I haven't had a sty since I was younger.... So I don't exactly remember what it was like. But I have been having terrible allergies this time of year, so naturally I rub my eyes a lot. Now I have pain in on my lower lid, just under my eye... and it hurts more when I touch it or if my eyes are shut. I don't see a sty right now, but I was wondering if maybe it can hurt before the sty forms? I also used some eye allergy drops the other day, only to realize afterwards that they were expired so now I'm worried it might be from that. I don't have an eye doctor appointment til Monday, so I have to wait it out a little. I'm just a little nervous because it's really sore. I don't have any other problems, it's not red or pussing... it just hurts under my eye, on the skin on my face. I would have thought it was from my contacts had I been wearing them, but it started hurting yesterday, and I was wearing my glasses. And I have been wearing my glasses a lot because my contacts are not agreeing with my allergies. I recently went on birth control as well, and I read that you can have problems wearing contacts while on birth control... but can birth control contribute to eye PAIN? My vision hasn't changed, it isn't blurred nothing like that... But yesterday I did wake up with a lot of sinus congestion and a headache. Could this be a symptom of a sinus infection??? I am confused on whether I should maybe see my regular doctor first, or if I should just wait for the eye appointment. Also do you think taking Tylenol or Aleve might help subside the pain??
get a teaspoon, a cloth and some boiling water. Put the teaspoon in the water, let it heat up and then cover it in the cloth and place the bowl of the spoon onto the area where the Sty is growing. This helps to draw out the nastiness and eventually, it will go away. Most GPs use this method too.
Thanks! If it turns out to be a sty I will totally try that. I have an appointment for after work now, because it was just too painful to wait. Not to mention I want to make completely sure that it is not another sinus infection. I have a feeling it isn't, because it appears to be inflamed only in the corner of my left eye, and slightly red. It itches, but if I touch it is sore... so I took an Aleve, recommended by one of my elders who said it might help to at least reduce the swelling. It helped a bit, it doesnt hurt everytime I blink at least, now.
You may have conjunctivitis, or what's more commonly known as 'pink eye'. Does it feel like someone punched you in the eye? That's how it felt for me right before the times I got pink eye. Good luck mama!
It does a bit... but I have had pink eye before, and my eye looks nothing like it did when I had pink eye... I originally thought it might be pink eye too though so that could be a possibility. When I had pink eye last time my eye looked crazy blood shot. My eye looks perfectly fine though, except up close you can just see that it is a little swollen in the corner, and that's it. I don't know, I suppose I'll find out. I am really sick of going to the doctor, but I will NOT take any chances when it comes to my eyes.
Sties can be really painful. They are a staph infection of the hair and oil follicule of the eyelid. My Optomotrist suggests an "eyelid wash" but I usually just use a REALLY warm wet compress. Don't let anyone else use the washcloth and only use it one day, then wash it in really hot water, as Staph is very contagious. Most sties are sealed, so medicines don't usually work. For several months last winter, one of my dd's and myself kept getting them. We weren't sharing any make up or anything, but they just didn't go away. (Moon still has a small bump in her eyelid, I do too.) They called them "Chalizion" or something like that, but it is basically the same thing. We eventually got some antibiotic ointment. Moon's was really red and noticable, and you are not supposed to wear make up when you have it, but she was embarressed and covering it up every day. After several months, it finally got better. One more thing. You have to get rid of all your makeup (eye) after you get rid of the sty. You will give it back to yourself, Especially using the mascara, eye liner or shadow you did while you had the sty. Staph can live forever in damp make up. That is probably why we had it so long. Moon refused to throw away her make up, but I finally had to make her do it. She was in a lot of pain. And, I get pain for days before I see anything, so you could well be getting one. Most of the time the only treatment is wet warm compresses and an eyelid wash. I hope you feel better.
Thanks. Yeah I know I have gotten them in the past, but it was so long ago I can't remember. I know I have always gotten them on the corner of the my bottom lid nearest to my nose, which is where it is now. Luckily I haven't worn makeup [except cover up around zits far away from my eye] in quite a while, so I don't think that should be a problem... and I haven't planned on wearing makeup til this is gone either... I don't think I could without it irritating the hell out of me. I put in contacts last night to shower....I can't see in the shower without them, I'm pretty close to blind lol. I have night and day contacts, and I removed them this morning because I just figured leaving them in with this thing wasn't worth the risk. I'm assuming now I should probably dispose of that pair of contacts as well....or will contact solution wash away the bacteria that causes it? It shouldn't be an issue anyway, because I am seeing the eye doctor on Monday to order NEW contacts... I think I can live with my glasses for a few more days [I hope..they annoy the hell out of me] My eyes always have problems, they are very very sensitive, and it's difficult for me to wear makeup ANYTIME because they seem to be allergic to almost everything. I am irritated because I have been trying to take such good care of my eyes to avoid more eye issues, but allergies got the best of me. I try to avoid rubbing my eyes often, but sometimes I just cant help it. They tend to pus a lot when I get an allergic reaction, and I always have to remove the pus so that I can see more clearly, otherwise it gets in front of my eye and what not. Blah.
yup warm compresses is all she could recommend really, but she thinks that my allergies have just gotten wildly out of control. she gave me all sorts of crap for my allergies, pills, eye drops, and nose spray. i think i should consider an allergy shot.... i am so sick of battling with these allergies everyday.
Heck yes they are. I checked online today to see what the allergen forecast for today was, and it's high for ragweed, which I'm severely allergic to even in small amounts so that explains a lot. I've been waking up with my eyes literally like pasted shut, it's gross and I have to rinse my eyes every morning so there isn't crust all around them. It's driving me bananas.
I have LOTS of problems with stys... I started getting them on an almost regular basis and went to an eye specialist who told me I had an eye condition called Blepharitis. It's a condition in which the eyelids get inflamed and you get a lot of that crustyness... You can keep it under control by having a strict clensing plan every day... but basically what the doc told me was that my eyes dont produce enough natural oils and tears to clean the eye by themselves, so, all the build ups clog up my glands and ducts in my eye, causing them to swell up and produce styes. I had the worse case scenario also earlier this year, when a stye turned into a cyst, which I then had to have removed with minor surgery... wasn't nice, but it went well... As you can see, I am VERY familiar with eye issues...
it seems much better already. i've been using the eyedrops the doctor gave me, putting warm cloths over it, not wearing makeup or contacts, and it seems to be improving lots. it still seems to get MUCH itchier than the other eye and what not, but otherwise it's doing much better. No more pain or inflammation for the most part.
They usually clear up within a week to ten days if you keep on top of them... I wear contacts aswell, and I usually lay off them for a week to let my eye rest etc.. Hopefully it's just a "one off" thing for you, as I remember when I got my first sty it seemed to start something off in my eyes, and i've had to keep right on the ball ever since to keep them in check..
Yeah, I've had sties before, in the past, but they aren't a chronic thing for me. This is probably only the 3rd one I've ever gotten... I got two fairly close together when I was about 10 and hadn't had one until now. It cleared up, but my eye is still a tad itchy, but the drops she gave me help to stop the itch. I'm getting annoyed with wearing glasses though, and I can't wait until I can have my contacts again. I have to clean these suckers like 20 times a day, and it's difficult for me to drive with glasses. I hate them.
