OCULAR HEALTH
STYE
Know the signs & symptoms
Stye
The stye is an infection of the implantation area of an eyelash called the “pilosebaceous follicle. It presents itself as a small, red, hot and painful bulge the size of a grain of barley located on the edge of the eyelid and centred on one eyelash. It appears within a day or two then when it ripens, it forms a pocket of visible white-yellowish pus on the surface of the stye.
The pocket of pus may most often be on the edge of the eyelid or on the skin (an external stye), but it can also happen that it develops toward the inside of the eyelid, in contact with the eye (an internal stye).
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF A STYE?
Several symptoms may be warning of the appearance of a stye:
• An intense pain in the eyelid, at the root of the eyelashes.
• Then a small red swelling centred on the base of an eyelash appears, which can sometimes hinder view and make the eye weep or cause irritation or the sensation of a grain of sand.
• Sensitivity to light or a desire to scratch can also be felt.
• A small white pocket of pus then occurs at the centre of the swelling. After a few days (a week) this white pocket empties, relieving pain and allowing the stye to heal spontaneously.
What are the causes of stye?
A stye is an infection of the eyelash’s pilosebaceous follicle, usually due to a staphylococcal bacteria: it’s sort of boil on the eyelash. It can occur at any age, but is more common in adults.
Certain factors favour the development of styes such as :
• A stye is an infection of the eyelash’s pilosebaceous follicle, usually due to a staphylococcal bacteria: it’s sort of boil on the eyelash. It can occur at any age, but is more common in adults.
Certain factors favour the development of styes such as[1] :
• Insufficient hygiene of contact lenses
• Insufficient hand hygiene,
• Rubbing the eyes too often,
• Poor eye makeup removal,
• Dry eye,
• Diseases such as diabetes or immune deficiency favouring infections.
HOW TO TREAT A STYE
SOME PRECAUTIONS ARE TO BE TAKEN:
If you tend to have styes repeatedly, you must have impeccable hand and eyelid hygiene.
• Avoid rubbing your eyes
• Keep your hands clean by washing them regularly
• Remove eye makeup carefully
• Clean your eyelids daily with impregnated wipes such as BLEPHACLEAN® – CE marking- or an adapted cleaning gel such as BLEPHAGEL®
• Cosmetic product.
It is also advisable to consult your doctor for a check up, to ensure that you have do not have a disease which favours infection.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE A STYE ?
In the case of a stye, you need to clean the affected area, for example with a cotton swab soaked in a cosmetic gel cleanser product such as BLEPHAGEL® or impregnated wipes for eyelid hygiene (BLEPHACLEAN® CE marking). Application of clean and hot wipes will facilitate the evacuation of the pus and relieve pain.
In the case of an external stye, when it pierces usually after a week, the pus and scabs that form must be removed with these products which have been evaluated by ophthalmologists (BLEPHAGEL® cosmetic product or BLEPHACLEAN® CE marking.
If after a week, the stye is still the same and the pus is still present despite using compresses, do not attempt to burst it yourself as you risk a more serious infection. Consult your doctor, who will prescribe the correct treatment.
In the case of an internal stye, it is best to consult with your doctor immediately.
If you get styes repeatedly, you should also consult your doctor for a check up and make sure you do have not have a disease promoting infection. Daily hygiene of the eyelids using suitable products will limit the risk of recurrence: warm compresses applied for 5 minutes on a closed eye followed by eyelid massage.
CHECKING YOUR STYE
In the case of an external stye, avoid scratching and wash your hands before and after touching the infected eye.
You must clean the affected area, for example with a cotton swab soaked in the cosmetic gel cleanser BLEPHAGEL® or impregnated wipes for eyelid hygiene (BLEPHACLEAN® CE marking). Application of clean and hot wipes will facilitate the evacuation of the pus and relieve pain. The eyelid is then massaged at the base of the eyelashes using the same wipe. In the case of an external stye, when it pierces usually after a week, the pus and scabs in the lashes must be removed with these same products (BLEPHAGEL® or BLEPHACLEAN® .
If after a week, the stye is still the same and the pus is still present despite using compresses, do not attempt to burst it yourself as you risk a more serious infection. Consult your doctor, who will prescribe the proper treatment. In the case of internal stye, it is best to consult with your doctor immediately.
If you get styes repeatedly, you should also consult your doctor for a check up and make sure you do have not have a disease promoting infection. He/she will also tell you the steps to take to prevent recurrences.
COMPLICATIONS OF A STYE
In rare cases, the stye does not empty spontaneously and it may be necessary to have it incised by an ophthalmologist under local anaesthesia in order to drain the pus and allow healing.
If you have styes frequently, then consult your doctor to make an assessment to verify that you do not have a disease promoting infection.
In order to limit the risk of recurrence, daily hygiene of the eyelids using suitable products will promote the elimination of any bacteria: massage of the eyelid close to the lashes with a BLEPHACLEAN® wipe (CE marking) or a cotton tip impregnated with BLEPHAGEL® (cosmetic product).
If you suffer from associated dry eye, the daily use of lubricating, moisturizing and protective eye drops such as THEALOZ® (CE marking) will help to relieve the symptoms.
