A stye is a painful, pus- filled inflammation of the eyelid, it can be caused by an infection in the eyelash follicles. Another probable cause of a stye is inflammation of the sebaceous gland located in the eyelid. Styes are named according to their location, if they appear on the outside of the eyelid, they are called external styes and if on the contrary they appear on the inside of the eyelid, they are called internal styes. It is not a serious infection, but it is very painful, because it is accompanied by pus and is very common in children.
Medical definition
Table of Contents
In the medical field, styes are called “ hordeolum ”. According to medicine, these occur when the sebaceous gland called the Zeiss or Moll glands, which is located on the edge of the eyelids, becomes infected. These are formed due to a multiplication of germs in this area. There are two types of styes: external and internal. The Internal styes are slower to heal, because they are located far from the edge of the eyelids and can not easily drained abscess in these cases should consult your doctor.
Causes
The main cause of the formation of styes is an infection caused by staphylococcus (bacteria that lives on the skin or in the nose), when it comes into contact with the edge of the eyelids. You should avoid touching your eyes with dirty hands, do not remove your makeup at night.
Chronic blepharitis, or inflammation of the eyelids, usually affects both eyes and is the cause of irritation and redness. The sebaceous gland is attached to the eyelash follicle and is the producer of an oily substance called "sebum" that keeps the eyelashes lubricated, when it becomes infected it produces a stye.
An infection of the apocrine gland, which produces sweat around the eyelash follicles, secretes a liquid that binds to the tear duct to cover the eye and prevent it from drying out.
Symptoms
- Inflamed eyelids.
- Redness of the skin in the affected area.
- Difficulty and discomfort when blinking.
- Sensitive to light.
- Tingling, burning, stinging and pain in the affected area.
- Lagañas that appear in a short time.
- Grit or foreign body sensation in the eye.
- Constant tearing
- Small yellow or red spots very similar to a pimple about to be drained.
Treatment for styes
The eye is a direct provider of the blood and lymphatic system, for this reason it is advisable to consult the doctor and that it is he who recommends antibiotics, either in ointments, eye drops and in some cases orally.
In case surgery is necessary, the stye should be drained by a doctor, making an incision over the abscess to allow the pus to escape.
In general, styes are very painful, you must take analgesics to relieve pain.
Home remedies for styes
The most used home treatment for eyes infected with styes are hot water compresses, these can be done with moistened cloths or pieces of cotton, they are placed on the affected part for a period of 10 minutes and repeated at least four times. up to date.
Another way to cure the stye is by rubbing the index finger strongly on the hand and after feeling that it is hot, place it on the affected area, repeat at least four times a day.
A combination of chamomile and rosemary turns out to be a very effective remedy to cure styes. Chamomile relieves pain and discomfort while rosemary has antibacterial properties, ideal for fighting infection in case of pus. Chamomile flowers and rosemary stems should be placed in boiling water for 5 minutes, wait until the infusion is warm and with sterile gauze wash the affected eye at least 2 times a day.
Another plant that has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties is aloe, also known as aloe vera, due to its qualities it is capable of reducing inflammation and preventing the spread of infection by bacteria. The method of preparation is as follows: take an aloe leaf, open it in the middle and extract the gel from inside, then rub the gel in the eye with light massages. It is left for at least 20 minutes in the affected area and then it is removed with warm water or a chamomile infusion.
How to remove internal stye
The internal stye also called meibomian stye arises when the meibomian glands of the eyelids become infected. This type of stye forms on the inside of the eye, between the eyelid and the eyeball. This type of stye develops rapidly, usually within a few days, causing a painful, red bump with a small yellow dot in the center.
While it is true that styes improve in a few days and tend to disappear without causing major ills. It is also possible that they can derive certain complications such as the appearance of a chalazion, which is the formation of a cyst on the eyelid due to the inflammation of the meibomian gland. The chalazion, unlike the stye, is larger and takes months to disappear. This complication should be consulted with the ophthalmologist as soon as possible, since in some cases it requires a surgical intervention and the application of a treatment of antibiotics.
Styes should not be squeezed, touched, punctured, rubbed, let alone try to remove, as the infection can spread and cause damage to the lacrimal glands and the eyeball. Hygiene and cleaning measures should be taken to extremes in the affected area and thus prevent infections. Wearing makeup is not recommended until the eye has fully healed. To avoid transmitting the infection to the healthy eye, it is not recommended to wear contact lenses while the inflammation persists.
As noted above, you should consult your doctor before applying any type of medication, due to the relationship between the eye and the lymphatic and blood systems.
