Original Creation Date: 01/01/2009, PPM Approval Date: 01/31/2013

Stye (Hordeolum)

What is it?

Most bumps on the eyelid are styes. A stye is an inflamed oil gland on the edge of your
eyelid, where the lash meets the lid. It appears as a red, swollen bump that can look like
a pimple. It may be tender to touch.

Causes:

A stye is caused by bacteria from the skin that gets into the oil glands on your eyelids
that provide lubrication to the tear film. Styes are similar to common acne pimples that
occur elsewhere on the skin. You may have more that one stye at a time. Styes usually
develop over a few days and may drain and heal on their own.

What are the signs/symptoms?

The first signs of a stye may include redness, tenderness or pain. Itching, swelling,
sensitivity to light, and discomfort when blinking are also possible. Often a yellowish
bump will appear on either the outside or the inside of the affected eyelid.

What is the treatment?
Warm moist heat (compresses) is the most effective treatment as it is soothing and will
help drain the stye. This increases the blood flow to the area and lets your own white
blood cells fight the infection. Apply a warm compress for 10 minutes 4 times a day.
Sometimes an antibiotic eye drop or ointment is also prescribed.
It is best not to wear eye make up until your stye is healed. Careful hand washing is
also very important.

Do not attempt to squeeze or pop a stye or any other type of eyelid bump. Let it drain on
its own. Persistent styes may need to be lanced by an eye doctor.

Styes usually heal within a week and cause no permanent damage. Rarely, the bump
can become chronic over months or even years and would require minor surgery for
excision by an ophthalmologist or optometrist (eye specialists).

Prevention:

Always wash your hands thoroughly before touching the skin around your eye. If you
are susceptible to styes, it may help to carefully clean off the excess oils from the edges
of your lids. This is best done using a soft cloth or Q-tip with warm water or a gentle
cleanser such as a baby shampoo diluted with warm water.






Original Creation Date: 01/01/2009, PPM Approval Date: 01/31/2013


Styes And Chalazia

Styes - At the base of the eyelashes are the openings of tiny oil-
producing glands. The oily secretions from these glands are an
essential component of the tears and help keep the eyes lubricated.
If the openings to these glands become clogged, perfect conditions
are created for bacterial growth and a localized infection called a
"stye" can result. With the development of infection comes pain,
redness and swelling.
Chalazia (singular = chalazion) - A chalazion looks similar to a stye but affects the meibomian
glands which are located deeper in the eyelids. A chalazion usually does not contain an active
bacterial infection. It may initially be red and swollen but within a few days usually changes to
a painless, slowly growing "lump" within in the body of eyelid itself.
What causes a stye?
Styes are usually caused by the staphylococcus aureus bacteria. Some people have greater
amounts of this bacteria living on their lids than others and may be more prone
to stye formation. Anything that contributes to the blockage of the eyelid gland openings or
encourages bacterial growth makes stye development more likely. Contributing factors
include:
Rubbing the eyes, which irritates the oil glands. Bacteria present on the hands can be
transferred to the eye and contribute to infection.
Improper use of mascara, eyeliner and other eye products. If the products become
contaminated with bacteria, eye infection and stye formation are more likely.
What are the symptoms?
With both styes and chalazia the initial symptoms can include painful swelling of the eyelid,
eyelid tenderness, sensitivity to light and increased tearing. With a stye, the swollen area will
normally be on the edge of the eyelid at the base of an eyelash. This usually turns into a bump
similar to a small pimple.

A chalazion normally appears as a localized, hard lump away from the eyelid margin and not
associated with an eyelash. It can be relatively painless and grow as large as an eighth of an
inch. When a chalazion is large, it may exert enough pressure on the cornea (the clear
"window" on the front of the eye) to distort the cornea and cause vision to be blurred.
How are styes and chalazia treated?
Styes are usually treated by applying warm, moist compresses and using nonprescription eye
ointments, solutions, or eyedrops. Once you've had a stye, you're more prone to having styes
in the future. If a stye is not getting better with home treatment, talk to your doctor; you may
need a prescription to help treat the infection.
Chalazia are usually treated by application of warm compresses for 10-15 minutes at
least 4 times a day. This may soften the hardened oils blocking the duct and promote drainage
and healing. Antibiotic eye drops are normally used several days before and
after surgical removal of a chalazion, but are otherwise of little value. Chalazia may be
associated with blepharitis, or lid margin disease. Treatment of the blepharitis usually helps
reduce or prevent the recurrence of chalazia.

Be sure call your eye doctor if an eyelid lump is associated with eyelash loss
or if the lump progresses or persists longer than 1 month, despite treatment.