| A stye (also spelled "sty") develops when a | | | | confirms this infection. |
| gland at the edge of the eyelid becomes | | | | |
| infected. Resembling a pimple on the eyelid, | | | | 2. Many sties will drain on their own, but to |
| a stye can grow on the inside or outside of | | | | facilitate the drainage of the abscess and |
| the lid. Styes are not harmful to vision, and | | | | reduce pain, a folded clean cloth can be used |
| they can occur at any age. | | | | as a compress. The compress should be dipped |
| | | | in warm water, wrung out until just a little |
| Sties respond well to treatment, but can | | | | dripping remains, and applied to the eye. Dip |
| recur. If untreated, sties can eventually | | | | the folded cloth repeatedly to keep the |
| lead to cellulitis of the eyelids, a more | | | | compress wet and warm. Continue the |
| serious condition. They are neither | | | | application of the compresses for 10-15 |
| contagious nor a sign of cancer. | | | | minutes. Using a clean cloth each time, apply |
| | | | the warm compresses 4 times a day for 3 to 4 |
| SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS | | | | days. |
| | | | |
| A stye initially brings pain, redness, | | | | 3. Drug therapy can be prescribed by your |
| tenderness and swelling in the area, then a | | | | health care provider. Do not use any medicine |
| small pimple appears. Sometimes just the | | | | (including over-the-counter remedies) without |
| immediate area is swollen; other times the | | | | checking with your health care provider. |
| entire eyelid swells. You may notice frequent | | | | Generally, drug therapy includes antibiotic |
| watering in the affected eye, a feeling like | | | | eye drops/ointment and, occasionally, an |
| something is in the eye or increased light | | | | antibiotic taken by mouth. Carefully follow |
| sensitivity. | | | | the directions prescribed by your health care |
| | | | provider. |
| 1. Redness, swelling, and pain in a localized | | | | |
| area of the eye. | | | | 4. If a sty does not drain spontaneously with |
| | | | compress application, visit your health care |
| 2. An external sty may be noted when there is | | | | provider for assistance. Do NOT attempt to |
| a tender red nodule present below the lid | | | | squeeze or drain the sty yourself. This will |
| margin; an internal sty may not have a | | | | spread the infection and may cause |
| visible nodule. | | | | cellulitis. Have your eye rechecked if |
| | | | symptoms persist after several days of |
| 3. Slightly blurred vision. | | | | treatment. |
| | | | |
| DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT | | | | Most styes heal within a few days on their |
| | | | own. You can encourage this process by |
| Styes are caused by staphylococcal bacteria. | | | | applying hot compresses for 10 to 15 minutes, |
| This bacterium is often found in the nose, | | | | three or four times a day over the course of |
| and it's easily transferred to the eye by | | | | several days. This will relieve the pain and |
| rubbing first your nose, then your eye. | | | | bring the stye to a head, much like a pimple. |
| | | | The stye ruptures and drains, then heals. |
| 1. An examination of the eye generally | | | | |