Stye, an eye inflammation that affects young and old alike

By Cristiano Antonino On Mar 4, 2023

Have you ever felt an almost stinging discomfort in your eyelids and woken up the next morning with a swollen and reddened eye? If you have, it was most likely a stye

But what is a stye? How does it manifest itself and, above all, how is it treated?

Stye is an acute inflammation of the glands located at the level of the eyelashes.

It often affects the outer part of the eyelid although, in some cases, it can also affect the glands on the inside.

It is an inflammation of bacterial origin whose main culprits are S. Aureus, a commensal bacterium of the human microbiota, and the parasite Demodex.

Under what conditions does it occur?

Styes mainly affect those suffering from dry eye and inflammation of the eyelid margin (chronic anterior blepharitis).

These conditions are particularly common in people suffering from skin diseases such as Atopic Dermatitis or Rosacea.

How does stye occur?

Stye appears as a localised, reddened and painful nodule at the edge of the eyelid.

It is often possible for purulent material to come out of the stye, and in more extreme cases, the inflammation may even involve the adjacent orbital tissues (pre-septal cellulitis).

Is it contagious?

There is no scientific evidence that stye is contagious.

However, since the cause is often infectious, it is advisable to take appropriate preventive measures, such as proper hand hygiene and avoiding direct contact with the inflamed area.

How is it treated?

Most styes resolve spontaneously within 1-2 weeks and do not require any specific intervention.

To facilitate healing, proper eyelid hygiene and the application of warm moist compresses to the affected area is recommended.

In some cases, topical antibiotic therapy may be recommended.

In rare cases, topical therapy with steroid drugs may be combined to reduce inflammation more quickly, but only on the advice of and closely monitored by the ophthalmologist.

In more persistent cases, a surgical approach may be necessary to remove the stye.