A stye is a painful, red bump on the eyelid caused by a bacterial infection in one of the small glands near your eyelashes. It looks and feels like a pimple, often fills with pus, and typically resolves on its own within one to two weeks. While uncomfortable and sometimes alarming, styes are one of the most common eyelid problems and rarely cause lasting harm.
What Causes a Stye
Your eyelids contain dozens of tiny oil-producing glands that keep your eyes lubricated. When bacteria, usually Staphylococcus aureus, get into one of these glands, the result is a blocked, infected lump.
There are two types, depending on which gland is affected. An external stye forms at the base of an eyelash, where a small oil gland called the gland of Zeis opens into the hair follicle. This is the classic stye most people picture: a visible, tender bump right along the lash line. An internal stye develops deeper in the eyelid, inside one of the larger oil glands embedded in the eyelid’s inner tissue. Internal styes tend to point inward, sometimes visible as a yellowish spot on the inside surface of the lid. Both types hurt, but internal styes can cause more diffuse swelling because of their deeper location.
What a Stye Feels and Looks Like
The first sign is usually tenderness or soreness in one spot on the eyelid. Within a day or two, a red or discolored bump appears, often with a visible white or yellow center where pus collects. The surrounding eyelid may swell noticeably, and in some cases the entire lid puffs up.
Other common symptoms include:
- Tearing or watery eyes on the affected side
- Crusting along the eyelid margin, especially after sleep
- Light sensitivity
- A gritty or scratchy sensation, as if something is in your eye
- Discharge from the eye
Eventually, the bump may drain on its own. You might notice pus or a small amount of blood leaking from it. Once it drains, the pain and swelling usually improve quickly.
Stye vs. Chalazion
People often confuse styes with chalazia (the plural of chalazion), because both are bumps on the eyelid. The key difference is pain. A stye is very painful, especially to the touch. A chalazion is usually not painful at all. Styes also tend to appear right at the eyelid’s edge near the lashes, while a chalazion typically develops farther back on the lid.
A chalazion forms when an oil gland gets blocked but not necessarily infected. It grows slowly into a firm, round lump. Sometimes a stye that doesn’t fully resolve will turn into a chalazion over time. If either one keeps coming back repeatedly, an eye doctor may want to take a small tissue sample to rule out a more serious problem.
Who Gets Styes More Often
Anyone can get a stye, but certain factors raise your risk. Chronic eyelid inflammation (blepharitis) is the biggest contributor, because it creates an environment where oil glands clog easily and bacteria thrive. Skin conditions like rosacea also play a role. Research published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that people who had styes as children were significantly more likely to develop rosacea as adults (5.5% compared to 1.5% in control subjects), suggesting a shared underlying tendency toward gland inflammation.
Touching or rubbing your eyes with unwashed hands introduces bacteria directly to the eyelid. Old cosmetics are another common culprit. Staphylococcus aureus bacteria have been found in mascara tubes after just three months of use, which is why mascara has a shorter recommended lifespan than most other makeup products. Using expired or shared eye makeup raises your chances of infection.
How to Treat a Stye at Home
Warm compresses are the most effective home treatment. The heat liquefies the hardened oil trapped inside the blocked gland, helping it drain naturally. Research shows it takes two to three minutes of sustained warmth on the eyelid surface to start softening the oil inside. Ophthalmologists generally recommend applying a warm, damp cloth for about five minutes per session, two to four times a day.
To make an effective compress, soak a clean washcloth in warm (not scalding) water, wring it out, and hold it gently against your closed eye. You may need to re-wet it partway through to keep it warm. Avoid squeezing, popping, or pressing hard on the stye. Forcing it to drain can spread the infection into surrounding tissue and make things significantly worse.
While the stye is healing, skip eye makeup and contact lenses. Both can reintroduce bacteria and slow recovery.
When a Stye Needs Medical Attention
Most styes resolve without any medical intervention. If yours hasn’t improved after a week or two of consistent warm compresses, an eye doctor may prescribe antibiotic ointment or drops, sometimes combined with a mild steroid, to help clear the infection. In rare cases where the bump persists and hardens into a chalazion, a minor in-office drainage procedure can remove it.
Certain warning signs need prompt attention. If redness and swelling spread beyond the bump to involve the skin around your entire eye socket, if you develop a fever alongside the swelling, or if you notice any changes in your vision or the eye itself starts to bulge, seek care right away. These can be signs of periorbital cellulitis, a more serious infection of the tissue surrounding the eye that requires treatment with oral or intravenous antibiotics.
Preventing Styes
Good eyelid hygiene is the simplest way to reduce your risk. Washing your hands before touching your face, especially before putting in contacts or applying makeup, keeps bacteria away from vulnerable glands. If you’re prone to blepharitis, gently cleaning your eyelid margins daily with a warm washcloth or commercially available lid scrub pads can help keep oil glands from clogging.
Cosmetics deserve special attention. Replace mascara every three months, even if it seems fine. Toss any eye makeup that has changed in texture, smell, or consistency. Never share products that touch your eyes or lashes. Clean makeup brushes and sponges every seven to ten days, and store your cosmetics in a cool, dry place with caps tightly secured. These small habits go a long way toward keeping the eyelid’s delicate glands clear and infection-free.