Definition:
A stye (sty) or hordeolum is an infection of a follicle or gland at the base of an eyelash. A small boil may appear at the margin of the eyelid but, in some cases, the infection can be so deep that only swelling and redness can be seen. A stye usually goes away by itself.
You may click to see the pictures
A stye develops when a gland at the edge of the eyelid becomes infected. Resembling a pimple on the eyelid, a stye can grow on the inside or outside of the lid. Styes are not harmful to vision, and they can occur at any age.
Symptoms :-
- Redness accompanied by slight pain and tenderness
- Swelling of a certain area which usually appears as a bump
- Tearing of the eye
- Discomfort when blinking
- Sensitivity to light
Slight swelling at the margin of an eyelid. It may fill with pus and become a small boil, which either gradually disappears or ruptures by itself.
A stye initially brings pain, redness, tenderness and swelling in the area, then a small pimple appears. Sometimes just the immediate area is swollen; other times the entire eyelid swells. You may notice frequent watering in the affected eye, a feeling like something is in the eye or increased light sensitivity.
Causes:-
Styes are generally caused by a Staphylococcus aureus bacteria infection and are particularly common in infants, though people of any age may experience them.This staphylococcal bacteria is often found in the nose, and it’s easily transferred to the eye by rubbing first your nose, then your eye.A stye can be secondary, caused by blepharitis. A blocked oil gland near the eye, a chalazion, is often mistaken for a stye.
They can be triggered by stress or poor nutrition. Also, using the same razor to shave hair near the eyes and a mustache on a regular basis can also spread staphylococcus bacteria and eventually lead to styes or other eye infections.
Treatment:–
A stye normally heals by itself within 2 weeks.
Apply a hot compress using a hot towel for about 5 minutes, 3 or 4 times a day, and gently massage the area. This will unclog the follicle or gland and hasten the boils to rupture.
Consult a doctor if the inflammation persists for more than 2 weeks, styes recur, or the stye rubs against the eye and irritates it.
Your doctor may prescribe antibiotic eyedrops or ointment.Surgical drainage of the stye may also be necessary if the stye is not responding to treatment
You can encourage this process of healing by applying hot compresses for 10 to 15 minutes, three or four times a day over the course of several days. This will relieve the pain and bring the stye to a head, much like a pimple. The stye ruptures and drains, then heals.
Most styes will drain on their own though this may be accelerated with a hot or warm compress, or by pulling out the eyelash. Styes typically resolve within 1 week with treatment. While a stye is technically a pimple and can be popped, doing so is not recommended without technical expertise due to their proximity to the eye. Styes may also cause a bruising feeling around the eye which can be treated with a warm cloth.
Medical professionals will sometimes lance a particularly persistent or irritating stye with a needle, to accelerate its draining. A stye’s spread or expansion can also be fought with the use of antibiotic ointment akin to Neosporin (e.g. Erythromycin ophthalmic ointment), a special version being available for styes, which can be applied in a ribbon along the lid, on either inside or out. Medical professionals may also prescribe Amoxicillin for over a period of a week.
If a stye bursts care must be taken to cleanse the wound to prevent reinfection.
Contact lenses should never be worn during treatment for a stye. Eye makeup is not recommended, and refrain from touching the stye is also very important.
Never “pop” a stye like a pimple; allow it to rupture on its own. If you have frequent styes, your eye doctor may prescribe an antibiotic ointment to prevent a recurrence.
Styes formed inside the eyelid either disappear completely or (rarely) rupture on their own, and they can be more serious. These styes may need to be opened and drained by your eyecare practitioner.
Alternative remedies:-
There are various folk remedies for curing a stye, such as rubbing a gold ring, or rubbing the hair of a cats tail on the affected area. though they are not recommended by professionals.
According to Ayurveda, applying saliva immediately after waking up in the morning to the infected areas will cure the infection.
Other folk remedies include applying the first urine of the day on the stye, applying lipstick to the stye, and rubbing the index finger on the palm until warm then applying to affected area.Applying a black tea bag to the affected area is another folk remedie.
It is important to note that none of these techniques have been empirically proven, and that they are not part of an expert’s recommended treatment.
Natural & Home Remedies For Eye Stye
Chalazion: Another Typ of Eyelid Bump
Often mistaken for a stye, a chalazion is an enlarged, blocked oil gland in the eyelid. A chalazion mimics a stye for the first few days, then turns into a painless hard, round bump later on. Most chalazia develop further from the eyelid edge than styes.
Although the same treatment speeds the healing of a chalazion, the bump may linger for one to several months. If the chalazion remains after several months, your eye doctor may drain it or inject a steroid to facilitate healing.
Disclaimer: This information is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advise or help. It is always best to consult with a Physician about serious health concerns. This information is in no way intended to diagnose or prescribe remedies.This is purely for educational purpose
Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hordeolum
http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/styes.htm
http://www.mydr.com.au/default.asp?article=2428
http://www.eyecaresource.com/conditions/styes/
Related articles
One reply on “Stye (Hordeolum)”
[…] Read the rest of this great post here […]