A red, tender lump on your eyelid appeared overnight, and now you're wondering what on earth to do with it. Whether you’ve had a stye before or this is your first one, they can be annoying. Luckily, eye stye treatment at home is straightforward in most cases.
Here's everything you need to know to deal with it safely and get back to normal.
Top Tips
- A stye is a bacterial infection of an oil gland or hair follicle on the eyelid, and it's very common.
- Most styes clear up on their own within 7–10 days with simple home care.
- Warm compresses are the most effective treatment. Apply 3–5 times a day for 10–15 minutes.
- Never squeeze or pop a stye.
- See an optometrist if it hasn't improved after 2 weeks, is getting worse, or affects your vision.
What Is a Stye?
A stye (also called a hordeolum) is a small, painful bump that forms on the edge of your eyelid when an oil gland or eyelash follicle becomes infected. The bacterium responsible for roughly 90–95% of cases is Staphylococcus aureus, the same common skin bacterium behind many minor skin infections.
Common symptoms include puffy redness, burning, light sensitivity, and a gritty feeling. You might also notice a yellowish tip forming as pus builds up. That's a sign things are progressing normally.
It's worth knowing that a stye is different to a chalazion. A chalazion is a bump that usually occurs farther back on your eyelid. Unlike a stye, it usually isn't painful and isn't caused by a bacterial infection. If you're not sure which one you have, an optometrist can quickly confirm it.
Why Do Styes Happen?
Styes aren't a sign of poor health; they happen to most people at some point. That said, some habits and conditions make them more likely:
- Not washing your hands before touching your eyes, especially when putting in or removing contact lenses
- Sleeping in eye makeup. Residue blocks oil gland openings overnight
- Using old or shared eye makeup is a common source of bacterial contamination
- Blepharitis. Chronic inflammation of the eyelid margins is one of the strongest risk factors for recurring styes, as the oil glands don't drain properly, creating an environment where bacteria thrive
- Rosacea or seborrheic dermatitis both affect oil production in the eyelid glands
Eye Stye Treatment at Home: What Works
1. Warm Compresses (Your Best Tool)
This is the single most effective eye stye treatment at home. Apply warm, moist heat to your eyelid four to five times a day. The goal is to cause the stye to rupture so the pus can drain naturally.
How to do it properly:
- Wash your hands thoroughly first.
- Soak a clean washcloth in warm (not hot) water and wring it out.
- Hold it gently over your closed eye for 10–15 minutes.
- Repeat 3–5 times a day.
Styes usually begin to shrink after just a few days of consistent warm compress treatment. Stick with it even once it starts to improve.
2. Keep the Area Clean
Use diluted baby shampoo (tear-free) and warm water, or sterile eyelid cleansing wipes, and gently clean along the lash line once or twice daily. Avoid scrubbing.
3. Ditch the Makeup and Contacts
Contact lenses and eye makeup should never be worn during treatment for a stye. Contacts can harbour the bacteria, and makeup can worsen the blockage. Give your eye a break until it's fully healed.
If you normally wear daily contact lenses, switching to your glasses temporarily is the safest option. Daily lenses reduce the risk of contamination, but it's still best to avoid them while the stye is active.
4. Use Lubricating Eye Drops if Needed
A stye can make your eye feel dry, gritty, or irritated. Preservative-free lubricating drops can help ease that discomfort. Hylo Forte is a high-viscosity, preservative-free option that's gentle on sensitive eyes.
What NOT to Do
This is just as important as the treatment itself:
- Don't squeeze or pop it. Squeezing will release pus or oil into the eyelid itself and may lead to a widespread infection or serious eye complications.
- Don't try to drain it yourself. Leave that to a professional if it comes to that.
- Don't wear contact lenses or eye makeup until it's fully healed.
- Don't share towels or pillowcases with others while you have a stye. Stye-causing bacteria can spread via shared items such as towels, makeup, and pillowcases.
- Don't use "stye remedies" without evidence. Things like toothpaste or raw garlic on the eyelid are not safe and can cause irritation or chemical burns.
How to Prevent Styes Coming Back
If you're prone to styes, a few simple habits can make a real difference:
- Wash your hands before touching your face or eyes
- Remove all eye makeup before bed, every nightÂ
- Replace eye makeup every 3–6 months and never share it
- Clean your eyelids regularly, particularly if you have blepharitis
- Keep contact lenses and their cases clean; replace lenses on schedule
When to See an Optometrist
Most styes respond well to home care, but there are situations where you should get professional advice sooner rather than later:
- The stye hasn't improved after 2 weeks of home treatment
- It's getting bigger or more painful, not smaller
- Your vision is affected
- You have significant swelling spreading beyond the eyelid
- You develop a fever
- You're getting styes repeatedly
An optometrist may recommend and prescribe antibiotic eye drops or cream to address the underlying bacterial infection, and in some cases, oral antibiotics if the infection doesn't respond to topical treatment.
Recurring styes can also be a sign of an underlying condition, such as blepharitis, that's worth addressing properly. Getting the right diagnosis means getting the right treatment, not just managing one stye at a time.
See an Optometrist in Sydney
At City Optics, our Sydney optometrists provide thorough eye health assessments, whether you're dealing with a recurring stye, want to check in on your general eye health, or need to be checked for glaucoma or cataracts. We're also an optometrist accepting health funds, so your visit may cost less than you think. If you're concerned about your eyes, don't put it off. Contact City Optics to book an appointment.