WHEN STYES GET IN YOUR EYES

Question: Lately I’ve been getting these red bumps on my eyelids, and my mother keeps calling them “pig sties.” She told me to put hot compresses on them, and this usually works. Lately, they’re not going away, and I think I’m going to go to the doctor. Do I need to? What causes these? What can I do to treat or prevent them?

Answer: What you are describing is called a “stye”, not a “pig sty” (the medical condition can be spelled with or without the “e” at the end). The official medical term for a stye is a hordeolum. They occur when an oil gland -- called a meibomian gland -- in the eyelid becomes inflamed or infected. At that point, they swell up, much like a pimple, and they usually feel warm to the touch.

An internal stye occurs when a meibomian gland under the surface of the skin becomes infected, and an external stye occurs when the base of the eyelash gets infected, leaving a red lump on the edge of the eyelid. Most physicians do not distinguish between the two since the treatment is the same for both.

Your eyelids have many functions, but primarily, their job is to open and close in order to clean and lubricate your eyes. There are oil glands on the edge of the upper and lower eyelids that produce the necessary lubricant for your eyes. Unfortunately, bacteria can get into these glands and cause inflammation and infection. This leads to styes, which are a bit like boils that occur on your eyelids.

An experienced physician can diagnose a stye just by looking at it. Usually, no additional testing is necessary. You are right to apply warm compresses to treat these. I would recommend you use a warm compress about four times a day. If the styes don’t respond in a day or so, you may need to see a physician to get antibiotic eye ointment. Do not ever attempt to drain a stye by squeezing it or poking it with a sterilized needle. It is always best to leave them alone except for hot packs and medications. Squeezing can spread infection into the tissue around your eye, which can lead to serious medical conditions. Poking can do the same, plus it opens the risk of seriously damaging your eye.

While styes will usually heal and go away on their own or with a little antibiotic ointment, they sometimes do not drain if the oil gland becomes fully blocked. When this occurs, we call it a chalazion. This kind of infection may need to be drained by a licensed ophthalmologist.

One thing that will help prevent styes is to avoid pulling on your eyelashes. Sometimes excessive or old mascara can contribute to the development of a stye. Most importantly, always wash your hands before touching the area around your eyes.

Styes are a relatively common occurrence, but not everyone gets them. Some chronic conditions like diabetes and chronic dandruff increase their likelihood. It sounds as though your styes come often enough, and stay long enough, to warrant attention from your family physician.