What IS a stye?

A Stye is an eye infection.  A stye can form when a single oil gland on the edge of your eyelid becomes infected with a staph bacterium originating inside of the nose. The eye can become infected when you scratch or pick your nose and then inadvertently touch your eye.

Do you need to see a doctor for a stye?

Most of the time a stye will heal on its own, but if you do not see improvement after 7 or 8 days, make an appointment to go visit your eye doctor. They can prescribe an antibiotic ointment to help prevent reoccurrences.

Redness, pain, and swelling are well-known markers of a stye infection as well as the telltale white bump. This is sometimes accompanied by a swollen eyelid or entire eye. While they are contagious, infecting others is unlikely unless you share pillows, bedsheets, washcloths or towels with others. It is best to keep all of them separate and washed often.

Styes pop up seemingly out of nowhere overnight. One day your eye is clear and healthy and the next, irritated, red and swollen. Though a stye won’t impair your vision, it is uncomfortable and aggravating. It may also make you extra sensitive to light and feel like you have something in your eye that you cannot get out.

It may look very much like a pimple with a white head, but unlike a pimple, it is not advisable to try and pop. – Attempting to pop will cause more pain and will thwart healing. It is not constructed like a pimple and no amount of pressure will push the infection out, you may end up rupturing it and spreading the bacterium and making the situation worse.  Instead, apply hot compresses to get it to come out by itself. 10 -15 minutes at a time keeping your eye closed 3-4 times a day will work the stye to the surface and out of your eye over the course of several days.

To find a qualified Optometrist in Lee County please visit www.ipalc.org/find.