A part of your eyelid is red, swollen, and painful... A stye is a very common ailment. While the name might suggest it's something you "catch from someone else," that's not actually the case. This article, supervised by an ophthalmologist, explains the causes, symptoms, and treatment of styes.
![Causes and symptoms of a stye]()
Causes and symptoms of a stye
Most growths around the eyes are called "monomorai" (stye). This name is mainly used in eastern Japan, but there are various other names in different regions, such as mebachiko, meibo, and ohimesan. These are colloquial terms, and medically they refer to conditions such as "hordeolum" or "chalazion." Let's explain each of these in detail.
What is a stye?
This condition occurs when bacteria infect the edge or inside of the eyelid, causing swelling and redness in a part of the eyelid. When the infection affects the hair follicles of the eyelashes, it is called an "external stye," and when it affects the meibomian glands on the inside of the eyelid, it is called an "internal stye."
Initially, localized redness appears on the eyelids, often accompanied by mild pain or itching.
As the inflammation progresses, redness, swelling, and pain may worsen. If suppuration progresses, the swollen area may rupture spontaneously and release pus. After the pus is released, the symptoms will begin to improve.
The bacteria that cause styes are diverse, ranging from mild bacteria that can be washed away by tears to more severe bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus. Infection mainly occurs when you touch your eyes with hands contaminated with bacteria.
What is a chalazion?
Inside the eyelashes are meibomian glands, which secrete lipids necessary to protect the eyes from dryness. This condition occurs when the opening of these meibomian glands becomes blocked, resulting in chronic inflammation and the formation of a granuloma, a type of lump. Unlike a stye, this inflammation is not accompanied by bacterial infection.
The main symptoms of a chalazion are swelling of the eyelid and a feeling of a foreign object inside. In most cases, there is no pain or redness, and a small, hard lump forms on the inside of the eyelid. If inflammation occurs, the symptoms may resemble those of a stye, and this is called an "acute chalazion."
The difference between conjunctivitis and a stye
Although the symptoms, such as redness and discharge, are similar, viral conjunctivitis is contagious, whereas a stye is caused by bacteria and is not contagious. Also, while general conjunctivitis causes inflammation across the entire surface of the conjunctiva, a stye's inflammation progresses into the conjunctiva, causing swelling and a lump to be felt in a specific area.
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How to prevent and treat styes
What are some ways to prevent styes? This article explains how to deal with them if you do get one.
Basic prevention methods
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Wash your hands frequently.
Since styes are caused by bacterial infections transmitted through the hands, it's important to wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your eyes with dirty hands. Always wash your hands when putting in or taking out contact lenses.
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Do not weaken the immune system.
If you are healthy and your immune system is functioning normally, you will not get infected even if bacteria come into contact with your eyes. However, children with immature immune systems, the elderly with weakened immune systems, and people who are ill or recovering from illness are more susceptible to infection, so caution is necessary. It is important to maintain a healthy immune system by paying attention to sleep and diet.
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Massage the meibomian glands.
When washing your face in the morning and evening, with your eyes closed, place your fingertips together at the base of your eyelashes and gently move them back and forth 1-2 millimeters to massage your meibomian glands. Making this a habit will help prevent your meibomian glands from becoming clogged.
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Avoid applying eye makeup to the inner part of your eyelashes.
Applying eye makeup to the inner part of your eyelashes can block the meibomian glands, leading to styes and chalazions. Also, eyelash extensions are not recommended as they can block the meibomian glands and make it difficult to keep the area around your eyes clean.
Basic countermeasures
Stye can be treated with over-the-counter (OTC) medications *. It is effective to use eye drops containing an antibacterial agent as soon as possible when it first appears. Chalazions do not involve bacterial infection, but using eye drops containing an antibacterial agent is effective in preventing inflammation.
However, if your symptoms worsen even slightly, you should see an ophthalmologist. At the ophthalmologist's office, you will be prescribed antibiotic eye drops or oral medication. If the infection has progressed, an incision may be made to drain the pus. If the swelling due to inflammation becomes severe, an incision cannot be made immediately, and treatment will be prolonged. See an ophthalmologist as soon as possible, before your symptoms worsen.
Small chalazions may resolve on their own, but larger ones may require injection of corticosteroids or surgical removal. In cases of acute chalazions, antibiotics are used to reduce inflammation.
*Medications that can be purchased without a prescription at pharmacies and drugstores.