Tips and Tricks for Getting Rid of a Stye
Updated: March 07, 2025
4 mins
You may suddenly wake up one day and feel tenderness on the top or bottom eyelid. This may be one of the first signs of a stye (hordeolum). A stye is a small bump that can cause redness, swelling, itchiness, pain, and scratchiness around the eye. It can also lead to the consistent feeling of something being stuck in your eye.
Glands underneath the eye produce oil in the same way the skin outside the eye can. A stye occurs when there is a buildup of harmful bacteria underneath the eyelid. Bumps underneath the eye are referred to as internal hordeolum, whereas a stye on the base of the eyelash is referred to as external hordeolum.
What are the Symptoms of a Stye?
A buildup of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria is one of the most common causes of a stye. In addition to redness and swelling, people with a stye may experience:
Soreness
Watery eyes
Sensitivity to light
Blurry vision
These symptoms vary in severity depending on how long the stye has lasted and the severity of the clogged oil glands.
Who is at Risk of Developing a Stye?
Anyone can get a stye if the eyes are exposed to a lot of debris, dirt, and dust on a daily basis. However, those with blepharitis may get styes more often than most people. Blepharitis is an eye condition that leads to redness and swelling at the base of the eyelids.
It can also cause dandruff flakes on the eyelid. Other health conditions like diabetes can also increase your risk of getting a stye.
If you have acne, you may see a buildup of oil in your skin that may affect your eyelid as well. Rosacea (a skin condition causing redness and bumps) can also lead to a stye. Using old eye makeup frequently, wearing contact lenses, or working in environments with a lot of dirt and dust in the air can also increase your risk.
Key Point: Is a Stye Contagious?
Styes themselves are not contagious, but the bacteria causing a stye can transfer onto makeup, towels, and other objects that touch the eye. Be sure to wash your hands before and after touching a stye to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria.
How to Treat a Stye
Popping a stye yourself can worsen symptoms. A stye can go away on its own without treatment, but some bacterial infections can get worse. Avoid wearing contacts or eye makeup while treating a stye.
Fortunately, most styes can go away with home care. Always clean your hands before and after touching your eyes. For mild styes, carefully apply a clean, warm washcloth to the eyelid for 10-15 minutes at different times throughout the day to gradually flush out harmful bacteria.
Some styes can progress to a chalazion — a swollen bump on the eyelid that can potentially cause blurry vision. These bumps don’t tend to cause pain but can make it harder to see out of one eye.
In severe cases, a healthcare provider may recommend a steroid or surgery to drain a chalazion. For proper treatment, they may refer you to an ophthalmologist (a doctor specializing in eye health) for these additional treatments.
What is the Difference Between a Stye and a Chalazion?
A chalazion typically starts out as a stye. With a chalazion, the oil grands become blocked to the point where the opening is too narrow to drain out on its own. A lump on the eyelid caused by a chalazion may not cause pain, but it can lead to severe symptoms like blurry vision.
If a chalazion comes back multiple times, a healthcare provider may recommend a biopsy to check for a more serious issue.
Can a Stye Go Away Overnight?
Unfortunately, it may take between seven to 10 days for a stye to go away. In the meantime, you can take over-the-counter pain medications and eye drops to manage symptoms. Applying a warm compress throughout the day can start to gradually alleviate symptoms.
How to Prevent a Stye
Overall, it’s important to be consistent with keeping the eyes clean. If you’re in an area with a lot of dust in the air, consider wearing eye protection. It’s also important to not touch or rub your eyes when your hands are not clean. This can lead to bacteria getting underneath the eyelid. Overall, be gentle around your eyes and try not to touch them frequently throughout the day.
Where Can I Learn More About My Eye Health?
It’s not uncommon to experience a mild bacterial infection in the eye at some point. At LifeMD, a licensed healthcare provider can give you tips for keeping your eyes healthy and preventing infections.
Book an appointment today to learn more about stye prevention and healthy eye care practices.
LifeMD makes it easy to stay on top of your health because talking to a doctor, filling your prescriptions, getting your labs done—and more—are all easy and cost-effective. Come discover a healthcare solution built around you and your life.
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