Can Anyone Tell Me About Styes on the Eye???

[Christine]

I think, at the ripe old age of 40, I've got my first-ever sty on my eye (lower eyelid actually). It just popped up yesterday and hurts like heck. Is this something you go to the doctor for or will it resolve on its own? It's getting close to the weekend and I don't want to be stuck until Monday with a swollen eye, yet I don't want to go running in for something that might be common. Is this a bacterial infection or what? What can I do?

 

[always quiet]

I know this is an "old wives tale" but, hey! It works. Make yourself a cup of tea. When you remove the tea bag, while it's still warm, squeeze out the excess water and lay in on your eye for awhile. I really think it the heat that draws it out, but that's what we always did. Stys seems to "run" in my family!

 

[manchurianbrownbear]

A stye is an infected eyelash follicle. The best treatment I'm aware of is running hotwater on a washcloth and holding that to the stye several times a day until it clears up.

Good luck!

 

[DwarfMaster]

I'm really not sure if it's bacterial ~ but my mother gets them all the time. She doesn't go to the doctor at all, and they usually go away in 2-3 days.

 

[Aimeedyan]

I have had my fair share of them in the past and if I remember right, all I ever could do for them was put a warm rag on it constantly and let it run its course. They usually dont last very long, if that makes you feel any better. I've never been given anything by a doc for them, but its been a while. You could always call their office and ask if there is anything to treat them faster.

They are miserable and painful. I'm sorry =(

 

[Growin'upDisney]

Yep - a hot compress usually does the trick.

 

[battricia]

I agree with everyone else. I had one once. I put a hot wet washcloth on it to try to get it to pop and it finally did. goodluck and I hope you feel better.

tricia.

 

[stinkerbelle]

ditto hot compresses once in a while throughout the day - and don't touch your eye.

also - if you wear contacts - chuck them out (if they are disposable). start with a fresh pair once the stye is gone.

 

[Christine]

Thanks everyone! You know when you read the internet, it can scare you to death. They talk about the warm compresses but they also talk about use a prescription antibiotic cream on the eye and if you don't you might get eye cellulitis!! Egads. I did call the eye doctor and they said "Well, we can't really tell you anything on the phone."

I'll try the warm compresses as soon as I get home.
Thanks again.

 

[TEENEE]

I had one a couple weeks ago. Go to the drug store and look for a medicine called Stye. It's an ointment that you put on the stye. It will take the pain away and will clear it up quicker. When mine popped up I had the ointment on within a few hours and it was gone the next day.

fyi - I bought the medicine at Eckerd.

 

[Microcell]

I work for an eye doc- an MD not a mall doc, and heat packs (really warm wash cloth) twenty minutes on and off the rest of the evening should help. You can go to the doctor if it seems worse, and really red surrounding it for an antibiotic ointment. Do not let it go for weeks or anything, if it lasts past the weekend or gets worse you should at least call an Ophthomologist for an opinion as I am not a doctor, I just work for one.

 

[nemo1987]

i had one a couple of weeks ago and my mom went to the optomitrist down the hall in her office and he gave me an upper eyelid scrub to use twice a day. (it looks like a stridex pad but smells way better. ) and then an ointment that goes on the eyelid where it is in fected. u are suppossed to do it at night because it gets in your eye and makes your vision blurry. and then he said hot compresses two-three times a day. it went away fast too.
**Sarah**

 

[Christine]

I made an appointment with my optometrist for tomorrow afternoon. I told them that I would use the warm compresses and if I saw no improvement I would keep the appt. tomorrow. If it was significantly better, I would cancel. I realize this is not an opthamologist, but she can prescribe me some antibiotic ointment if she feels it's not clearing up. I just hope it goes away on its own. I really hate inconvenience of a doctor's appt.