At-Home Approaches for Stye Relief
Applying a warm compress is a primary method for encouraging a stye to drain and reducing discomfort. Soak a clean washcloth in warm (not hot) water, wring out the excess, and place it gently over the closed eyelid for 10 to 15 minutes, three to four times daily. The warmth helps liquefy oils and pus, promoting drainage.
Maintaining good eyelid hygiene also supports healing. Gently cleanse the affected eyelid using a diluted solution of mild, tear-free baby shampoo or a specialized eyelid cleanser. This helps remove debris and reduce bacteria, preventing further irritation. Perform this carefully, avoiding direct contact with the eye, to reduce the risk of secondary infections.
Never squeeze, pick at, or attempt to “pop” a stye. Doing so can push the bacterial infection deeper into the eyelid tissue or spread it. This increases the risk of worsening inflammation, causing more pain, or leading to a more serious infection like cellulitis.
Avoid eye makeup, such as mascara, eyeliner, and eyeshadow, while a stye is present. Makeup can irritate the eyelid and introduce more bacteria, prolonging healing. Similarly, temporarily suspend contact lens wear; contacts can trap bacteria and irritate the stye, exacerbating the condition.
Styes often resolve within a few days to a week with consistent home care. Diligent application of warm compresses and maintaining cleanliness helps the stye to come to a head and drain naturally, leading to symptom relief.
When to Consult a Doctor
While many styes respond well to at-home care, consult a doctor if the stye shows no improvement after several days of consistent home remedies, typically within a week. Persistent styes may require assessment to rule out other conditions or address an underlying issue.
Consult a doctor if the stye worsens in size, pain, or redness despite home treatment. If redness or swelling extends beyond the immediate eyelid to involve the entire eyelid or surrounding facial tissue, this signifies a spreading infection requiring prompt medical intervention, such as preseptal cellulitis.
Seek medical advice if the stye affects your vision, causing blurriness or discomfort that interferes with daily activities. A fever accompanying a stye, or if the eye becomes red, swollen, and sensitive to light, also indicates a more severe infection that home remedies cannot adequately address.
If you experience frequent stye recurrences, a doctor can investigate contributing factors. Underlying conditions like blepharitis, a chronic inflammation of the eyelid margins, or certain skin conditions, can predispose individuals to recurrent styes. Addressing these root causes helps prevent future occurrences and improve overall eye health.
Professional Medical Treatments
When at-home treatments are insufficient, a doctor will assess the stye to determine the most appropriate course of action. This examination helps distinguish a stye from other eyelid conditions and evaluates the extent of infection or inflammation. The doctor considers the stye’s size, location, and any associated symptoms like fever or spreading redness.
Prescription medications may be necessary if the stye is severely infected or not responding to conservative measures. Topical antibiotic eye drops or ointments might be prescribed to target the bacterial infection on the eyelid. For widespread infection or if the stye is large and persistent, oral antibiotics may be administered to reduce inflammation and eliminate bacteria.
For a large, persistent, pus-filled stye, a minor surgical procedure called incision and drainage (I&D) may be performed. This is typically done in a doctor’s office under local anesthesia. The doctor makes a small incision to allow the pus to drain, providing immediate relief from pain and pressure. This procedure helps resolve the stye and promote faster healing.
In some instances, a stye may evolve into a chalazion, a non-infected, chronic inflammatory lump that remains after the initial infection. If a chalazion persists and causes discomfort or cosmetic concerns, a doctor might recommend a steroid injection. A corticosteroid medication is injected directly into the lump to reduce inflammation and shrink the chalazion.