A stye is a red bump on the edge of your eyelid that forms when an oil gland near your eyelashes is blocked and becomes infected. They last from around 1-2 weeks and often go away on their own. Nevertheless, they can be quite painful, and most people would prefer to deal with them sooner rather than wait for them to disappear.
In many cases, you can deal with a stye on your own. Here are some ways to do so.
Warm Compress
Simply applying a warm compress to your closed eye 2-6 times a day for 5-10 minutes can help clear up your stye. To make a compress, heat a wet towel by dipping it in warm water and wringing it out.
Similar to how a warm compress can help flu patients clear their sinuses, heat from the compress loosens the material in your blocked oil gland, allowing the stye to drain on its own.
Stye Ointment
Stye ointment can temporarily relieve discomfort, including burning, stinging and itching. It can be purchased over the counter from your local pharmacy or online for a reasonable price. Be sure to ask your eye doctor for recommended brands.
To apply stye ointment, first wash your hands thoroughly. Then, pull down the lower lid of the affected eye and apply a small drop to the inside of your eyelid. Do so as frequently as the instructions on the back of the box recommend.
Stye Eye Drops
Similar to stye ointment, stye eye drops can temporarily relieve the pain from a stye. Optometrist-recommended brands can also be purchased inexpensively over the counter.
Most stye eye drops can be applied 3-4 times per day, with 1-2 drops on each occasion, but always refer to the back of the box to confirm.
Note that if you are choosing between stye ointment and stye eye drops, ointments are typically considered more effective in treating symptoms. Consider your pain level and how urgently you want to alleviate your symptoms before making a purchase.
Antibiotics
In most cases, you can deal with a stye on your own. For styes that persist, talk to your eye doctor about a prescription for antibiotics.
Stye antibiotics come in many forms, including eye drops, creams, pills and tablets. Commonly prescribed stye antibiotics include erythromycin and amoxicillin. While antibiotics can clear a stye in as little as two days, continue to take your medication for the full term prescribed.
Surgery
In extreme cases, a minor surgery for your stye may be required. The procedure is simple – your doctor will make a small cut to drain the pus from your stye.
If surgeries make you nervous, don’t worry – these surgeries are quick and easy and typically require no stitches. Your doctor will inject a numbing agent into the affected area before you begin, and beyond a mild soreness a few days after the surgery, you will feel no pain.
Say Goodbye to Your Stye
By practicing good hygiene, you can manage your stye and reduce the likelihood of getting one in the future.
Complete Eye Care is here to help you find the right course of action for your stye. If in-home treatment isn’t working, we will take a look and get you on the path to feeling better.
Schedule an appointment today.