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You’re rubbing your eyes one day when you notice a bump on your eyelid. Not just any lump, one that’s painful to the touch. You might have the misfortune of having a stye, but luckily there are medical and home remedies to treat it.
Styes are abscesses or pimples that appear on your eyelid. They are typically caused by bacteria or germs that irritate the oil glands in the eyelid. Dead skin cells on the eyelid can also cause irritation and swelling. You can also spread bacteria to your eyes by blowing your nose and not washing your hands.
Styes will appear red, bumpy, and painful on the eyelid. They can also cause tearing based on their close proximity to the tear ducts. Pus can also fill the stye and cause more discomfort.
Styes and chalazia are often discussed together and are very similar. The major difference between the two conditions is that a stye is formed on the edge of the eyelid while a chalazion appears on the inside. Chalazia are also less likely to be painful compared to styes.
Although they form on the eyelid, styes can have little to no impact on your line of sight. At most, watery eyes could reduce your vision but otherwise most of your symptoms will be aesthetic or painful in nature.
Styes can usually reduce and disappear within two weeks. However, an eye care specialist can provide medical treatment for a stye with topical antibiotic ointments, eyedrops, or steroid injections. They can also drain the stye with a small incision.
There are also home remedies to alleviate pain and swelling. It’s important to gently clean the eye with mild soap or use eyelid wipes and limit your contact with the eye. Warm compresses or washcloths can reduce swelling in the early stages.
Dr. Payal Patel, a CEENTA ophthalmologist who practices out of our Matthews and Monroe offices, offers advice on medical and home treatment options. “Unfortunately, styes are like a skin condition in that there is not an easy and immediate fix, but there are things you can do as part of your self-care routine to treat and even prevent them. Using lid scrubs daily can significantly improve your eyelid hygiene. You may need more aggressive medical treatment or even a procedure to treat it, and we are always happy to help with this.”
A stye can be painful and unsightly, but the eye care providers at CEENTA know exactly how to treat it. If you’re concerned about swelling or bumps that appear on your eyelid, schedule an appointment with Dr. Patel at our Matthews or Monroe offices today for stye treatment that makes a difference.
This blog is for informational purposes only. For specific medical questions, please consult your doctor. New patients can make appointments online with our eye doctors in North and South Carolina. Current patients can also make appointments through myCEENTAchart with physicians they have already seen.
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