A stye under your eyelid, called an internal stye, is a bacterial infection in one of the oil glands lining the inner rim of your eyelid. Most internal styes respond well to consistent warm compresses and heal within one to two weeks, though they tend to be more stubborn than the external styes that form along your lash line. Here’s what’s actually happening and how to clear it up.
Why Internal Styes Form
Your eyelids contain dozens of tiny oil glands called meibomian glands. These glands release oils that coat your tear film and keep your eyes from drying out. When one of these glands gets clogged, the trapped oil thickens and stagnates, creating the perfect environment for bacteria (usually Staphylococcus aureus, a common skin bacterium) to multiply. The gland swells up and fills with pus, forming a small abscess on the inside of your lid.
Because the bump faces inward toward your eyeball rather than outward like a typical stye, it’s harder to see and often more painful. You’ll usually notice a tender, swollen area on one eyelid, sometimes with a feeling of grittiness or pressure against the eye itself. The entire eyelid can puff up, and your eye may water more than usual.
Warm Compresses Are the Main Treatment
The single most effective thing you can do is apply warm, moist compresses to the affected eyelid. The heat softens the hardened oil plugging the gland, encourages the blockage to drain, and increases blood flow to help your body fight the infection. Use a clean washcloth soaked in warm water (comfortably hot, not scalding) and hold it against your closed eyelid for about five minutes at a time. Do this three to four times per day.
A few practical tips make this work better. The washcloth cools quickly, so re-wet it every minute or so to maintain the temperature. Some people find microwavable eye masks more convenient since they hold heat longer. After each compress session, gently massage the eyelid near the lash line with clean fingertips, pressing lightly toward the lid margin. This helps push the trapped material out of the clogged gland. Wash your hands before and after every session.
Consistency matters more than any single session. Skipping days or doing compresses only once a day slows recovery significantly. Most internal styes start improving within a few days of consistent compresses and fully resolve within one to two weeks.
What Not to Do
Resist the urge to squeeze or pop an internal stye. Because the abscess sits on the inner surface of your eyelid, squeezing can push the infection deeper into the tissue or spread bacteria across the eye. Let it drain on its own with the help of warm compresses.
While you have an active stye, stop wearing contact lenses. Contacts can irritate the swollen area, trap bacteria against your eye, and slow healing. Switch to glasses until the stye has fully resolved. You should also avoid eye makeup, particularly mascara and eyeliner, which can introduce more bacteria to the area. If you were using eye cosmetics when the stye developed, throw those products away rather than using them again afterward.
Over-the-Counter Pain Relief
Internal styes can be genuinely painful, especially when blinking. Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can take the edge off while you wait for the stye to heal. Cool artificial tears (stored in the refrigerator) can also soothe irritation if the bump is rubbing against your eye. Avoid medicated eye drops marketed for redness, as these won’t treat the infection and can mask symptoms that might need medical attention.
When Antibiotics or Drainage Are Needed
Most internal styes clear up with compresses alone, but some need more help. If your stye isn’t improving after a week or two of consistent home treatment, a doctor may prescribe antibiotic eye ointment or drops to target the bacterial infection directly. In cases where the infection has spread beyond the gland into the surrounding eyelid tissue, oral antibiotics may be necessary.
If the stye persists for more than one to two months, or if it hardens into a painless but stubborn lump (at that point called a chalazion), a minor surgical drainage may be recommended. This is a quick in-office procedure where an eye doctor numbs the eyelid, flips it, and makes a small incision on the inner surface to drain the contents. Recovery is fast, and the incision is hidden on the inside of the lid, so there’s no visible scar.
Warning Signs of a Spreading Infection
Rarely, an eyelid infection can progress to cellulitis, a more serious infection of the skin and tissue around the eye. Seek prompt medical attention if you notice spreading redness and swelling beyond the eyelid itself, fever, a bulging eye, pain when moving your eye, or any change in your vision. These symptoms suggest the infection has moved beyond the original gland and needs aggressive treatment. This is particularly urgent in children, where eyelid infections can progress more quickly.
Preventing Internal Styes From Coming Back
Some people get internal styes repeatedly, which usually signals an underlying problem with how their oil glands function. A condition called meibomian gland dysfunction, where the glands chronically produce thick or sluggish oil, makes recurring styes much more likely. Daily eyelid hygiene can break the cycle.
Make warm compresses part of your routine even when you don’t have an active stye. A five-minute compress once a day loosens oil in the glands and keeps them flowing freely. After the compress, gently massage along the lash line to express the oils. Then clean your eyelid margins with a mild cleanser. Diluted baby shampoo on a cotton pad works, or you can use pre-made eyelid scrub pads available at most pharmacies. This simple routine takes under ten minutes and is the most reliable way to prevent blockages from forming in the first place.
Other habits that help: replace eye makeup every three to six months (bacteria accumulate in mascara tubes especially), never share eye cosmetics, wash your hands before touching your eyes or handling contact lenses, and remove all eye makeup before bed. If you wear contacts, follow the recommended replacement schedule rather than stretching the life of each pair.