What is a stye? That's a good question. How do you get rid of it? That's another good question. First things first, of course. If you have a stye, then you are well aware of how painful it can be. A stye is a painful red bump that is present on the edge of your eyelid. It is similar to an acne pimple, and the stye will often form when a tiny oil gland by the eyelashes is now blocked and, ultimately, becomes infected. This condition obviously will negatively affect your quality of life, and so you are probably wondering how to get rid of it as quickly as possible. Here are some strategies:
Work to Bring the Pus Out
In most cases, a stye will only last a few days, and it will resolve on its own. However, if it doesn't, there are things you can do to speed the process along. First of all, you should wash your hands and use a warm compress and keep it over the stye. Washcloths tend to lose their heat very quickly, so using a reusable compress that you microwave can be more effective. You can try using a hardboiled egg (make sure it's not too hot) and have a snack afterward too! You should do it for at least five to 10 minutes several times per day.
Give the Area a Massage
To help open the gland, give the infected area a gentle massage after using the warm compress. You start by using a clean finger and gently massage the stye to get the clogged gland on your eye to open and drain effectively.
Keep Your Eyes and Face as Clean as Possible
The next step might seem very obvious, but you need to keep your eyes and face as clean as possible. You would start by gently getting rid of any crust that has formed around your eye. Foaming cleansers or scrubs that are made for the eye are best and most gentle on the ocular surface. If you're in a bind, a little bit of diluted baby shampoo will work. Hypochlor spray, a non-prescription antibacterial spray, is also great at keeping the lid area clean.
Ditch the Contact Lenses for Glasses
While you are dealing with a stye, you should go with glasses instead of your contact lenses. This is because your contact lenses have a bad habit of collecting bacteria that will only exacerbate your condition.
Know When You Need to See Your Doctor
Like everything else, there are certain times where you might need to see a doctor in regards to your stye condition. This would normally occur if you have a stye that is simply not getting better after a few days or a situation where your whole entire eye, not just your eyelid, is hurting a lot. Moreover, if you cannot see very well and your eye is very well, this might mean you need to visit a doctor. And prevention is always best! If you're prone to styes, using warm compresses, lid cleansers, and hypochlor spray for maintenance will prevent styes from forming frequently.