What is a Stye and how do I treat it?
What is a Stye and How Do You Treat it?
Among the many conditions we can have wrong with our eyes, styes are perhaps one of the least dangerous. However, you should take proper eye care if you have one.
So, what causes a stye, and how do we treat it? We at Eye Boutique are here to talk you through it.
What is a Stye?
A stye is simply a small red lump on your eyelid. It’s caused by a bacterial infection in a hair follicle or gland. Compared to some of the nasty infections we can get, it’s relatively minor.
The biggest eye impact of a stye is redness, but symptoms can include:
• Swelling
• Yellow discharge (pus)
• Watery eye
• Light sensitivity
• Itchiness in and around the eye
• Tenderness if touched
Styes can be internal or external depending on where they’re located. External styes occur on the outside of your eyelid and are the more common kind. They start in a sebaceous gland, whereas internal ones usually start in a meibomian gland. Internal styes are often the more painful ones.
How to Prevent a Stye
Generally, proper eye care is the best way to prevent a stye. Try to avoid rubbing your eyes with your hands. Also, be careful if you wear contact lenses. Always wash your hands before touching them and clean your lenses properly.
Another important tip is to change your eye makeup regularly, ideally once every 3 months for liquid products that you use regularly (e.g. mascara and eyeliner).
How to Treat a Stye
A stye is something easily diagnosed and can be treated on your own. It should go away within a week or so. But if it lasts longer, consider searching online for “optometrist near me”. An eye doctor can diagnose a stye without any tests.
But what can you do if your stye is particularly painful? Press a warm compress on your eye 3–4 times a day for up to 15 minutes each. It helps unclog the gland or follicle and draw out any pus to speed up healing.
You might notice a small amount of blood as/when the stye drains. It’s normal for there to be a little bit, but if it looks like a lot, you should get in touch with a doctor immediately.
If you do need to visit an eye doctor, they’ll usually prescribe a topical antibiotic to clear up the infection. But if that doesn’t work, and depending on the size your eye doctor will create an incision to drain the pus. It’s done using a local anesthetic in your doctor’s office.
So, if you think you’ve got a stye, the best thing to do is to use a warm compress. If it hasn’t gone away within a week, consider booking an appointment with a local eye doctor.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for the best eye doctors in Houston, get in touch with Eye Boutique located near or around Montrose, Heights, Rice Military, Downtown Houston and Galleria. We can help you keep today’s vision working well or assist you with any other eye care needs.
www.myeyeboutique.com/book-appointment
Eye Boutique
4015 Washington ave. Suite D
Houston TX, 77007
832–800–7259 or 832–800–7359