What is a stye?
A stye is an inflammatory process that affects the eyelid of the eye, either internally or externally. It presents as a hard, painful, red swelling that originates in the sebaceous glands of the eyelashes.
Symptoms of stye
Symptoms that identify a stye include the development of the painful nodule, accompanied by redness, tearing and sometimes even itching of the entire eyelid. The disease that occurs on the outside of the eyelid is caused by a bacterial attack on the follicle and tends to accumulate pus. What occurs inside the eye is the result of a staphylococcus attack on the Meibomian glands, which are located near the upper eyelid. If we do not act to cure them, they can evolve into a chalazion, a cyst.
The stye presents as a hard, painful, reddened swelling.
Diagnosis of stye
The symptoms of a stye are very obvious; to diagnose it, the doctor makes a simple visual diagnosis to confirm the infection and evaluate its condition.
What are the causes of a stye?
The stye is the consequence of a bacterial attack, especially staphylococcus, which when penetrating the follicles of the eyelashes causes an infection that affects the sebaceous glands. The bacterium is transmitted by direct contact through the simple gesture of touching the eyelids.
Can it be prevented?
Proper facial cleansing and avoiding contact with the eyes is the golden rule to avoid contracting the virus that causes the disease. In addition, it is essential to wash hands thoroughly and avoid using used towels. Finally, as a precaution, eye makeup should always be removed before going to bed, cosmetics should not be shared and those that have expired should be thrown away.
Stye treatments
The disease usually resolves on its own within 7 to 10 days. From the moment it opens and begins to release pus, healing will be faster. However, it should be noted that the stye should never be touched or pressed, as this could further inflame the area. To help the nodule open naturally and relieve discomfort, warm compresses can be applied to the eyelid. Another solution, when the infection has been prolonged for a long time, is the use of ointments based on a macrolide antibiotic to block the spread of the staphylococcus.
In the most severe cases, the specialist may decide to intervene by removing the eyelash from whose follicle the infection arose to help release the pus.