4 Reasons You’ll Want to Get a Stye Treated

A stye, also referred to as a hordeolum or chalazion, is a small lump of pus that develops on either the outside or inside of the eyelid.

Styes are caused by staphylococcus bacteria and are common enough that most people experience one or two of them in their lifetimes. They rarely cause serious systemic health issues and, though they often go away on their own, Los Angeles oculoplastic surgeon Dr. Ray Taban recommends that you not leave them untreated. One reason is that they can take weeks to heal, during which time, you are vulnerable to risks that, while not life-threatening, can cause problems.

In fact, Dr. Taban and the rest of the staff at TabanMD offer the following reasons why you’ll want to get a stye fixed:

1. They Are Uncomfortable

You can think of a stye as a pimple on your eyelid. If you’ve ever had a particularly bad acne breakout, you know how irritated and sore the skin feels.

Now imagine that on your eyelid for several weeks. Although a stye may not interfere with your vision, it can definitely cause irritation, pain, tenderness, and soreness.

2. Styes Are Distracting

Because they are red and swollen, sometimes even causing the entire lid to become swollen, the prominence of a stye is distracting to others. While this may seem like only a minor issue, it can affect both your personal and professional life. People may try to avoid contact with you because these small bumps are infectious.

3. They Are Contagious

Because styes form due to contagious staphylococcal bacteria, you’ll want to avoid any type of contact with others. Yes, the bacteria reside in nearly everyone but you must be careful to help prevent the spread of them.

You have to be diligent in keeping your hands and eyes clean. You’ll also have to avoid sharing linens like towels, washcloths, pillowcases, sheets, and blankets. Also, you’ll have to throw out any type of tool used to clean or groom the lashes on your eyelids.

4. Beware of Other Complications

If you leave a stye untreated, you increase the risk of a single stye becoming multiple ones. Other complications include:

• Watery eyes
• Sensitivity to light
• Foreign body sensation (i.e., the feeling that something is always in the eye)

Not treating the infection can also lead to a complication called a chalazion, which is a type of scarring that can include cysts. If a chalazion grows large enough, it can interfere with your vision, cause cornea deformation, or result in blepharitis (infection and swelling of the entire eyelid).

All in all, though a stye does not pose much of a medical risk, it does lead to considerable cosmetic complications.

Effective Stye Treatment

Usually, a stye can be treated with antibiotic eye drops. If drops don’t work, Dr. Taban may have to drain the stye of the pus to speed up the healing process.

If the infection becomes a chalazion, further options could be necessary. These include surgical drainage and injections of a steroid/5FU mixture, which can melt the chalazion without leaving any scarring. Visit the American Academy of Ophthalmology to learn more.

To Learn More about Hordeolum, Contact Dr. Taban

The bottom line about styes is that, should you have one develop, don’t let it go without getting it checked by an oculoplastic specialist like Dr. Taban. He is an expert on eyelid stye or chalazion removal, having written much academically about the treatment and procedure process of styes and chalazions.

Contact Dr. Taban and the oculoplastic surgery team at TabanMD ASAP for an appointment to determine the best way to treat unsightly, uncomfortable eyelid conditions. Find out more by contacting us online or calling our Beverly Hills office or our Santa Barbara office.

Next, read Banish Under Eye Bags for Good with a Lower Blepharoplasty