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SALT LAKE CITY — A sty is a small red bump that appears on the outside or inside of the eyelid. It develops when an eyelash follicle or eyelid oil gland becomes clogged from excess oil, debris or bacteria.
While the appearance of a sty can be unsightly and painful, it is usually harmless.
Symptoms
When a sty first develops, you will probably experience watery eyes, pain, tenderness, itching or redness. Your eyes may also feel bruised and sensitive to light.
If the sty is severe it may turn into a boil, causing a yellow spot that looks similar to a pimple. Your eye doctor may suggest lancing the boil for draining, and possibly a steroid injection to reduce swelling. Both of these options will be painful, but the overall pain will go away once the pus drains.
Causes
There are several factors that contribute to how often you get sties, according to MedicineNet.com:
- Stress. In many cases, a sty is directly related to stress. If you have a lot of stress in your life, the frequency of sties may increase.
- Age. Studies have shown there is a slight increase in the occurrence of sties for people in their 50s.
- Health. People with certain chronic conditions are more prone to develop a sty. These conditions include diabetes mellitus, chronic blepharitis, seborrhea and other debilitating chronic illnesses.
Prevention
The following suggestions can help to prevent sties:
- Relax. Again, sties often develop in times of stress.
- Keep it clean. Take time daily to properly clean your face, gently washing your eyelids to remove excess debris. Pre-packaged and pre-medicated eyelid wipes are available in stores, making it easy to scrub the eyelids to reduce or eliminate bacteria.
- Ditch the makeup. Never fall asleep without removing makeup. Residue from cosmetics can easily clog eyelid glands. Baby oil is an inexpensive way to remove eye makeup while moisturizing the eyelid at the same time.
Treatment
When you have a sty, the following suggestions can help alleviate pain and discomfort and speed up the healing process:
- While you may have the urge to pinch the sty, it's best to allow it to drain on its own.
- Apply warm compresses several times a day, each time letting the compress stay on your eye for 10 to 15 minutes. After compresses, gently massage the affected area.
- Over-the-counter eye drops may help to reduce eye irritation.
- Rub your eyelid with over-the-counter antibiotic ointment several times a day.
- Avoid wearing eye makeup or contact lenses until the sty heals completely.
Most sties swell for about three days before they break open and drain. If the treatment suggestions above don’t seem to be working, seek help from your doctor. An untreated infection of any kind around the eye can lead to permanent vision damage.
Suzanne Carlile, "Nurse Suzy," has been a nurse since 1982. Her main focus is critical care and nursing education. She holds a master's degree in nursing, is a Certified Emergency Nurse, and a member of NNSDO Intermountain West Chapter.
