If you see something that looks and feels like a boil or pimple on or inside your eyelid, you most likely have a stye in your eye. Thankfully, there are some great home remedies for stye in the eye that you will find helpful!
First, let’s talk about what a stye is so that we’ll better know how to treat it naturally.
What is a Stye in the Eye?
According to WebMD, “A sty is a red, painful lump near the edge of your eyelid that may look like a boil or a pimple. Sties are often filled with pus. A sty usually forms on the outside of your eyelid. But sometimes it can form on the inner part of your eyelid.”
Additionally, WebMD says that the styes are caused by “an infection of oil glands in the eyelid. The bacterium staphylococcus is responsible for most of these infections.”
Styes will develop on the eyelid, protruding either inward or outward. They most often look like a large pimple with pus inside It’s also possible to get a stye on both eyes at the same time, but it’s not uncommon to get it on one eye but not the other.
What Causes Stye in the Eye?
The bacteria that you have when you get a stye is from staphylococcal bacteria often found on the skin surface. There are various reasons why you may have gotten this bacteria in your eye.
A stye can develop when infectious bacteria gets into the glands right next to your eyelash follicles. The oil glands become blocked and breed infection.
Another reason you may have gotten a sty is from using outdated mascara. While most mascara formulas contain preservatives. These preservatives are meant to decrease bacterial growth. However, they only last about three months before the effectiveness of the preservatives decreases dramatically.
If you’re not sure if your mascara is too old, pay attention to the smell. The older mascara gets the more rancid it starts to smell. Getting a stye in the eye is not worth trying to save a few dollars.
Some other reasons that you may get a stye in the eye include:
- poor hygiene
- hormonal changes
- inflammatory diseases of the eye
- allergies
- stress
Natural Treatments & Home Remedies for Stye in the Eye
Styes do not usually require doctor intervention and usually go away on their own in about 5 days. If your stye has not gone away after five days of using home remedies, you should see a doctor.
Remove the Sources of Infection
Women who get a stye in the eye should not wear any makeup while their eye is healing.
Additionally, they should throw out any eye makeup that they have used recently including eyeliner, mascara, or eye shadow.
For contact lenses wearers, the current pair should be thrown out if they are disposable. If they are not disposable, contact your eye doctor and ask how they should be cleaned.
Do not wear contacts until your eye is completely healed.
Warm Compress Remedy
To aid with getting the pus out and relieving itchiness, apply a warm compress that is the greatest amount of heat you can bare. Place the compress on the affected area for 10 minutes, four to six times a day.
Do not use boiling hot water. Use only the amount of heat that you can comfortably bear. The goal is to use heat without burning the sensitive skin around your eyes.
If your eye infection is truly a stye, it will go away with warm compresses. If it doesn’t go away within 5 days, you may have developed a more severe infection that will require a doctor visit and antibiotics.
You may have heard of other remedies that include teabags, salt application, garlic application or a variety of other herbs and spices. These things should never be applied near the eye… just stick with the warm compresses.
It’s important to not that styes should never be pressed or squeezed to remove the pus. Why you might be trying to get the infection out, you’re actually pushing the pus and drainage back further into the tract of the gland.