What Is a Stye? What Can I Do If My Stye Won't Drain?

What is a stye? It is a small, painful red lump on the edge of the eyelid, caused by an infection in an oil gland or at the root of an eyelash. Most styes burst and heal on their own within one to two weeks, helped by warm compresses. Knowing what is a stye and what is a more serious eye problem helps you decide when to get help.

Key takeaways

• A stye is a tender lump at the lid edge, from a blocked, infected gland.
• Warm compresses a few times a day help it heal.
• Do not squeeze it, and skip eye makeup and contact lenses until it settles.
• See a doctor if it spreads, keeps growing or affects your sight.

The Stye, a Tender Lump on the Eyelid Edge

In plain terms, what is a stye? It is a small pocket of pus at the lid edge, much like a pimple, usually in one eye at a time. The lump is red and sore, often with a yellow tip.

Symptoms of a Stye on the Eyelid

The first symptoms are a sore, swollen spot on the eyelid that hurts when you blink. Within a day or two it becomes a red bump with a yellow or white head, and the whole eyelid can swell. Your eye may water, feel gritty and be sensitive to light.

It can be hard to tell what is a stye and what is a pimple or a chalazion; a firm bump further back on the lid that does not hurt is more likely a chalazion. Symptoms that affect your vision are not typical of a stye.

The Causes of an Eyelid Stye

Most styes are caused by staph bacteria, which live harmlessly on the skin, getting into a blocked oil gland or lash follicle that then fills with pus.

Causes of a stye that make one more likely include touching your eyes with unwashed hands, old or shared eye makeup, poorly cleaned contact lenses and blepharitis, an ongoing inflammation of the eyelid margins. Warm compresses help unblock the gland, so they are the first treatment.

The Two Types of Stye: External and Internal

An external stye forms at the root of an eyelash on the outer lid edge and is the more common type. An internal stye forms in a gland on the inner surface of the lid and can be more painful. Both start with bacteria, and the inflammation an internal stye causes can be slower to settle, which is when a doctor may suggest an antibiotic.

How a Stye Differs From a Chalazion

A chalazion is a blocked oil gland deeper in the lid that fills with oil, not pus, so it is a firm bump that does not hurt. A stye is painful and comes on in a day or two, while a chalazion grows slowly and can last months.

How is a stye or chalazion treated? Both start with a warm compress and gentle lid massage, and most settle with that. One that lasts may need a doctor to drain it in person through a tiny cut.

People Most Likely to Get Styes

Styes are more common in adults with blepharitis, rosacea, diabetes or oily skin, and in people who wear contact lenses or eye makeup daily. Some get them again and again because a gland keeps blocking. An eye with a stye is often painful for a few days, and shared makeup or towels can pass the infection on. A child with a stye should see a GP in person.

How Long a Stye Takes to Heal

Most styes burst within a few days, and the redness and swelling settle within one to two weeks. Keep using a warm compress, and do not squeeze it or keep touching your eyes, which can spread the infection. If your sight changes, the eye itself hurts, or swelling spreads around the eye with a fever, see a doctor in person the same day, or call 000 if you are very unwell. An eye with a stye that is not better after two weeks needs a doctor's review.

Summary

This article covers what a stye is, its symptoms and causes, its two types, how it differs from a chalazion and how long it takes to heal. A Medio GP can assess a stye by phone consult, look at a photo you send securely and advise on care.

Frequently asked questions

What is a stye and how to deal with it?

A stye is a type of eyelid infection, a blocked oil gland or lash root that fills with pus. To deal with it, hold a warm, clean compress on the closed lid for 10 minutes three or four times a day, do not squeeze it, and skip makeup until it heals.

What are the NHS treatment options for styes?

The NHS, the UK health service, advises the same first steps as Australian doctors: a warm compress, gentle cleaning, simple pain relief and no squeezing, and suggests a pharmacist or GP if it does not improve. Styes and chalazia are managed in much the same way at first.

Can an optometrist treat a stye?

Yes. An optometrist can examine the lid, tell a stye from a chalazion and advise on care. A GP can help too, by phone, where you describe it and send a photo securely. To make an appointment with a Medio GP, book a phone consult online.

What's the worst day for a stye?

Most styes feel worst around days two to four, just before the head forms and drains; pain then eases quickly. A severe stye can look like a large, very swollen lid with redness spreading across the eyelid or cheek; that, a fever or a change in vision needs a doctor in person the same day.

Is it okay to leave a stye untreated?

Usually, yes. Most styes heal on their own within one to two weeks, though a warm compress helps. If a stye won't drain after a week or two, or keeps growing, see a doctor, as it may need draining in person or may have become a chalazion.

What kills a stye fast?

Nothing kills a stye instantly, but a warm compress three or four times a day is an effective treatment for a stye. A blocked gland that becomes infected is what causes them. To prevent them coming back, wash your hands before you touch your eyes, remove makeup each night and replace old eye makeup.