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Styes are common and should clear up on their own within 1 or 2 weeks. They're rarely a sign of anything serious, but may be painful until they heal.
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:
To reduce swelling and help the stye heal:
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.
If you have a stye, the GP may:
Styes are often caused by bacteria infecting an eyelash follicle or eyelid gland.
You're also more likely to get a stye if you have long-term blepharitis or rosacea.
You can help avoid styes by keeping your eyes clean.
wash your face and remove eye make-up before bed
replace your eye make-up every 6 months
keep your eyelids and eyelashes clean, especially if you have blepharitis
do not share towels or flannels with someone who has a stye
do not rub your eyes if you have not recently washed your hands
do not put contact lenses in before washing your hands
