Styes

Styes are infection of the glands at the base of the eyelashes.

Styes are generally caused by a bacterial infection and can be triggered by stress or poor nutrition. This bacteria can be spread by using a razor to shave both the mustache and hair near the eyes. They can also be the result of sharing washcloths, towels, eye drops, eye make-up or touching the hands of an infected person.

Although they are particularly common in infants, styes are experienced by people of all ages.

Styes often start out as mild pain and redness around in the affected area of the tissues around the eye. As the stye grows symptoms may include sensitivity to light, itching, swelling, watering of the eye, and discomfort when blinking.  Occasionally a yellowish bump develops in the affected area.

Generally styes will drain on their own with no help from you. However, using a warm wet cloth as a compress to increase the blood flow to the affected area helps the stye drain of fluid and health faster.  This will also act to reduce the pain and other symptoms.  Occasionally, an eye care professional may lance a stye to drain it of fluid, but this is not recommended for home treatment because of the location of the eye in relation to the stye to the eye and also because the stye is full of infection that could spread if lanced.  If the stye leaks fluid on it's own clean the eye with cold clean water to prevent additional infections.  There is also a specialized Polysporin topical ointment for eyes.