What is a Stye?

What is a Stye?

A stye-also called a Hordeolum-is a red, sore lump near the edge of the eyelid that grows from the base of your eyelash or under the eyelid. Most styes are caused by a bacterial infection. There are two kinds of styes:

• External Hordeolum: A stye that begins at the base of your eyelash often from an infection in the hair follicle that looks like a pimple.
• Internal Hordeolum: A stye inside your eyelid that is caused by an infection in an oil-producing gland in your eyelid.

You can also get a stye if you have blepharitis-an inflammation of your eyelids- that makes your eyelids at the base of the eyelashes red and swollen. When you first get a stye, your eyelid is probably red and tender to the touch. Your eye may also feel sore and scratchy.

There are a number of ways your doctor can treat a stye including warm compresses, antibiotics or in office surgery if the other treatments aren’t helping. Never squeeze stye! If you or someone you know has a stye please schedule an appointment at The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visit The Eye Care & Surgery Center or Facebook.

The Eye Care & Surgery Center is an affiliate of Prism Vision Group and is located at 592 Springfield Avenue, Westfield, New Jersey 07090, 10 Mountain Boulevard, Warren, New Jersey 07059 and 517 Route One South, Suite 1100, Iselin, New Jersey 08830, and is conveniently located for patients from throughout central and northern New Jersey.