Stye

July 21, 2021Articles25

A stye is an inflammation of the eyelid associated with a small collection of pus. It is sometimes known as hordeolum. Although uncomfortable and incredibly common, styes are not generally a cause for concern. Even if you take great care of your eyes, you can still get them.
Often the lump is red and painful and looks like a boil or pimple which occurs when bacteria get trapped inside the oil gland or hair follicle on your eyelid. It is tender to touch and can be very painful.
Types –
A stye can be of following types –
• External styes

Much more common than internal styes, most external styes start in an eyelash follicle.Occasionally, they start in an oil (Sebaceous) gland. They are located on the outside edge of your eyelid.
• Internal styes

Most of these begin in an oil (meibomian) gland within your eyelid tissue. They push on your eye as they grow, so they tend to be more painful than external styes.
Symptoms –
Most commonly, styes only affect one eye at a time. Styes very rarely affect both eyes simultaneously. An individual will generally have one stye in one eye. However, it is possible to have more than one stye in the same eye or one in each eye.
The patient will have a painful red swelling on the eyelid which can make the eye produce tears and become red. Sometimes styes can look like a pimple.
Symptoms of a stye can include –
• lump on the eyelid
• swelling of the eyelid
• pain with tenderness
• crusting of the margins of the eyelids
• redness
• burning sensation
• itching of the eye
• droopines of the eyelid
• blurry vision
• light sensitivity
• discomfort while blinking
• tearing
• feeling of having an object in the eye
You should contact your doctor if yours stye persists for greater than one week, and problems arises.
Causes –

Styes are caused by a Staphylococcus bacterial infection in an oil gland or hair follicle on your eyelid. These glands and follicles can get clogged with dead skin cells and other debris. Sometimes, bacteria get trapped inside and cause an infection.This results in a swollen, painful lump called a stye.
Risk Factors –
The risk factors of developing a stye includes –
• using cosmetics after their expiry date
• not removing eye makeup before going to bed
• not disinfecting contact lenses before putting them in
• changing contact lenses without washing hands thoroughly
• poor nutrition
• sleep deprivation
• sometimes Stye appears as complication of blepharitis
If a member of house has a stye, other family members should not share clothes or face towels to minimize cross infection.
Complications –
Complication of stye, although extremely rare, may sometimes occur.
There can includes –
• Meibomian cyst
This is a cyst of the small glands located in the eyelid. The glands discharge a lubricant, called sebum in the edge of the eyelid. A persistent stye on the inside of the eyelid can eventually develop into a Meibomian cyst, or chalazion, especially if the gland is obstructed. This type of cyst is easily and effectively treatable.
• Preseptal or periorbital cellulitis
This may develop if the infection spreads to the tissue around the eye.The layers of skin around the eye become inflamed and red, making the eyelids go red and swollen. This is treated with antibiotics.
Diagnosis –
Your doctor can usually diagnose a stye by looking at it. No special tests are needed.
Treatment –

Never squeeze as try to pop a stye. It can spread the infection to the rest of your eyelid. Most styes go away on their own in about a week. Topical antibiotic can be used if the stye isn’t healing.
Warm compress
A warm compress is the primary home remedy for a stye. You can make one by soaking a washcloth in hot water until it is as warm as you can tolerate without burning your skin. It is recommended to use a compress for 10-15 minutes three to four times a day.
Using a compress once a day can prevent a new or recurring stye, if you are prone to getting them.
Gentle shampoo or mild soap on a cotton swab can be used to remove drainage and crusting. A small amount of blood may be present in the drainage, which is normal.
A warm compress can –
• help liquify the hardened material in a stye, allowing it to drain
• draw the pus in an external stye to the surface where it can come to a head before bursting
• unclog the gland, providing a drainage route for the pus and debris especially in internal styes.
If your stye persists despite warm compresses and topical antibiotics, your doctor way perform incision and drainage.
Pain relievers such as Ibuprofen or acetaminophen may be helpful if the stye is particularly sore.
If the stye persists, the doctor may prescribe a topical antibiotic cream or antibiotic eye drops.
It is best not to apply eye makeup, lotions or wear contact lenses until the stye has completely gone.
Ayurvedic Perspective –
In Ayurveda, stye is correlated to Anjananamika & Kumbhika. Mainly pitta dosha and rakta dhatu become vitiated in stye, though other doshas too may be vitiated. For a permanent cure prevent recurrence, it is necessary to boost the immune system with strengthening herbs and therapies.
Ayurvedic Treatment
▪︎Warm tea bag – It may be used in place of warm compresses. Black tea works best. It has antibacterial action.
▪︎Triphala wash – It is known remedy for eye disorders. Boil coarse powder of triphala in water on moderate steam. Strain the powder. Allow the Triphala liquid to cool down and than wash the affected eye.
▪︎Apply ghee or honey – One of these can be applied with clean hands over the stye. This will help making the stye soft and enables easy draining. These also have healing effect on the eye.
Effective Medications
• Triphala Churna
• Triphala Ghrita
• Saptamrita Loha
• Kanchnar Guggulu

For more informative articles on health issues, please visit our website www.santripty.com and also feel free to consult.