Stye

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

• A stye (STI) is an infection (in-FEK-shun) on the margin (edge) or inside of your eyelid. It is sometimes called an external hordeolum (hor-DEE-oh-lum). A stye forms when a germ called bacteria (bak-TEE-ree-ah) gets into a skin gland or eyelash follicle (FOL-i-kl). The follicle is the place on the eyelid where the eyelash comes out. As the bacteria grows, the gland or follicle becomes red, swollen, and painful.
  
  
• A white or yellow head of pus may appear on the eyelid a few days after the stye forms. A stye usually goes away or opens on its own and drains pus. If the stye will not go away, your caregiver may do a procedure to drain it. A stye usually goes away in two to four days, but may last longer.

AFTER YOU LEAVE:

Medicines:

• Keep a current list of your medicines: Include the amounts, and when, how, and why you take them. Take the list or the pill bottles to follow-up visits. Carry your medicine list with you in case of an emergency. Throw away old medicine lists. Use vitamins, herbs, or food supplements only as directed.
  
  
• Take your medicine as directed: Call your primary healthcare provider if you think your medicine is not working as expected. Tell him about any medicine allergies, and if you want to quit taking or change your medicine.
  
  
• Antibiotics: Your caregiver may give you antibiotic (an-ti-bi-OT-ik) medicine to treat the stye. Carefully follow your caregiver's directions if you are given this medicine to use.

How can I treat my stye at home?

• Put a clean, warm compress on your eye for 10 to 15 minutes, three to four times each day. The compress will decrease the swelling and pain. To make a compress soak a wash cloth in warm water. Wring out the wash cloth and place it gently over your eye.
  
  
• Do not squeeze the stye. Keep your hands away from your eyes to prevent spreading the infection to other parts of the eye. Wash your hands often with soap and dry with a clean towel.
  
  
• Help prevent getting another stye by washing your face and cleaning your eyelashes every day. Use make-up remover rather than just soap and water to remove eye make-up. This prevents heavy rubbing of your eyes and more completely removes the make-up.
  
  
• Your eye make-up may have germs in it which may have caused the stye. Do not wear eye make-up while you have a stye. Throw away eye make-up and brushes used to apply the make-up. Use new eye make-up after the stye has gone away. Do not share eye make-up with others.

CONTACT A CAREGIVER IF:

• You have redness and discharge around your eye, and your eye pain is getting worse.
  
  
• Your vision changes.
  
  
• The stye has not gone away within seven days. You may have a chalazion (kah-LAY-zee-on), which is an infection in an oil gland. This may need to be drained by your caregiver and treated with medicine.
  
  
• The stye comes back within a short period of time after treatment.

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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

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