A stye, also known as a hordeolum, is a bacterial infection of an oil gland in the eyelid. This results in a red tender bump at the edge of the eyelid. The outside or the inside of the eyelid can be affected.
The cause of a stye is usually a bacterial infection by Staphylococcus aureus. Internal styes are due to infection of the meibomian gland while external styes are due to an infection of the gland of Zeis. A chalazion on the other hand is a blocked meibomian gland without infection. A chalazion is typically in the middle of the eyelid and not painful.
Often a stye will go away without any specific treatment in a few days or weeks. Recommendations to speed improvement include warm compresses. Occasionally antibiotic eye ointment may be recommended. While these measures are often recommended, there is little evidence for use in internal styes. The frequency at which styes occur is unclear, though they may occur at any age.
The first sign of a stye is a small, yellowish spot at the center of the bump that develops as pus and expands in the area.
Other stye symptoms may include:
A lump on the top or bottom eyelid
Localized swelling of the eyelid
Localized pain
Redness
Tenderness
Crusting of the eyelid margins
Burning in the eye
Droopiness of the eyelid
Scratchy sensation on the eyeball (itching)
Blurred vision
Mucous discharge in the eye
Irritation of the eye
Light sensitivity
Tearing
Discomfort during blinking
Sensation of a foreign body in the eye
Stye complications occur in very rare cases. However, the most frequent complication of styes is progression to a chalazion that causes cosmetic deformity, corneal irritation, and often requires surgical removal. Complications may also arise from the improper surgical lancing, and mainly consist of disruption of lash growth, lid deformity or lid fistula. Large styes may interfere with one's vision.
Eyelid cellulitis is another potential complication of eye styes, which is a generalized infection of the eyelid.
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Blepharitis, sometimes known as "granulated eyelids," is one of the most common ocular conditions characterized by inflammation, scaling, reddening, and crusting of the eyelid. This condition may also cause swelling, burning, itching, or a grainy sensation when introducing foreign objects or substances to the eye. Although blepharitis by itself is not sight-threatening, it can lead to permanent alterations of the eyelid margin. The primary cause is bacteria and inflammation from congested meibomian oil glands at the base of each eyelash.