How to Cure a Stye

A stye (sometimes spelled "sty", and occasionally called a "hordeolum") is a bacterial infection of the eye caused by the staphylococcal bacteria.^[1] Styes usually manifest as small, red lumps that appear along the lash line, in the inner corner of the eye, or on the eyelid. Most styes go away on their own in about two to three days. However, if you have a stye, you may want to learn how they are treated and cured so that you're able to ease your symptoms and ensure your stye disappears as quickly as possible. See Step 1 below to get started.

EditSteps

EditSpotting a Stye

Know the symptoms associated with styes. It's unlikely that you won't notice a stye if you have one, as styes are commonly associated with noticeable levels of pain and discomfort. However, because other eye conditions, whose treatment differs from that of a stye, can be associated with eye pain, it's important to assess the affected eye for telltale stye symptoms if you're experiencing pain. The following are common initial symptoms of a stye:^[2]
- Redness, tenderness, swelling, and pain in the eyelid.
- A small, irritated bump on the eyelid or at the base of an eyelid
- Irritation and/or watering of the affected eye
- Sensitivity to light
- Discomfort when blinking
- The presence of a small yellowish spot at the center of the stye (this represents pus rising to the surface of the stye)

Learn to tell the difference between a stye and a chalazion. Styes are identified by their appearance and symptoms alone.^[3] There is no medical test for styes.^[4] This can sometimes make it difficult to tell the difference between a stye and a chalazion, which is a related, but separate condition. Chalazions form when a meibomian gland on the eye experiences a blockage and becomes inflamed. Though they may appear superficially similar, chalazions have several qualities that differentiate them from styes. These include the following:^[5]
- Unlike styes, chalazions often don't hurt.
- Chalazions usually occur on the inside of the eyelid, rather than along its edge.
- Chalazions progress more slowly than styes. They will usually form more gradually and can last for several months before disappearing
- Chalazions can grow larger than styes. If they grow large enough, they can even inhibit vision.
- Though most chalazions eventually go away, persistent chalazions may require surgery to remove.

Know when to see a doctor. The vast majority of styes will disappear within a day or two and don't require you to visit a doctor. However, in certain severe cases, styes can be particularly painful and debilitating or may progress into a more serious infection. See your doctor if your stye:
- Shows no signs of improving within 3 days
- Causes your vision to change or worsen
- Has an excessive amount of discharge and/or a discharge that seems to change over time
- Causes intense pain that keeps you from performing your everyday activities

EditTreating and Curing a Stye

Ease your discomfort. Styes will typically go away on their own after two or three days. Before they do, however, they can be quite painful and irritating. To make the wait more bearable, use one or more of the common methods listed below to keep your discomfort under control:
- Apply a warm compress. Wet a clean washcloth with hot water and place it gently on top of your closed eye for ten minutes, repeating four times a day.^[6]^[7] Warm compresses not only ease pain and inflammation, but also speed the healing process.^[8] Press very gently - only as hard is as necessary to keep the compress against your eye.
  - Many traditional home remedies for treating styes operate based on the same basic principles as a warm compress - mild heat, moisture, and light pressure. One traditional remedy, for instance, is wrapping a freshly hard-boiled egg in a sock, then holding it against the stye.^[9]
- Over-the-counter pain medications can also be used to reduce the severity of eye pain associated with the infection. Use the recommended dosage of a mild painkiller/anti-inflammatory drug like acetaminophen (paracetamol) or ibuprofen.

Protect the eye from further irritation. When dealing with a stye, one of the most important ways to keep your pain level down and speed the healing process along is to make sure the stye isn't irritated, disturbed or injured in any way. Though you may have an intense desire to take action and "do something" about your stye, know that, with styes, what you don't do is just as important as what you do. Follow the guidelines below to protect your stye:^[10]^[11]
- Don't wear contact lenses if you have a stye, as they will irritate the infection. Take any contacts out and wear glasses instead.
- Don't press or squeeze the stye in order to drain it. Never poke, prod, or otherwise put pressure on a stye, as this can irritate it, worsening and spreading the infection. Bursting a stye prematurely can actually increase your chance of infection, leading to prolonged pain.
- Don't wear eye makeup. In addition to the possibility that you may irritate the stye, you may also accidentally spread stye-causing bacteria through makeup use.
- If you must touch your eye, wash your hands carefully before doing so.

Try an over-the counter treatment. Basic pain medications aren't the only over-the-counter options for treating styes - a variety of specially-designed medications are available for this purpose. These remedies come in a variety of forms, including topical ointments, eye drop solutions, and medicated pads. Visit your local pharmacy to see which options are available to you.

Avoid straining your eyes. Any activities which strain your eyes, like excessive computer use or reading under poor lighting conditions, should be avoided when you have a stye. The additional eye strain can irritate a stye, prolonging pain and increasing the risk of infection. Take occasional breaks when reading or working at a computer, closing your eyes for a few minutes if needed.
- If you don't notice any additional irritation from computer use, etc., feel free to continue working while remaining ready to take a break when irritation does occur.

Allow the stye to open on its own. Within a few days, your stye should begin to shrink and disappear or open on its own and begin to drain. If your stye opens, soak up any discharge with a clean rag and clean the new wound with soap and water. If necessary, use a sterile bandage to protect the wound.
- Never deliberately lance or squeeze a stye. This can open you up to the risk of a more serious infection which requires stronger treatment.

See a doctor if necessary. If your stye doesn't go away on its own after 2-7 days, or if symptoms seem to be worsening, make an appointment to see your doctor. Doctors may prescribe antibiotics and/or steroid ointments, and, in extreme cases, may need to surgically remove the stye.^[12]

EditPreventing Future Styes

Know the risk factors for styes. Though almost anyone can get a stye, certain factors can increase your susceptibility. By eliminating the conditions that can contribute to styes, you lower the risk that you will get a stye in the future. Unfortunately, not all of the risk factors for styes are easy to change or eliminate. Listed below are the factors and conditions that are known to increase a person's chances of getting a stye:^[13]
- High levels of stress
- High levels of fat in the bloodstream
- Diabetes mellitus
- Blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelid)
- Seborrhea (an inflammatory skin disorder)
- Certain other chronic debilitating diseases
- Being between the ages of 30 and 50 (in this case, the increased risk is very slight)

Practice proper hygiene. Styes can be avoided by washing your hands regularly with soap and water, especially before touching or rubbing your eye.^[14] Rubbing your eye with dirty hands can transfer bacteria from your hands into your eye, leading to infection. Washing your hands kills the vast majority of this bacteria, which makes the action of rubbing your eyes safer, but not 100% risk-free.

Change your sharing habits. Sharing objects and products that are used in or around the eyes can contribute to the spread of styes. Don't share eye makeup, towels, sunglasses, or other personal items with other people, especially if these people have a stye or a history of styes, as these objects can spread styes and other eye infections.

Use clean eye makeup. The bacteria that cause styes can be spread via makeup. Discard old or contaminated eye makeup and be sure to keep your good makeup in a clean, safe place. Wash your hands before applying makeup to your eyes. As noted above, avoid sharing makeup with a friend, especially if you or your friend have a history of styes.^[15]

Keep your eyes clean and free of debris. The initial infection that causes a stye often occurs when one of an eyelid's meibomian glands becomes clogged. Thus, one good way to prevent styes is to decrease the likelihood that a gland will become clogged in the first place. Wear sunglasses or other protective eyewear in environments with a high level of airborne particulate matter - for instance, in the desert during strong winds.
- If you have a history of styes, then you may be naturally more susceptible to styes than the average person. In this case, you may want to take the time to wash your eyes daily with warm water, a clean rag, and/or baby shampoo.