See Clear

Most kids get a stye at one point or another, so if your child or even you, has a stye, remember that it is not uncommon. Proper eyecare can go a long way in treating this common vision complaint and maintaining eye health.

A stye often begins as a swollen, red, irritated spot along the eyelid where your eyelashes attach. Usually this red area will change into a bump like a painful pimple. Your eye will most likely be irritated and will water like it is trying to rid itself of the intruding irritant, but the stye has to just run its course. Most styes will grow a head just like a whitehead pimple, and yellowish or clear liquid will accumulate under the skin until the stye bursts open. It is not recommended to try to pop the stye like you might with a pimple; this is likely to make things worse. The stye should run its course from red irritated spot, to pimple-like, to open in about three to five days. Most styes heal on their own after they break open, and vision returns to normal.

Styes are infections, and are caused by bacteria that grow in the hair follicle, or root, of one or more eyelashes. Because styes are bacterial, it is wise to leave them alone to avoid introducing additional bacteria and exacerbating the problem. Some treatments are available. Applying a wet and warm washcloth to the infected area three to five times each day can alleviate some symptoms and help the stye heal more quickly. The earlier you start cleaning the infection, the earlier the stye can begin to heal. If you catch the stye in the very earliest stages, a warm cleansing cloth might be enough to open a pore blockage and begin the healing before the stye gets too big. Over the counter medications are also available in ointment form, or as cleansing solutions or eye washes, or even in medicated wipes.

With the right eyecare, styes are only a minor irritation, and won’t permanently damage your or your kids’ eyes or vision.