When I was younger, I remember discovering what sties (also called hordeolum) were. My eye was irritated and it felt like there was something in there. Even as I child, I had super long eyelashes-a blessing some people thought, but I found them to be a nuisance. I didn’t see anything though and I was wondering why my eye hurt so bad.

Naturally, I asked my mom what was wrong. She looked at my eye and told me that I had a sty (or an inflammation of the hair-follicle glands of my eyelid). Then she pointed it out in the mirror. I didn’t see it at first because it was a very small red lump. She had me place a warm tea bag on there for a few hours a day and it cleared up quickly. My mom also told me to wash my hands frequently, which I always did anyway because even as a kid, I was rather obsessive compulsive about hand washing.

Sty Overview

A sty usually results from an infection caused by blocked sebaceous glands within the eyelid. The blocked gland produces oil that has nowhere to go and pushes through the wall of the gland. A lump develops and can be red and painful. The lump can also have a white or yellow spot and may look similar to a pimple. Sties can appear on one eyelid or both at the same time. Most sties go away in around 5 to 7 days.

Sty Symptoms:

• A red lump on the edge of your eyelid (top or bottom lid and can be on the outside or the underside of the lid)
• Swelling, tenderness or pain
• Scratchy, gritty feeling on the eyeball
• Increased tear production
• Blurred vision
• Sensitivity to bright light
• Droopy eyelid(s)

Sty Causes:

Sties are usually caused when the oil glands of the eyelids become blocked and infected by staphylococcal bacteria (which is often found in the mouth and nostrils).

Prevention:

• Wash hands frequently and dry with a clean towel
• Keep cosmetics clean and protected from dust and dirt
• Do not share makeup or tools such as an eyelash curler with others
• Throw away old or dirty makeup
• Do not touch the eye area

Home remedies and tips:

Stop wearing your contact lenses. If you keep using your contact lenses while you have a sty, the infection can spread to your cornea.

Warm water soaks help relieve pain and inflammation and promote healing. Shut your eye(s) and apply the soak for 15 minutes. Rest at least 1 hour between soaks and repeat as often as needed. Use tap water and a mild soap (no fancy perfumed soaps). This will help with the drainage. Do not squeeze or puncture the sty. It can create worsen the infection.

A warm tea bag (black tea) soak has always worked for me. Close your eye and place the tea bag over it for 15 minutes. The tannic acid in the tea helps to decrease the inflammation, thereby shrinking the sty.

Make a potatoe paste, spread it on a cloth and apply to the inflamed area to reduce swelling.

Use extract from acacia leaves and bring to a boil with 2 cups of water. Strain and make into a compress for quick relief.

-Nolan

Do you have any remedies for curing sties? Comment and tell us!

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