The term stye refers to small painful boil, an inflamed hair follicle or an infection of a sebaceous gland in the edge of the eyelid. The infecting organism is usually a staphylococcus. This disease occurs due to debilitated condition of the system. Some children seem more prone to these infections than others. Stye has all the signs of inflammation, swelling, redness, pain and heat or warmth and occurs on the edge of the eyelid.
CAUSES
Stye results from an infection of the hair follicles of the eyelid, which leads to blockage of the hair follicles. It may also results from blocking of the gland by dirt or due to error of refraction. Recurrent stye occurs because the child rubbing it to relieve itching spreads the infection from one hair shaft to another, often.
The real cause of stye is the toxic condition of the child's system brought about by wrong eating habits, especially consumption of foods such as white bread, refined cereals, boiled potatoes, pudding, pies and confectionery. The disease makes its appearance when the child is in a run down condition and below par. Eyestrain is also a subsidiary factor in the onset of stye.
SYMPTOMS
A stye gives rise to a throbbing pain, which can go out of proportion. It can be felt for a day or two even before the stye is visible. It is accompanied by redness, swelling and edema of the lid and conjunctiva. Sometimes, the infection disappears quickly, without forming into a red swelling. But other styes worsen rapidly until the eyelid swells up. In the final stages, the stye will burst and discharge pus, causing the eyelid to stick together during the night in severe cases.
HOME REMEDIES TO TREAT A EYE STYE
Use herbal home remedies at the first signs of discomfort, i.e., pain, redness or watering.
* Boil a teaspoon of turmeric in two cups of water. Reduce it to one cup. Cool. Strain 4-5 times through a fine muslin. This extract can be used as an eye drop - a drop in the infected eye 3-4 times a day. Helps to get rid of a stye.
* Boil a teaspoon of coriander seeds with a cupful of water for a while, like a herbal tea preparation. Use this to wash the eyes 3-4 times a day.
* Guava leaves, warmed and placed on a warm damp cloth, and then used as a compress, reduce the redness, pain and swelling.
* Take a cup of water. Dissolve 2-3 granules of alum in it. Use as an eyewash.
* The use of clove. This spice should be rubbed in water and applied over the stye. This will give relief from the stye. Helps to get rid of a stye.
* Boil a handful of acacia leaves in two cups of water. Make a decoction and use as a compress on the eyelids. It reduces swelling and pain. Helps to get rid of a stye.
* A grated potato used as a poultice, reduce swelling in inflamed eyes.
* Slit an aloe leaf lengthwise (the leaves are thick). Place the pulpy side on the sore eye. It reduces itchiness in inflamed and sore eyes.
* Another poultice is made by baking or grilling an apple. Mash it, wrap it in a damp cloth and while it is still very warm, but not enough to cause burns, use it as a poultice. Helps to get rid of a stye.
All above the best natural home remedies to treat a stye and also beneficial for reducing the pain and swelling in a stye.
Surgical drainage of the stye may also be necessary if the stye is not responding to these above home treatment.
Preventive measures for eye stye include always washing hands before touching the eyes and keeping good eye hygiene, especially for contact users.
Many eye infections are contagious, and eye styes can certainly be passed on from one person to another very easily. A high standard of hygiene is necessary with no sharing of towels or facecloths.
PREVENTION TIPS
* Wash hands thoroughly before touching the skin around the eye. Careful attention to cleaning excess oils from the edges of the lids may help prevent styes in susceptible persons.
* Avoid sharing eye makeup, especially if you're prone to recurring styes.
* Stress and strain to eyes especially working for a long time on the computer.
* Contact lenses should not be worn during infection or drainage of a stye.
