You have a stye in your eye. What is a stye? A stye is an infection of the hair follicle of an eyelash. The hair follicle is the small pit that the eyelash grows out of. It is a sore similar to a boil or a pimple the forms on the edge of the eyelid. The eyelid may become swollen and sore. Styes usually develop and then come to a head in three to seven days, then burst and heal on their own, in most cases. They will fill with pus then burst spontaneously. A chalazion can sometimes be mistaken for a stye. A chalazion is a lump on the eyelid that is not caused by bacteria, but caused by a blocked mucous gland under the eye. These are painless swellings, whereas a stye, which is caused by a bacterial infection, is fairly painful.

Symptoms include:

-pain in the eye or eyelid, especially when blinking or to the touch

-redness of the eyelid itself

-blurred vision of the affected eye

-swelling of the eyelid

Treatment includes:

-styes can be treated at home by applying a very warm, wet, clean wash cloth to the tender area. This moist heat application should be done about four times a day, for about ten minutes at each treamtent. This will aid in the supporation of the stye. Supporation is the forming of a head on an infection. The leukocytes (or white blood cells), travel to the infection to fight it. The heat from the warm, moist compresses speeds up the leukocytes' travel, thus fascilitating the forming of the head on the stye. Once the stye ruptures, the pressure is relieved and the pain and swelling subsides. Never put your fingers in your eye. Your hands are full of germs. If you see a doctor, he may prescribe some antibiotic cream for the stye. There are also over the counter topical medications for the stye, which are mostly made up of petroleum jelly and other emoliants to keep the eye. Non-prescription products, however, cannont treat the infection associated with a sty, but can get temporary relief of its symptoms, including burning, stinging and itching. Rarely styes require lancing by a doctor.