1. It Starts with a Twinge
One of the first symptoms of an eye stye may be an uncomfortable feeling on the upper or lower lid when you blink. If you try to rub your eye, it feels tender. Over a period of 24 hours, the eyelid may swell and appear reddened. If you examine the lid closely, you may notice something that resembles a small whitehead or pimple. The irritation can cause tearing or light sensitivity, and you might even feel like there's foreign matter in the eye.
2. Hands Off
Staph bacteria are the culprits behind an eye stye. These bacteria live in our nasal passages all the time, even when we're not sick. The eyes don't have the same protective mechanisms as other orifices, like the mouth, so staph bacteria introduced into the eyes quickly colonize the glands at the edge of the eyelid. The best way to prevent sties is to keep your hands away from your eyes. When you must touch your eyes, to insert contact lenses or to scratch an unbearable itch, wash your hands thoroughly first.
3. The Soothing Power of Heat
One of the most effective home remedies for sties consists of a moist, hot washcloth. You can heat a cup of water in the microwave, or you can leave your faucet running on the hottest setting. Whichever heating method you choose, test the water on another sensitive area first, like the wrist, to prevent serious burns. Use a clean washcloth each time you apply the compress. A baby washcloth works well. Use the compress for 10 minutes several times a day if possible, but at least twice a day.
4. Natural Approaches
Some people develop sties repeatedly. If you're maintaining strict eye hygiene, but the sties continue to develop, you can consider some herbal prevention and treatment methods. Drink Echinacea tea to stimulate the body's immune system to fight the staph bacteria. Goldenseal has antibiotic and immune-stimulating properties, and you can use a teabag of goldenseal in your hot washcloth compresses.
5. Trade Self-Care for Professional Care
Eye sties usually heal on their own, even if you do nothing to treat them. Using the warm compress method, you should start to feel improvement within two days. A stubborn stye may take a week to resolve fully, and after that, you should consult a physician if the stye lingers. You should also see a doctor if the stye bleeds, affects your vision or appears crusty or scaly. This could be a sign of a problem other than a stye. If the stye doesn't heal with self-care, the doctor may prescribe an antibiotic ointment to kill the staph bacteria. In extreme cases, the doctor may lance the stye with a scalpel and drain it.
