What is Eye Stye?

A stye, also called Hordeolum, is a bacterial infection that occurs suddenly in the gland structures under the eyelid. The stye, which is frequently detected among the applications made to health institutions, can be controlled within 1-2 weeks with appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

In some patients, topical (to the skin surface) antibiotic drugs can be applied if deemed necessary by the physician. In extremely advanced sty cases, simple surgical interventions can be used to drain (drain) the inflammation.

Why Does A Stye Come Out?

Stye is an eye infection caused by staphylococcal bacteria. The area of infection is usually the hair follicles located at the bottom of the eyelashes. As a result of the obstruction of the oil, secretion and sweat glands in this area, a sty appears in the person.

After the obstruction, a painful and red swelling occurs in this area of the eye. A stye can occur on both the inner and outer parts of the lower and upper eyelids.

The stye that occurs on the outer part occurs after the glands in that area are infected with bacteria that live in normal conditions without causing any problems in the eye. The ducts of the glands in the eye can be blocked with dead skin cells and residues of old secretions. Bacteria that accumulate in this closed environment in the gland trigger the development of a sty infection.

Eyelash follicles are located in the small spaces in the eye skin where the eyelashes come out, and these regions are the leading parts where sty development is detected. Sebaceous glands are responsible for producing an oily secretion called sebum. These glands around the eyelash follicles allow the eye surface to retain water and prevent drying. Sebum also has antiseptic properties.

Another structure associated with the hair follicle, the apocrine glands are a type of sweat gland and help keep the eye wet. Like the hair follicles, inflammation of the sebaceous and apocrine glands with bacteria can also result in stye development.

What Are Stye Symptoms?

Symptoms that occur after stye development may differ from person to person. In general, the first symptom noticed after sty development is the formation of a red swelling at the eyelid level. Apart from this symptom, many other signs and symptoms are among the complaints of stye:

Eye stinging sensation

Eye discomfort

Eye tearing

Swelling in the eyelids

Sensitivity to light

Although these symptoms are among the most common complaints after stye development, care should be taken and help from health institutions should be sought, as these complaints may also occur during the course of a more serious eye infection.

After applying to health institutions, physicians take the medical history of the patient and perform a physical examination. If the patient has an insidious red, swollen eyelid, in addition, events that may have recently caused any trauma in this area are examined. Problems with visual acuity may occur in the patient's sty eye. The reason for this situation is that the inflamed sty structure puts pressure on the cornea of the person.

Physicians can examine the person's eyelids by reversing them in order to detect the sty that occurs on the inside of the eyelid during physical examination.

Eye pain is an important symptom of stye discomfort that may indicate that other structures in the eye area are affected. Especially, pain that occurs with eye movements and swelling at the back of the eye may indicate an infection in the eye skin (orbital cellulitis), and this is important because it requires a more intense treatment than styes.

A sty diagnosis can only be made under the patient's medical history and physical examination findings. Generally, no examination is used in the diagnosis of this ailment. If the stye infection, which rarely occurs in further tests and examinations, spreads to the skin and other parts of the eye, different examinations may be required.

How Is A Stye On The Eye?

Sty lesions in many eyes may regress spontaneously over time. Massage and hot compress applications to the affected area may also be included in the treatment planning.

A hot compress can help soften the connective tissue in that area and reopen the blocked canal. Eyelid massage, on the other hand, can help to expel the contents of the sty through the opening of the sty. Since important eye structures such as the cornea may be damaged during these procedures, it is important that they are performed in accordance with the knowledge and recommendation of specialist physicians.

Antibiotic treatment may be necessary in cases of styes that do not regress or tend to grow. With antibiotic drugs, there is a significant reduction in the duration and severity of the discomfort. If it is detected that the swelling is growing and it is compressing the eye structures, superficial steroid drugs can be used within the sty treatment to reduce this edema.

In hot compress applications, a clean cloth is soaked in light hot water. Later, this cloth is taken from the water, squeezed to stay moist and kept on the affected area for a while. It is important that the warm cloth is gently placed on the affected eye area and the application time is between 5 and 10 minutes. Hot compress applications can be performed 3-4 times a day.

Tea bags can also be used for hot compresses. In this application, after the tea is brewed, the bag taken from the cup to the tea plate is expected to become warm. The tea bag, which is then placed in the affected eye area, is kept in this area for 5-10 minutes.

Another effective factor in the appearance of styes in the eye is the use of contact lenses. If stye develops in people who normally wear lenses, it is recommended to wear glasses until this discomfort is controlled. This is because bacteria in the lesion can settle on the lens, facilitating the spread of inflammation.

In massage applications, the person's full hand hygiene and performing the massage using eye cleansing wipes can contribute to re-flow in the occluded area. Touching, squeezing, or pressing the stye lesions constitute behaviors that should be avoided, as this may result in the inflammation flowing out and spreading to other parts of the disease.

People who develop styes in their eyes should not re-use the make-up materials they used before the stye development. These materials can serve as a good surface for the attachment of the bacteria causing the sty, and care should be taken as they may cause infection in other areas of the person.

A reduction in the risk of developing a stye may occur with various practices and lifestyle changes. Gently washing the eyelids during face washing, regularly changing the lenses of contact lens wearers and keeping them clean, properly cleaning the make-up done during the day before bedtime, avoiding common use of items such as towels with people with stye lesions, which can reduce the risk of stye formation. They are among the applications.