the eyelid, itchiness, soreness, swelling, pain, discomfort, redness, and increased tear production.
Styes often disappear on their own within a week or two. If your stye doesn’t hurt, it can be a chalazion. The cures are similar, but a chalazion can take longer to heal.
What Causes Stye on Eyelid?
A stye is caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, usually found on the skin. However, when the bacteria infect the eyelid, it can cause a stye. Other factors that can increase your risk of developing a stye include dry eyes, contact lens wear, poor hygiene, and eye makeup.
Types of styes
There are two types of styes: external and internal. An external stye is a red, swollen bump on the outside of the eyelid, while an internal stye is a red, swollen bump on the inside of the eyelid. Both types of styes can be very painful and uncomfortable.
Home remedies for a stye on the eye
Usually, styes disappear without any medications within a week or two. They also aren’t contagious or dangerous. You can speed up the healing process of stye by applying some of these tips.
Warm compress
This is one of the most common treatments for styes. The heat helps bring the inside of the stye to the surface and dissolves the oil and pus so that your stye can drain quickly.
Utilize a clean towel with warm water. Wring the towel so it’s damp instead of dripping. Apply the towel over your eye for about 5-10 minutes. You can do this a few times a day.
Clean your eyelid
Avoid harsh chemicals when cleaning your eyes. Instead, use non-irritating hypoallergenic ingredients like water and soap.
The skin around your eyes is thinner and more sensitive than the rest of your face. Thus, it would help if you were super careful with cleansing items.
Opt for tear-free sensitive baby shampoo and combine it with warm water. Use a cotton swab or a clean towel to clean your eyelids gently.
Do this every day until your stye vanishes. Keep your eyelid clean to prevent new styes—another possible remedy is a saline solution.
Warm tea bag
Instead of utilizing a warm compress, you can use a warm tea bag. Opt for a standard black tea. It’s an anti-bacterial product that helps reduce swelling.
Prepare your black tea as usual. Then, wait until the tea bag cools enough to apply over your eyelids. Let the tea bag calm your swelling for about 5-10 minutes.
Utilize a separate tea bag for each eye. You can use black tea as a compress a few times daily to ease any discomfort and swelling associated with styes.
Massage the area
Gently massage the eyelid to speed up drainage with clean hands. Once the stye drains and heals, avoid touching your eyes and keep the area clean.
OTC pain medication for a stye on the eye
Take pain medication like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) to get relief. Check the instructions on the package for proper dosage.
Avoid wearing contact lenses and makeup.
If you have a stye, avoid wearing makeup like mascara and eyeliner. Otherwise, you can irritate the eyes and drag the healing process.
The worst part? You can also spread the infection to your other eye because some tools like brushes can transfer bacteria. Throw out any makeup that’s over three months old.
Replace your contact lenses with regular glasses if you have a stye. Buy a new set of contact lenses when your stye heals to prevent future infections.
Use antibiotic ointments
If you have a mild stye, you can use an OTC antibiotic ointment for the eye area. However, consult an eye doctor or dermatologist to treat a stye that’s very painful or blurs your vision.
Avoid utilizing topical steroids because they can cause side effects. Use eye products made to be utilized on or in the eye. There’s little evidence that antibiotic eye drops help with styes.
Visit a doctor
For a stye that’s affecting your sight, your doctor can professionally drain it. They can also help decrease swelling and inflammation with a steroid shot or prescribe a cream for bacterial infections.
Related Questions
Q: Can you pop stye on the eyelid?
A: Don’t touch, squeeze, or pop a stye. It can seem tempting, but popping will release pus and spread the infection. If the stye is internal, contact your doctor and ask for professional drainage.
Q: Can stye be on the upper eyelid?
A: A stye is a small red pimple-like that can appear on the lower or upper eyelid. The bacteria that live on the surface of your eyelids clog an oil duct and result in a stye.
Q: How to pop a stye on the eyelid?
A: Professionals strongly advise against squeezing, popping, or touching a stye. Otherwise, you can spread the infection. If you’re dealing with an internal stye, see a doctor. Your doctor can professionally drain it. If you’re dealing with an external stye, try homemade remedies.
Q: How to drain stye on the eyelid?
A: First and foremost, wash your hands with warm water and soap or use a hand sanitizer. Never touch a stye with dirty hands. Then, soak a clean towel in warm water (but not hot).
Place the towel over the stye. Keep the towel over your stye for about 5-10 minutes. You can repeat the process a few times a day. Massage the area to get the stye to open and drain.
Q: What causes a stye on the eyelid?
A: Lack of sleep and stress can increase the risk of getting a stye, but the cause of most styes is unknown. Poor eye hygiene, such as using expired mascara or eyeliner or leaving your makeup overnight, can cause a stye. Chronic inflammation of the eyelids can also cause a stye.
Q: How to care for the stye on the eyelid?
A: Never try to pop or squeeze a stye. Otherwise, you can spread the infection to your other eye. Often, Styes disappear on their own within a week or two.
If the stye isn’t healing, a topical antibiotic can be utilized. Or you can try the following methods and get rid of your annoying and painful stye in a few days.
- Don’t bother the stye. Squeezing, touching, or popping can only make things worse.
- Keep your eyelids clean. Gently wash the affected area with warm water and mild soap.
- Put a clean, warm towel over your affected eyelid. Run warm water over a clean towel and wring out the towel, and put it over your closed eye. Gently massage the affected eyelid and repeat the whole process 2-3 times a day. These steps can encourage the stye to drain naturally.
- When you have a stye, keep your eyes clean at all times. Avoid eye makeup such as eyeshadow, eyeliner, and mascara until your stye has healed. Get rid of expired or possibly contaminated makeup. Also, utilize glasses instead of contact lenses. Try to go without contact lenses until the stye heals, especially if you suspect they came in touch with bacteria associated with a stye.
- See a doctor immediately if you experience severe swelling, pain, or blurred vision.
Q: What does a stye on the eyelid look like?
A: Styes look a lot like regular pimples. They’re usually red with a white head and appear near the edge of the eyelid. However, they can also form on the inside of the eyelid. In most cases, styes vanish within a week or two without treatment. If your stye is filled with blood, see a doctor.
Q: Is stye on the eyelid contagious?
A: A stye isn’t directly contagious, just as a pimple is not contagious. It results from irritation or local inflammation that cannot spread to other people via casual contact. However, many bacteria in pus can cause further skin breakouts.
How to Prevent Stye on Eyelid?
You can prevent stye on eyelids by taking medications to relieve itchiness from allergies or hay fever and treating seborrheic dermatitis, rosacea, and blepharitis.
Also, keep your contacts disinfected and clean, wash your hands, use a hand sanitizer before touching contacts, avoid rubbing or touching your eyes, and don’t reuse disposable contacts.
If you already have a stye, avoid wearing eyeliner or mascara, discard all old makeup, don’t wear contact lenses, and wash your hands frequently. Also, never let anyone utilize your makeup.
Bacteria can be transferred through infected makeup. Replace your solid eye pencil every two years, liquid eyeliner every three months, and your mascara every three months.
When to See a Doctor?
If your stye is not improving with home remedies, or if the infection is spreading, it is essential to seek medical attention. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics or other medications to treat the disease.
Conclusion
A stye on the eyelid can be a very uncomfortable and painful experience. It is essential to seek medical attention if home remedies do not improve symptoms. With proper diagnosis and treatment, a stye can be effectively treated. Following the tips outlined in this blog can help prevent a stye on your eyelid.
