A sty is caused by a bacterial infection in the glands found in the lower and upper eyelid. These eyes help in lubricating but once they are blocked by dead cells, oils, and other small particles. They can get infected.The earliest signs of a sty is a small hard area on your eyelid and can be accompanied by redness and pain. As it progresses, the eye becomes watery and sensitive to light. This will actually resolve on its own in a week but, there are remedies to help ease the discomforts while waiting for it to heal. The most common of which is the application of hot compress.
Hot Compress for Sties
Applying hot compress to the eyes 3 to 5 times in a day increases circulation in that area and promote the sty’s drainage.
Dampen a clean towel or a piece of cloth with warm water and place on your closed eyelid where the sty is located. Let is stand for about 10 to 20 minutes. Constantly warm the compress so that it remains in the right temperature. If you have a hot water bottle, wrap your warm towel around it so it stays warm longer.
Other Remedies for Sties
Aside from the application of hot compress, there are a few more ways to help with 
the discomfort and prevent them from worsening.
- Get adequate rest– While you are treating a sty, give yourself plenty of sleep at night and refrain from performing visually-stimulating tasks when it is getting near bedtime. If you have no choice but to work, make sure that you give them frequent breaks.
- Wear sunglasses– Do this to protect your eyes from the glare, especially when transitioning from a bright place to a dark one and vice versa.
- Stop wearing eye makeup– Refrain from wearing eye makeup while you are still in the process of treating the sty. This will avoid further irritating it and decrease chances of re-infection.
- Wash your hands often– Do this as much as necessary with unscented soap; especially before and after you touch your eyes.
- Take an OTC NSAID– An over the counter non steroidal pain medication like acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen should help with the inflammation and pain.
- See your doctor– If your sty does not resolve in 2 to 3 days and its symptoms prevail, it would be best to see your doctor for proper intervention. Your doctor may drain it, inject a medication, or prescribe an antibiotic.
If you have to wear eye makeup, ensure that you completely remove it before retiring for the night. Traces of eye makeup that remains long enough on your eyes can block a gland in your eyelid and cause an infection.
Never attempt to puncture, squeeze, or pinch it to force the sty to drain. Doing so can spread the infection and lead to more eye problems. Also, refrain from unnecessarily touching and rubbing your infected eye to prevent the development of more sties.
Amy C. writes about various home and natural remedies for the cure of certain conditions, she takes special attention in writing remedies for eyes and ears problems. She also helps in Lasik Houston in providing Lasik consultation for Lasik eye surgery Houston. Watch out for her next post for more of her simple cures.
