Stye – Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment - By: Peter Hutch

A sty (sometimes spelled stye) is a tender, painful red bump located at the base of an eyelash or under or inside the eyelid. The medical term for a sty is hordeolum (plural, hordeola).
A sty results from an acute infection of the oil glands of the eyelid (meibomian glands) that occurs after these glands have become clogged. A sty also may arise from an infected hair follicle at the base of an eyelash. The bacterium Staphylococcus aureus is responsible for 90%-95% of cases of styes. Staph aureus is frequently found on the skin. A sty can develop as a complication of blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelid)

Causes of Stye

Styes are generally caused by a staphylococcus aureus bacteria infection and are particularly common in infants, though people of any age may experience them. This bacterium is often found in the nose, and it's easily transferred to the eye by rubbing first your nose, then your eye. A stye can be secondary, caused by blepharitis. A blocked oil gland near the eye, a chalazion, is often mistaken for a stye. Adults are affected more often than children. The condition may occur at an increased frequency within certain families and in children with Down's syndrome.
Symptoms of Eye Stye
Some common Symptoms of Eye Stye :
· Sensitivity to light.
· Eye pain.
· Swollen, red, tender upper or lower eyelid.
· Blurred vision.
· Mucous discharge in the eye.
Types of Stye:
An external sty starts as a pimple next to an eyelash. As it swells, it becomes red and painful. The swelling usually lasts several days before it bursts and then heals. Most external sties do not last very long.
An internal sty causes a red, painful swelling, but its location prevents the pus from appearing on the eyelid. The sty may disappear completely once the infection goes away. However, it may leave a small fluid-filled cyst that can persist and may have to be cut open.

Diagnosis:

The doctor determines whether a child has a sty by visually examining the appearance of the eyelid. If the bump is hard and is located deep within the eyelid, it probably is a chalazion. For a patient whose sty has not healed with home treatment, the doctor may test the fluid in the eye to determine the type of bacteria present and prescribe treatment accordingly.
Treatment of Stye:

In the early stages, chalazia may be treated at home. Most styes will drain on their own though this may be accelerated with a hot or warm compress. Styes typically resolve within one week with treatment. Chalazions may be treated with any one or a combination of antibiotic or steroid drops or injections; warm compresses for 5 to 10 minutes, 3 or 4 times a day; gentle massage to express the glandular secretions; or surgical drainage.

Here is the list of the methods for treating Eye-Stye :
Application of prescribed antibiotic drops may also be used to help fight the infection
Boil a handful of acacia leaves in two cups of water to make a decoction and apply it as compress on the eyelids
A grated potato used as a poultice, reduce swelling in inflamed eyes.
Use make-up remover rather than just soap and water to remove eye make-up. This prevents heavy rubbing of your eyes and more completely removes the make-up.

Although antibiotics are sometimes used to treat styes, they do not really help much

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