Many people have experienced styes or have at least heard of it. But what really is a stye? How can we prevent or treat them?
A stye is a bacterial infection which involves one or a few of the glands at the base of your eyelashes. Often, it resembles a boil or a pimple, it may have a white head and be tender to the touch. Styes can be caused by buildup of Meibomian gland secretions or be idiopathic in nature (unknown cause). In rare worst-case scenarios, recurrent styes in the same spot can be a sign of sebaceous gland carcinomas.
It’s important to maintain good eyelid hygiene by using eyelid cleansers and warm compresses daily. This not only helps to prevent styes, but also alleviates symptoms related to dry eye and eyelash mites.
With styes, patients typically notice pain and discomfort that disappears within a few days. However, more serious cases can develop into pre-septal cellulitis with progressively worsening symptoms and require antibiotics.
Warm compresses help to speed up recovery and relieve discomfort, but if you don’t see improvements after 48 hours, you’ll want to contact your optometrist.
