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| Stye Classification and external resources |
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|---|---|
| A regular stye on person's eye | |
| ICD-10 | H00. |
| ICD-9 | 373.11 |
| DiseasesDB | 12583 |
| MedlinePlus | 001009 |
| eMedicine | emerg/755 |
- This article is about the infection of the eye. For the In Flames album, see Soundtrack to Your Escape.
A stye (IPA: /ˈstaɪ/) or hordeolum (/ˌhɔrˈdiːələm/) is an infection of the sebaceous glands at the base of the eyelashes.[1] While they produce no lasting damage, styes can be quite painful.
Contents |
Causes
Styes are generally caused by a Staphylococcus aureus bacteria infection. Although they are particularly common in infants, styes are experienced by people of all ages. Styes can be triggered by stress or poor nutrition. Using the same razor to shave hair near both the eyes and a mustache can also spread staphylococcus bacteria, potentially leading to styes or other eye infections.[2][3]
A stye can be secondary, caused by blepharitis. A blocked oil gland near the eye, a chalazion, is often mistaken for a stye.[4]
Signs and symptom
The first signs of a stye are tenderness, pain and redness in the affected area. Later symptoms include itching, swelling, watering of the eye, sensitivity to light and discomfort when blinking. A yellowish bump sometimes develops in the affected area.
Treatment
While most styes will drain on their own, this process can be accelerated by the application of a hot or warm compress or by pulling out the eyelash. There is also a specialized Polysporin topical ointment for styes. With treatment, styes typically resolve within one week. While a stye is technically a pimple and can be popped, doing so is not recommended without technical expertise[5] given its proximity to the eye. Styes may also cause a bruised feeling around the eye, which can be treated through the application of a warm cloth.
Medical professionals will sometimes lance a particularly persistent or irritating stye with a needle in order to accelerate its draining.[6] A stye's expansion can also be fought with an erythromycin ophthalmic ointment like Neosporin[7], a special version of which is available for styes. Medical professionals may also prescribe Amoxicillin over a period of a week.[8]
If a stye bursts care must be taken to cleanse the wound to prevent reinfection. Those with a stye that may burst should take care to remain within reach of an antibacterial solution.
Contact lenses should never be worn during treatment for a stye. Eye make-up is not recommended, and it is also important to refrain from touching the stye.
Alternative remedies
There are various folk remedies for styes, including rubbing a gold ring or the hair of a cat's tail on the affected area.[9]. Other folk remedies suggest applying substances to the stye. Some suggested topical applications are the first urine of the day, a black teabag and lipstick. Also suggested is rubbing the index finger on the palm until warm before applying it to the affected area and some suggest touching it 3 or 7 times with leather.
A particularly common folk remedy in many parts of United States was to mix milk with lime cordial and wash the affected area in the substance. The calcium will help heal and sooth the eyelids whilst the lime cordial is believed to unblock the gland.
According to Ayurveda, applying saliva to the infected area immediately after waking in the morning will cure the infection.
It is important to note that these techniques have not been empirically proven, and are not recommended as treatments by medical professionals or other experts.
See also
References
- ^ Eyelid lumps, on, inside or under the eye lid. Retrieved March 19, 2007
- ^ VisionWeb
- ^ BBC - Health - Ask the doctor - Styes
- ^ Styes, AllAboutVision.com. Retrieved August 20, 2006.
- ^ http://www.wingeyecare.com/Eye%20Diseases/styes.htm
- ^ Sty (Stye, Hordeolum) Causes, Infection Symptoms and Treatment by MedicineNet.com
- ^ Eye Stye Treatment - How to Treat Eye Stye
- ^ eMedicine - Periorbital Infections : Article by R Gentry Wilkerson, MD
- ^ Folk remedies, The Handbook of Texas Online, University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved March 19, 2007
External links
- More information on Stye on Yahoo Health
- Home Remedies for Eye Stye
- Eye Stye Home Remedies
- 409665546 at GPnotebook
- 8-94c. at Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy Professional Edition
- 20-228f. at Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy Home Edition
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 18 June 2008, at 21:25.
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