Having a stye on your eyelid is a thoroughly miserable experience. A stye is a small pimple-like bump on your eyelid. Styes can grow large enough to press against the eyeball. Styes are not to be confused with the more painful chalazia growths, which are basically styes on the inside of the eyelid. Styes can go away by themselves after a week, but you can speed them on their way with sensible stye eye treatment.

Please do not use this article in the place of a doctor’s diagnosis. If you are unsure of how to proceed with your stye eye treatment, please contact your doctor or ophthalmologist.

Materials Needed

You do not need to spend a lot of money to get effective stye eye treatment at home. Your main tools are clean, warm water and a clean, soap-free washcloth. Other materials for stye eye treatment you can use include:

• Chamomile tea bags, dandelion tea bags or regular black tea bags
• Over-the-counter eyewash
• A dark room
• Over-the-counter painkillers such as acetaminophen
• Over-the-counter liquids specifically for stye eye treatment. If you are unsure where to find them, ask your pharmacist for assistance.

Care and Treatment

Use a warm compress with the clean water and washcloth. Even cold water can help in a pinch, but warm water is the most soothing. Soak the cloth and wring out the excess water. Fold and place over your painful eye. You can keep your eye open or closed, but try not to get the cloth onto your eyeball. Keep the compress on for at least five minutes and until the cloth cools.

Another twist on the warm compress is to use a warm tea bag. Drink the tea to help you relax. If you are allergic to ragweed, then do not use chamomile tea. Wait until the tea bag cools off enough to place on your closed eye. Keep on for five to ten minutes several times a day. Use over the counter stye eye treatments as instructed by the individual product.

Styes can cause a lot of pain and keep you from sleeping. Lack of sleep can lead to bad headaches, which can be relieved with over-the-counter painkillers and a dark room. If you cannot get to a dark room, try wearing sunglasses.

Warnings

The stye will eventually drain or fall off. This is normal. The warm compresses can encourage the stye to open up and drain. Never squeeze the stye. This is not only incredibly painful but can potentially damage your eyeball. If the stye gets very large and does not burst, go to your doctor for treatment.

When the stye bursts or comes off, wash your hands and face. Make sure no one comes into contact with the material inside of the stye, which is contagious.

Never wear mascara, eye liner or other makeup near your eyes when you have a stye. This will be intensely irritating. Never wear a contact lens on the affected eye.