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What is a stye on my eyelid?
What does a lump on my eyelid look like?
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What causes a hordeolum on the eyelid?
A stye is a small, painful lump on or inside the eyelid or around the eye. The skin around the stye may be swollen and red and the stye may be filled with yellow pus. The redness may be harder to see on brown and black skin. Your eye may be red and watery but your vision should not be affected.
- Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis is an eye condition caused by infection or...
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eye pads and wipes; eyedrops; Find a pharmacy. Non-urgent...
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- Overview
- Symptoms and Causes
- Diagnosis and Tests
- Management and Treatment
- Prevention
- Outlook / Prognosis
- Living With
A stye is a painful red bump on the edge of your eyelid. Similar to an acne pimple, a stye forms when a tiny oil gland near your eyelashes becomes blocked and gets infected. Styes are very common, and in many cases, you can manage them at home. But some cases may require treatment by an eye care provider.
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What are the symptoms of a stye?
The main symptom of a stye is a painful red bump along your eyelid edge near your eyelashes. Other stye symptoms may include: Swelling of your eyelid (sometimes your entire eyelid). Discharge from your eye. Crusting along your eyelid. Light sensitivity. Soreness and itching. Eye tearing. A scratchy feeling or a feeling that there’s something in your eye.
What causes a stye?
A bacterial infection in your eyelid’s oil-producing glands causes most styes. The oil-producing glands line the eyelids and help lubricate the surface of your eye.
How is a stye diagnosed?
Some styes are more stubborn and require a visit to a healthcare provider. If your vision seems to be affected or if your stye seems to be getting worse instead of better, contact a provider. During your appointment, your provider will examine your eyelid and ask about any additional symptoms you’re having. They’ll be able to diagnose a stye based on this eye exam.
How do you get rid of a stye?
A stye will usually go away by itself in one to two weeks. To feel better faster and reduce pain and swelling, you can use a self-care plan to treat your stye at home. Here are some dos and don’ts to manage your stye at home.
How will an eye care provider treat a stye?
If after 48 hours of stye self-care, your pain and swelling aren’t getting any better, it’s time to call your eye care provider. Stye treatment by a medical provider may include: A small cut (incision) to drain your stye in the office (under local anesthesia). Prescription antibiotic ointment to apply to your eyelid or antibiotic eye drops. Your provider may prescribe oral antibiotics in cases where the area around your eye is infected or after an incision is made to drain an internal stye. A steroid injection into the stye to reduce eyelid swelling. Care at Cleveland Clinic Eye Care Find a Doctor and Specialists Make an Appointment
Can styes be prevented?
The best way to prevent a stye is to practice good facial hygiene, including: Washing your hands thoroughly and often, especially before touching your face and eyes. Washing your hands before and after removing contact lenses. Clean your contacts with disinfectant and lens cleaning solution. Dispose of daily wear or other “limited use” lenses on the schedule that your eye care provider recommends. Washing your face to remove dirt and/or makeup before going to bed. Throwing away eye makeup every two to three months. Never share eye makeup with anyone else.
How serious is a stye?
Styes are usually harmless. They may cause some minor irritation and discomfort, but they typically go away on their own. Stye self-care measures like warm compresses can help speed up the healing process. Although it will be tempting to cover the stye with makeup, avoid doing this. Putting makeup on a stye can delay the healing process or even cause it to become more plugged up and infected, which, in turn, will make it more painful.
When should I see my healthcare provider?
You should see your healthcare provider if: Your eye is swollen shut. Pus or blood is leaking from the bump. Pain and/or swelling increases after the first two to three days. Blisters have formed on your eyelid. Your eyelids feel hot. Your vision has changed. Styes keep coming back. If this happens, your provider may take a biopsy (a small sample of the stye), under local anesthesia, to rule out other more serious problems.
What questions should I ask my healthcare provider?
If you have a stye, you may want to ask your provider the following questions: Do styes usually go away on their own? How long will it take a stye to heal? What treatment options do you recommend? Do I need to miss school or work if I have a stye? If I’m in a lot of pain, can I take a pain reliever?
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Ouch! What’s that painful red bump that’s developed on your eye? A common cause is a stye. Though they can be painful, most styes aren’t a cause for concern. Having a stye is usually manageable with good eyelid hygiene, and most cases will go away on their own. If the stye persists and doesn’t seem to be getting any better with at-home treatment, contact an eye care specialist. Medically Reviewed Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 12/21/2023. Learn more about our editorial process.
Jun 14, 2022 · A stye (sty) is a red, painful lump near the edge of your eyelid that may look like a boil or a pimple. Styes are often filled with pus. A stye usually forms on the outside of your eyelid, but sometimes it can form on the inner part of your eyelid.
Jan 23, 2024 · A stye is a common but painful eyelid infection. It usually looks like a small red bump on the edge of the eyelid. Most styes get better on their own and do not need medical treatment. Hot compresses can ease the pain and encourage the stye to burst.
Jul 18, 2022 · A stye is a reddish lump on the outer edge of your eyelid. It’s filled with pus and inflammatory cells produced when a clogged gland or follicle becomes infected. It’s tender to the touch and...
- Once a stye has started draining, you may also experience noticeable improvements in symptoms, including pain and swelling. However, keep in mind t...
- In rare cases, the infection can spread to other areas around the eye, causing a condition called periorbital cellulitis. This leads to symptoms li...
- If you don't notice any improvements within a few days, if the stye gets bigger, or symptoms begin to worsen, you should talk to a doctor to determ...
- In most cases, you don't need to change your pillowcase more frequently if you have a stye. However, the bacteria can spread through direct contact...
- Frequent styes may be a sign of certain skin conditions, including rosacea or blepharitis. If you experience recurring styes in one or both eyes, i...
Feb 20, 2024 · An eye stye (sty or hordeolum) is an inflamed oil gland (meibomian glands) near the edge of the eyelid. It appears as a painful red bump that may look like a pimple or a small boil. They’re usually caused by an acute bacterial infection in the upper or lower eyelid.
Mar 4, 2019 · What is a stye? A stye is an infected oil gland in the eyelid. They are usually caused by bacteria, and they often develop along the eyelid margin, where eyelashes grow. They can also occur inside the eyelid, but this is less common. Styes appear as red, swollen bumps that are painful or tender.
