Symptoms

Styes can make your eyelid swell and itch. They are normally smaller than a pebble, but the discomfort and swelling can make them feel huge.

Growths on the eyelid that are not red and painful are usually cysts, not styes. Although any unusual lump or growth should be checked by a doctor, most eyelid cysts are harmless and don’t need to be removed.

Treatment

Over a few days a stye usually comes to a head—like a pimple—and drains on its own. Sometimes a stye will persist for weeks without coming to a head. In these cases a doctor may choose to open and drain the stye.

Prevention

To prevent styes, wash your face daily. This can keep oil glands from clogging and forming styes.

Self-Care

• Hot compresses will help a stye come to a head and drain. Place a clean washcloth in water as hot as you can stand it without burning yourself (use lukewarm water for children). Wring out the cloth and place it on your eye for 5 to 10 minutes. Repeat three or four times a day.
• If pus discharges on its own or during this process, carefully clean the entire area with warm water.