Stye
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| A regular stye on person's eye | |
| ICD-10 | H00. |
| ICD-9 | 373.11 |
| DiseasesDB | 12583 |
| MedlinePlus | 001009 |
| eMedicine | emerg/755 |
A stye (IPA: /ˈstaɪ/) or hordeolum (/ˌhɔrˈdiːələm/) is an infection of the sebaceous glands at the base of the eyelashes.[1] While they produce no lasting damage, they can be quite painful.
Contents |
[edit] Causes
Styes are generally caused by a Staphylococcus aureus bacteria infection and are particularly common in infants, though people of any age may experience them. They can be triggered by stress or poor nutrition. Also, using the same razor to shave hair near the eyes with same razor that is used to shave a mustache on a regular basis can also spread staphylococcus bacteria and eventually lead to styes or other eye infections.[2][3]
A stye can be secondary, caused by blepharitis. A blocked oil gland near the eye, a chalazion, is often mistaken for a stye.[4]
[edit] Signs and symptoms
The first signs are tenderness, pain, and redness in the affected area. Later symptoms that arise include itching, swelling, watering of the eye, sensitivity to light, and discomfort during blinking. A yellowish bump develops in the affected area.
[edit] Treatment
Most styes will drain on their own though this may be accelerated with a hot or warm compress, or by pulling out the eyelash. Styes typically resolve within 1 week with treatment. While a stye is technically a pimple and can be popped, doing so is not recommended without technical expertise[5] due to their proximity to the eye. Styes may also cause a bruising feeling around the eye which can be treated with a warm cloth.
Medical professionals will sometimes lance a particularly persistent or irritating stye with a needle, to accelerate its draining.[6] A stye's spread or expansion can also be fought with the use of antibiotic ointment akin to Neosporin[7] (e.g. Erythromycin ophthalmic ointment), a special version being available for styes, which can be applied in a ribbon along the lid, on either inside or out. Medical professionals may also prescribe Amoxicillin for over a period of a week.[8]
If a stye bursts care must be taken to cleanse the wound to prevent reinfection.
Contact lenses should never be worn during treatment for a stye. Eye makeup is not recommended.
[edit] Alternative remedies
There are various folk remedies for curing a stye, such as rubbing a gold ring on the affected area,[9] though they are not recommended by professionals.
A homœopathic approach may be to use pulsatilla or staphysagria, or to suggest bathing the eye with hot water and pressure.[10]
According to Ayurveda, applying saliva immediately after waking up in the morning to the infected areas will cure the infection.
It is important to note that none of these techniques have been empirically proven, and that they are not part of an expert's recommended treatment.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Eyelid lumps, on, inside or under the eye lid. Retrieved March 19 2007
- ^ http://www.visionweb.com/content/consumers/dev_consumerarticles.jsp?RID=34
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/ask_the_doctor/styes.shtml
- ^ Styes, AllAboutVision.com. Retrieved August 20, 2006.
- ^ http://www.wingeyecare.com/Ocular%20Diseases/styes.htm
- ^ http://www.medicinenet.com/sty/page2.htm#tocf
- ^ http://www.cosmeticsdiary.com/eye-stye.htm
- ^ http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic415.htm
- ^ Folk remedies, The Handbook of Texas Online, University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved March 19 2007
- ^ Stye, Dr Lockie's homœopathic healthcare. Retrieved March 19 2007
[edit] External links
- More information on Stye on Yahoo Health
- Eye Stye Home Remedies
- 409665546 at GPnotebook
- EYE69 at FPnotebook
- 8-94c. at Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy Professional Edition
- 20-228f. at Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy Home Edition
de:Hordeolum es:Orzuelo fr:Orgelet (médecine) it:Orzaiolo lt:Miežis (liga) nl:Hordeolum externum ja:麦粒腫 pl:Jęczmień (choroba) pt:Hordéolo ru:Ячмень (заболевание) sv:Vagel th:ตากุ้งยิง
