Treatment for Styes

A stye is a pimple-like growth on the inside or outside of the eyelid. Painful, red and swollen, styes usually rupture and heal on their own within a few days.

Simple treatment of a stye consists of applying warm compresses to the affected eye for 10 to 15 minutes four times a day for several days. While you should never squeeze a stye until it bursts, the pressure of the compress relieves the pain and swelling and helps the stye rupture on its own.

Caused by staphylococcal bacteria often transferred from the nose to the eye, recurring styes may require the treatment of an antibiotic ointment. In certain cases, the infection resides elsewhere in the body and requires an oral antibiotic. If the stye still will not heal, surgical removal may be necessary.

For more information about treatment of styes, please contact us. Select your state below for a consultation.