Is that an Eye Stye on my Eye?
My friend came running into my house. “Help Help” she said, “I think I am going blind” She then proceed to show me this lump on her eyelid. Many people like my friend become concerned when one of their eyelids get a red and often painful lump on it. They may even fear loss of vision and eye disease. If you know what an eye sty is and how to take care of it, then the fear will diminish.
What exactly is an eye sty? Another name for eye sty is hordeolum; it is an abscess of the oil gland that is around a hair follicle on either the top or bottom eyelid.
The bacterium Staphylococcus aureus is responsible for 90-95% of cases of eye styes. An eye sty can develop as a complication of blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelid).
The first sign of an eye sty is generally redness. Within hours you will have tenderness, and pain in the affected area. The eye may feel irritated or “scratchy”. Later symptoms can include swelling, discomfort during blinking of the eye, watering of the eye, and sensitivity to light. A common sign of an eye sty is a small, yellowish spot at the center of the bump that develops as pus expands in the area.
As you can see from the above, knowing what it is, is at least half the solution. The other half is time and a variety of home help, such as moist warm cloth to bring the sty to a head.. Nothing prevents an eye sty, however good hygiene can diminish the number of infections.
