We can all agree that an eye stye is not fun. It is a simple red bump on the edge of the eyelid that is very irritating.
Usually, there are home remedies to treat an eye stye. This involves using a warm compress over the stye, wearing eye glasses, and more. We will talk about this in-depth below.
Best Treatments for an Eye Stye
- Soak a clean washcloth in warm water. Be sure to clean your hands before you touch the washcloth, and put it over the eye stye. You can do this as often as you like in a day. The general recommendation is 5 to 10 times a day.
- Clean your fingers and gently massage the area with the stye. This will help open up the clogged gland and drain the bacteria away. But do not pop the stye, this can cause further spread of the bacteria. Let it drain away on its own. Be sure to wash your hands again after this.
- Always keep your eyes and your face clean. If crusts form around your eye, take some baby shampoo, drop it on some warm water and cleanse the eye. Keep your eyes closed and leave it there for no more than 30 seconds.
- If you have an eye stye, it is important not to wear any eye makeup.
- If you are using contact lenses, it is important to switch to eyeglasses while you have a stye.
- If the area is really sore, you can take some pain relievers to help alleviate the pain.
- Antibiotic Creams and over the counter medications
If your eye stye doesn’t go away after a few days, or if it keeps coming back, it may be time to visit your doctor. Especially if you cannot see well, and if the stye causes more pain. Your eye doctor may recommend an antibiotic cream or even do a minor surgery in worst case scenarios.
What Is Eye Stye
An eye stye, or hordeolum is a red bump that typically forms on the outer edge of the eyelid. Many describe it as something like a pimple. Usually, styes are caused by bacteria from your skin. This bacteria can easily get into the oil glands in the eyelids and causes irritation.
Once the bacteria gets in, these get trapped along with the dead skin cells. As a result, the eyelid will get swollen and red. This painful bump can develop over a few days.
Tips to Prevent Eye Stye
The best prevention is to clean your hands before you touch your eye or your face. This prevents any bacteria from getting into your eyes.
If you wear makeup all day, be sure to wash your face before you go to bed every night. This will help get rid of any germs and bacteria, as well as dead skin cells. Bacteria feasts on dead skin cells, so washing your face every night is a great prevention. It is also important to get rid of expired eye makeup.
When you wash your face, be sure to rub your eyelids and eyelashes gently for no more than 30 seconds. This helps ensure that any dead skin cells and germs get washed away.
If you wear contact lenses, it is important to disinfect these every day. This is to prevent further bacteria build up.
