Eye Health More Eye Issues & Safety Treatment and Symptoms of a Stye on the Eyelid By Troy Bedinghaus, OD linkedin Troy L. Bedinghaus, OD, board-certified optometric physician, owns Lakewood Family Eye Care in Florida. He is an active member of the American Optometric Association. Learn about our editorial process Troy Bedinghaus, OD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Bryan M. Wolynski, OD on May 17, 2020 linkedin Bryan Wolynski, OD, is a board-certified optometrist who has been in the field for over 30 years. He is an adjunct assistant clinical professor at SUNY College of Optometry and works in private practice in New York City. Learn about our Medical Review Board Bryan M. Wolynski, OD Updated on May 24, 2020 Print Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Symptoms Causes Treatment Complications You begin to notice a bit of pain or a feeling of heaviness in your eyelid each time you blink. You look in the mirror and you barely see a tiny red or white spot on the base of your lower lashes. If you've ever had a stye, you probably know these symptoms as the beginning of a miserable eye stye. Although the appearance of a stye can be unsightly at times, it is usually harmless. A stye is a small bump that sometimes appears on the outside or inside of the eyelid. A stye is also referred to as a hordeolum. A stye develops from an eyelash follicle or an eyelid oil gland that becomes clogged from excess oil, debris, or bacteria. Styes can be a complication of blepharitis but also seem to be brought on by stress. Symptoms If you have a stye, you may be suffering from watery eyes, pain, tenderness, itching, or redness. Your eye may feel bruised and sensitive to light. You may notice your blinking rhythm, as each blink feels a little different than usual. You may also notice a reddish bump or a whitish area on your eyelid. If your stye is severe, you may develop an internal hordeolum. Pus will build up in the center of the stye causing a yellowish spot that looks similar to a pimple. If the stye is painful, it will feel better once it ruptures and the pus drains. You should never try popping a stye like a pimple or try to drain it on your own, as this can lead to infection. Causes Clogged eyelid glands seem to be one cause of styes. If you suffer from chronic blepharitis or meibomian gland dysfunction, bacteria may often build up and infect the glands, making you prone to developing styes. Meibomian gland dysfunction can also cause poor tear film quality. Eye makeup sometimes causes styes, especially if you share makeup with others. Always remove all makeup before bed, as this is key to preventing a stye. Some people notice the development of a stye during times of stress. Treatment There are several ways to treat a stye. Verywell/Cindy Chung Warm Compress Lightly press a clean, warm washcloth against your eyelid for 10 minutes. A beaded mask that you warm in the microwave is another option. Try to do this at least four times a day. However, the skin on the eyelid is fragile, so be very careful to test how hot something is before applying it to your eye. Massage Gently massage the affected area with the tips of your fingers, being careful not to poke yourself in the eye. Apply Eye Drops Medicated eye drops or antibiotic ointments may help cure the infection. Your eye doctor will be able to tell which is best in your situation. Be sure to follow your doctor's instructions. Eyelid Scrubs Eyelid scrubs are commercially prepared medicated shampoo packets similar to a moist towelette. They are available in many different types. Some are more of a shampoo that decreases the number of bacteria present on the eyelid or stye. Others have a natural chemical called hypochlorous acid. Different preparations have a component of tea tree oil called melaleuca altenifolia. The active ingredient is 4-Terpineol and has been shown to treat demodex, an organism that lives on hair follicles. For a home remedy, try baby shampoo. See your doctor if you have a stye for longer than a week despite applying warm compresses. Complications The longer a stye hangs around, the more likely it is to turn into a chalazion. A chalazion is a blocked oil gland that has become infected. A chalazion causes as a hard lump or bump on the eyelid and may be painful. Your eye doctor may suggest lancing the chalazion for draining, and possibly a steroid injection to reduce swelling. While you may have a strong urge to squeeze or pop a stye, it's probably best to allow the stye to drain on its own. Squeezing the stye may cause a severe eye infection. To prevent the possibility of infection, avoid wearing eye makeup or contact lenses until the stye completely heals. Styes usually go away on their own within a few days. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. American Academy of Ophthalmology. What Are Chalazia and Styes? Updated August 29, 2019. Garrity J. Chalazion and Hordeolum (Stye). Merck Manual Online. Updated May 2019. Additional Reading Shtein RN. Blepharitis. In: UpToDate. Libman H. (Ed) UpToDate. Updated April 26, 2018.