Stye (sty)

A stye is a painful lump near the edge of the eyelid that may look like a boil or a pimple. Styes are often caused by bacterial infections and may be filled with pus. A stye usually forms on the outside of your eyelid, but sometimes it can form on the inner part of your eyelid.

In most cases, a stye will begin to disappear on its own in a couple of days. In the meantime, you may be able to relieve the pain or discomfort of a stye by applying a warm washcloth to your eyelid.

Symptoms of a stye include:

• A red or discolored lump on the eyelid that is like a boil or a pimple.
• Eyelid pain.
• Eyelid swelling.
• Tearing.

Another condition that causes inflammation of the eyelid is a chalazion. A chalazion happens when there’s a blockage in one of the small oil glands near the eyelashes. Unlike a stye, a chalazion usually isn’t painful and tends to be most prominent on the inner side of the eyelid. Treatment for both conditions is similar.

Most styes are harmless to the eye and won’t affect the ability to see clearly. Try self-care measures first, such as applying a warm washcloth to your closed eyelid for 5 to 10 minutes several times a day and gently massaging the eyelid. Contact a healthcare professional if:

• The stye doesn’t start to improve after 48 hours.
• Redness or discoloration and swelling involve the entire eyelid or extend into the cheek or other parts of the face.

A stye is caused by an infection of oil glands in the eyelid. The bacterium staphylococcus is a common cause of most of these infections.

Factors that increase someone’s risk of a stye include:

• Touching the eyes with unwashed hands.
• Inserting contact lenses without thoroughly disinfecting them or washing hands first.
• Leaving on eye makeup overnight.
• Using old or expired cosmetics.
• Having a long-lasting inflammation along the edge of the eyelid, called blepharitis.
• Having a skin condition characterized by facial redness, known as rosacea.

To prevent eye infections:

• Wash your hands. Wash your hands with soap and warm water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer several times each day. Keep your hands away from your eyes.
• Take care with cosmetics. Reduce your risk of recurrent eye infections by throwing away old cosmetics. Don’t share your cosmetics with others. Don’t wear eye makeup overnight.
• Make sure your contact lenses are clean. If you wear contact lenses, wash your hands thoroughly before handling your contacts and follow your eye professional’s advice on disinfecting them.
• Apply warm compresses. If you’ve had a stye before, using a warm compress regularly may help prevent it from coming back.
• Manage blepharitis. If you have blepharitis, follow your eye professional’s instructions for caring for your eyes.

A healthcare professional will usually diagnose a stye just by looking at the eyelid. A light and a magnifying device may be used to examine the eyelid.

In most cases, a stye doesn’t require specific treatment, but using warm compresses can hasten the healing. A stye typically goes away on its own. Recurrences are common.

For a stye that won’t go away, additional treatment may be recommended, such as:

• Antibiotics. A healthcare professional may prescribe antibiotic eye drops or a topical antibiotic cream to apply to the eyelid. If the eyelid infection persists or spreads beyond the eyelid, antibiotics in tablet or pill form may be recommended.
• Surgery to relieve pressure. If a stye doesn’t clear up, a healthcare professional may make a small cut in it to drain the pus.

Take these measures to help a stye go away on its own:

• Leave the stye alone. Don’t try to pop the stye or squeeze the pus from a stye. Doing so can cause the infection to spread.
• Clean your eyelid. Gently wash the affected eyelid with mild soap and water.
• Place a warm washcloth over your closed eye. To relieve pain, run warm water over a clean washcloth. Wring out the washcloth and place it over your closed eye. Re-wet the washcloth when it loses heat. Continue this for 5 to 10 minutes. Then gently massage the eyelid. Repeating these steps 2 to 3 times a day may help the stye to drain on its own.
• Keep your eye clean. Don’t wear eye makeup until the stye has healed.
• Go without contacts lenses. Contact lenses can be contaminated with bacteria associated with a stye. If you wear contacts, try to go without them until your stye goes away.

Start by seeing someone on your healthcare team if your stye is painful or doesn’t start to get better in two days. In some cases, your care team may refer you to a specialist who treats eye diseases and conditions, called an ophthalmologist.

Because appointments can be brief, it’s a good idea to be prepared. Here’s some information to help you get ready.

What you can do

• List any symptoms you’re experiencing, including those that seem unrelated to the stye.
• List key personal information you feel may be important.
• Make a list of all medicines, vitamins and supplements that you’re taking.
• List questions to ask during your appointment.

Your appointment time is limited, so preparing a list of questions can help you make the most of your time. For a stye, some basic questions to ask include:

• What is the likely cause of my stye?
• When can I expect my stye to go away?
• Is this contagious?
• What kinds of tests do I need?
• Are there any treatments for my stye?
• What are the benefits and risks of these treatments?
• What can I do to prevent future styes?
• Can I continue wearing contact lenses?
• Is there a generic alternative to the medicine you’re prescribing me?
• Do you have any brochures or other printed materials that I can take with me?
• What websites do you recommend?
• Do I need a follow-up visit?