Page 61 - (DK) Home Doctor: Providing practical advice on home treatments

COMMON CONDITIONS: EYE AND EAR PROBLEMS 59

Stye

A stye is a red bump on or inside the edge of your eyelid that swells
up over a few days and becomes painful. The cause is an infection
at the base of an eyelash. You may find it difficult to open your eye
or feel as if you have something in your eye, especially when you
blink. Your eye may also be watery and sensitive to light. The stye
usually comes to a head and bursts, at which point the pain subsides,
although some styes disappear without coming to a head.
Stye on the upper eyelid
See also Itchy eyes, p.56; Conjunctivitis, opposite page.

What you can do yourself
PRACTICAL TECHNIQUE
A stye usually clears up by itself within a few days,
but the following steps will help to minimize the Using a warm compress Soak a
pain and reduce the risk of spreading the infection. cotton pad or clean cloth in warm to hand-hot water,
then squeeze it out and place it on your eyelid.
● Don’t rub your eye or squeeze the stye to release
Keep reapplying it for 10–15
pus. Put a warm compress on it to bring it to a minutes, rewarming the pad
head (see PRACTICAL TECHNIQUE, right). when it cools down. Repeat
several times a day until the
● Once the stye has burst, bathe your eyelid with
stye bursts.
warm water, then keep your eye clean and dry.
Applying a compress
● Wash your hands regularly and avoid rubbing
Use a clean pad
or touching the affected eye. for each session
and keep rewarming
● Don’t use eye makeup on the affected eye.
it before holding it
● Don’t wear contact lenses while you have a stye. gently against
your eyelid.

Seek medical advice
Arrange to see your doctor if:
● The stye hasn’t healed, either on its own
or with treatment, within a week
● The stye begins to spread to the skin on
PREVENTION
the surrounding eyelid
● You are getting recurrent styes
Preventing styes If you are prone to styes,
use these hygiene measures to help prevent them.
● Wash your hands regularly and avoid touching your
eyes. Always use your own washcloth and towel.
● Throw away old eye makeup, particularly liquids
such as mascaras. Don’t share makeup with other
people. Remove makeup before you go to bed.
● If you use nondisposable contact lenses, be
particularly careful about cleaning and storing them.