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Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffUntil your sty goes away on its own, try to:
- Leave the sty alone. Don't try to pop the sty or squeeze the pus from a sty. Doing so can cause the infection to spread.
- Place a warm washcloth over your closed eyes. To relieve pain, run warm water over a clean washcloth. Wring out the washcloth and place it over your closed eye. Re-wet the washcloth when it loses heat. Continue this for 10 or 15 minutes. Repeating this several times each day may encourage the sty to drain on its own.
- Keep your eye clean. Don't wear eye makeup until the sty has healed.
- Go without contacts lenses. It's possible for your contact lenses to become contaminated with bacteria associated with your sty, so plan to go without contacts until your sty goes away.
References
- Riordan-Eva P, et al. Vaughan & Asbury's General Ophthalmology. 18th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2011. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=720. Accessed April 26, 2012.
- What Are Chalazia and Styes? American Academy of Ophthalmology. http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/diseases/chalazion-stye.cfm. Accessed April 25, 2012.
- What you need to know about contact lens hygiene and compliance. American Optometric Association. http://www.aoa.org/x8024.xml. Accessed April 26, 2012.
- Chalazion and hordeolum. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/print/eye_disorders/eyelid_and_lacrimal_disorders/chalazion_and_hordeolum.html. Accessed April 26, 2012.
- Eye cosmetic safety. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/ProductandIngredientSafety/ProductInformation/ucm137241.htm. Accessed April 26, 2012.
- Robertson DM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 3, 2012.
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