If you have experienced having a stye, you know the pain of this unsightly lump or pimple on your eye, whether it be the physical pain or the sight of it.
What is a stye?
A stye, also known as a sty or hordeolum, is a small, red, painful lump found along the edge of your eyelid that can last anywhere from several days to a week.
Adults, and even children and babies, can develop an eye stye.
Often filled with pus, the stye may appear to be like a boil or pimple and can be along the inner part of the eyelid or on the outer, external part of the eyelid.
Symptoms of a stye include:
- Burning or sore eyes
- Crusty eyelashes
- Hot, tender swelling
- Inflamed eyelids
- Itchy eyelids
- Tearing
Some individuals experience multiple or repeat occurrences of eye styes, which may be due to a condition called Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).
A chalazion may be the reason for the inflammation of the eye, due to a blockage in one of the small oil glands near the eyelashes. What makes the chalazion different from a stye is that it is usually not painful and more prominent on the inner lid of the eye.
Is an eye stye contagious?
An eye stye may be contagious as there can be transmission through direct contact. You will want to make sure that you do not rub or touch your eye while touching other things or people.
Washing your hands often, which is a good thing to do anyway, is wise as a person may touch or rub their eyes without