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Stye

1 sourceEvery line checked against its source

In short

A stye is a small, painful lump on the eyelid.

Worth knowing3

  • A stye is a small, painful lump on or inside the eyelid or around the eye.

    NHS website
  • A stye usually only affects 1 eye, but it's possible to have more than 1 at a time and on both eyes.

    NHS website
  • Styes are often caused by bacteria infecting an eyelash follicle or eyelid gland.

    NHS website

What helps2

  • To reduce swelling and help the stye heal: Soak a clean washcloth in warm water; Hold it against your eye for 5 to 10 minutes; Repeat this 2 to 4 times a day.

    NHS website
  • Avoid wearing contact lenses and eye make-up until the stye has burst and healed.

    NHS website

What to avoid1

  • Do not try to burst a stye or remove an eyelash yourself.

    NHS website

See a provider if2

  • See a health care provider if a stye does not get better within a few weeks.

    NHS website
  • Get care soon if a stye is very painful or swollen, it affects your vision, your eye is producing pus, or the infection has spread to your eye or eyelid.

    NHS website

Sources

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

These pages describe what the sources say. They cannot say what is going on with your skin.

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