Sty
(Stye, Hordeolum)

Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Medical Editor: Jay W. Marks, MD

• What is a sty?
• What are the signs and symptoms of a sty?
• Who is most susceptible to the development of a sty?
• What is the treatment for a sty?
• What is the prognosis (outcome) of a sty?
• Are there any potential complications resulting from a sty?
• Can a sty be prevented?
• Related sty (stye) article:
  Sty (stye) - on eMedicineHealth

Featured sty patient discussions on symptoms and signs experienced "I am 50 years old and have just recovered from what I was told was an internal sty. It looked like a red bump on my lower eyelid, but I noticed a white bump inside the lid. I had it about two days with a little discomfort, when on the second night I awoke to pain around my eyeball. I got up and used a very warm compress over and over for an hour and a half, as it was a comforting relief of the pain. The next morning, I had to be at a hospital for a family member. The sty decided to break there. It ran all over my eyeball all day and was painful, but there was nothing I could do about it till I got home. I just dotted it with Kleenex. A doctor that was attending my relative suggested I get an antibiotic ointment. When I got home later that night, it was already feeling better, so I cleaned my eye and it continued to heal without any medication. I still have a small white bump inside my eyelid, and I am waiting for it to go away. It's embarrassing. Everyone thought I was contagious and would not touch me or any of my belongings -- except for the doctor I met. I washed my hands every chance I had and tried to never touch it." Read all sty comments » Top Searched Sty Terms: treatment, chalazion, blepharitis, prevention, prognosis Patient Discussions are not a substitute for professional medical advice, or treatment. See the disclaimer at the bottom of the comments page.

What is a sty?

A sty (sometimes spelled stye) is a tender, painful red bump located at the base of an eyelash or under or inside the eyelid. The medical term for a sty is hordeolum (plural, hordeola).

A sty results from an acute infection of the oil glands of the eyelid (meibomian glands) that occurs after these glands have become clogged. A sty also may arise from an infected hair follicle at the base of an eyelash. The bacterium Staphylococcus aureus is responsible for 90%-95% of cases of styes. Staph aureus is frequently found on the skin. A sty can develop as a complication of blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelid).

The term external hordeolum has been used to refer to a sty that develops at the base of an eyelash involving a hair follicle of the eyelid, whereas the term internal hordeolum refers to a sty arising due to an inflamed meibomian gland under the eyelid.

A sty is sometimes confused with a chalazion (see below), which is a cyst or a specific type of scarring (due to chronic inflammation) arising in the meibomian glands of the eyelid. In contrast to a sty, a chalazion is usually painless.

What are the signs and symptoms of a sty?

The first symptoms of a sty are generally redness, tenderness, and pain in the affected area. The eye may feel irritated or "scratchy." Later symptoms can include swelling, discomfort during blinking of the eye, watering of the eye, and sensitivity to light. A common sign of a sty is a small, yellowish spot at the center of the bump that develops as pus expands in the area.

Who is most susceptible to the development of a sty?

Styes are very common. People of all ages can develop a sty, and males and females are equally affected. There is a slight increase in incidence of styes during the third to fifth decades of life. People with certain chronic conditions (diabetes mellitus, chronic blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelid), seborrhea, and chronic debilitating illnesses) are more prone to develop styes than the general population. In many susceptible people, stress seems to trigger the development of a sty. Studies have shown that those who have high levels of blood lipids are more susceptible to blockages in the oil glands, including those of the eyelid and, therefore, are more likely to develop a sty.

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