From the Guidelines
The treatment for a stye (hordeolum) primarily involves warm compresses and good eyelid hygiene, as recommended by the most recent guidelines 1.
Key Components of Treatment
- Apply a clean, warm compress to the affected eye for 10-15 minutes, 3-4 times daily to help bring the stye to a head and promote drainage.
- Gently clean the eyelid margins with diluted baby shampoo or commercial eyelid cleansers.
- Avoid wearing eye makeup and contact lenses until the stye resolves.
- Over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen (200-400mg every 6-8 hours) or acetaminophen (500-1000mg every 6 hours) can help manage discomfort.
- Never squeeze or pop a stye as this can spread infection.
Additional Considerations
- For persistent or severe styes, prescription antibiotic ointments such as erythromycin or bacitracin may be needed, applied to the eyelid margin 2-3 times daily for 7-10 days.
- Oral antibiotics like doxycycline (100mg twice daily) might be prescribed for more severe infections.
- Styes typically resolve within 1-2 weeks with proper care.
- They form when an oil gland in the eyelid becomes infected with bacteria, usually Staphylococcus, causing localized inflammation and pain.
- If styes recur frequently, have severe pain, affect vision, or don't improve after two weeks of home treatment, medical attention should be sought. The most recent and highest quality study 1 provides the best guidance for the treatment of a stye, emphasizing the importance of warm compresses and eyelid hygiene.
From the Research
Treatment for a Stye (Hordeolum)
- A stye, also known as a hordeolum, is an infection of the eyelid margin involving hair follicles of the eyelashes (external hordeolum) or meibomian glands (internal hordeolum) [@@].
- The provided studies do not directly address the treatment of a stye, but they discuss the treatment of skin and soft tissue infections, which may be relevant to the treatment of a stye.
- For skin and soft tissue infections, such as those caused by community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA), antibiotics like doxycycline and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole may be effective [@\1@].
- However, for simple abscesses, systemic antibiotics may not be necessary after incision and drainage, as they do not significantly improve cure rates [@\2@].
- It is essential to note that these studies do not specifically address the treatment of a stye, and more relevant research would be needed to provide a definitive answer.