Understanding and Treating Eye Styes

A stye, or hordeolum, is a painful lump that forms on the eyelid due to an inflamed oil gland or clogged eyelash follicle. While generally harmless, styes can cause significant discomfort, swelling, and redness around the affected area. 

What Causes Styes?

Styes are commonly caused by bacterial infections, often Staphylococcus aureus. Several factors increase the risk:

• Poor hygiene and touching eyes with unclean hands
• Lack of sleep or high stress
• Using makeup, lotions, or products that irritate the eye area
• Blepharitis (chronic eyelid inflammation)

Symptoms Of A Stye

The main symptom is a tender, red bump on the eyelid’s outer or inner surface. Other symptoms include:

• Pain and swelling around the stye
• Excessive tearing and eye discharge 
• Light sensitivity
• Crusty eyelids or blurred vision if the stye is large

How To Treat A Stye 

Most styes resolve within 1-2 weeks with proper care. Home remedies can help:

• Warm Compresses: Apply a clean, warm compress to the stye for 10-15 minutes, 3-4 times daily to promote drainage and reduce inflammation.

• Eyelid Hygiene: Gently clean the eyelids with an eyelid cleansing solution to remove crusts, debris, and bacteria.

• Lubricating Drops/Gels: Over-the-counter lubricating eye drops or gels can provide symptom relief for irritation and dryness. 

• Avoid Eye Makeup and Contacts: Don’t wear eye makeup, lotions, or contacts until the stye heals to prevent further irritation.

• Pain Medication: Over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help with discomfort.

How To Prevent Styes

Maintaining good eyelid and facial hygiene is key to preventing styes. Wash hands regularly, avoid touching eyes with unclean hands, remove makeup fully before bed, and replace eye makeup frequently. Managing conditions like blepharitis also reduces risk.

While uncomfortable, most styes resolve with simple home care. However, proper treatment is essential, as untreated styes can potentially lead to complications like spreading infection. See an eye doctor promptly if experiencing severe or persistent symptoms.

Products That Can Help Provide Relief

Stye Relief Compress: This microwavable compress provides warm therapy with sterile protection to help drain styes, reduce inflammation and alleviate discomfort. Features include patented Sterileyes technology, adjustable straps, and reusability.

The Eye Doctor Lid Cleanser: A gentle foaming solution that cleans and soothes the eyelids, removing debris, oils, and bacteria that contribute to styes and other eyelid issues.

Optimel Manuka Honey Dry Eye Gel: Formulated with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory Manuka honey, this gel relieves dry, irritated eyes during a stye flare-up.

While we have found the Optimel Dry Eye gel to be the most effective product against styes in our experience, other foams, such as OCuSoft HypoChlor and OCuSoft Lid Scrub Plus, could also be beneficial.

These products can support stye treatment and promote healing when used as part of an overall regimen of warm compresses, eyelid hygiene, and proper self-care. Consult your eye doctor for severe or persistent cases.

If you have sensitive eyes but still want to wear makeup, then there is a product that can help.
An Optometrist specialising in dry eye has designed the Eyes Are the Story range of products, which includes Facial Serums, Mascara, Eyeliner and Eye Shadow. These products are much less likely to irritate your eyes than traditional cosmetics.

When to See an Optometrist

Seek medical care if symptoms persist beyond 2 weeks or worsen, including increased pain, impaired vision, recurring styes, excessive discharge/pus, or fever. An eye doctor can provide prescription treatments if needed.