Experiences with
StyeCheck if you have a stye
A stye is a small, painful lump on or inside the eyelid or around the eye.
The skin around the stye may be swollen and red and the stye may be filled with yellow pus. The redness may be harder to see on brown and black skin.
Your eye may be red and watery but your vision should not be affected.
A stye usually only affects 1 eye, but it's possible to have more than 1 at a time.
It's probably not a stye if:
- there's no lump – if your eye or eyelid is swollen, red and watery it's more likely to be conjunctivitis or blepharitis
- the lump is hard but not very painful – it's more likely to be a chalazion
How you can treat a stye yourself
To reduce swelling and help the stye heal:
- Soak a clean flannel in warm water.
- Hold it against your eye for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Repeat this 3 or 4 times a day.
To relieve the pain, take painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. Do not give aspirin to children under 16.
Avoid wearing contact lenses and eye make-up until the stye has burst and healed.
Do not try to burst a stye or remove an eyelash yourself. This can spread the infection.
Treatment from a GP
If you have a stye, the GP may:
- burst the stye with a thin, sterilised needle
- remove the eyelash closest to the stye
- refer you to an eye specialist in hospital
The main symptom of a stye is a small, painful lump on your eyelid.
Related links
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