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