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Tests and diagnosis

By Mayo Clinic staff

Tests and procedures used to diagnose a sty include:

  • Examining your eyelid. Your doctor may determine you have a sty by looking at your eyelid. Your doctor may use a light and a magnifying device to examine your eyelid.
  • Testing for bacteria. If your doctor needs to lance your sty to relieve pressure, a small sample of pus may be collected for testing. This helps determine which bacterium is causing your infection and which antibiotics are most appropriate for you.
References
  1. Mueller JB, et al. Ocular infection and inflammation. Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America. 2008;26:57.
  2. Fort GG, et al. Hordeolum (stye). In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2010. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/188483394-5/0/2088/0.html. Accessed March 11, 2010.
  3. Neff AG, et al. Benign eyelid lesions. In: Yanoff M, et al. Ophthalmology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/188483394-9/0/1869/0.html. Accessed March 11, 2010.
  4. Chalazion/Hordeolum. In: Ehler JP, et al. The Wills Eye Manual: Office and Emergency Room Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Disease. 5th ed. Baltimore, Md.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2008. http://ovidsp.ovid.com/ovidweb.cgi?T=JS&NEWS=N&PAGE=booktext&D=books&AN=01337416/5th_Edition/3&XPATH=/OVIDBOOK%5b1%5d/METADATA%5b1%5d/TBY%5b1%5d/EDITORS%5b1%5d. Accessed March 11, 2010.
  5. Eyelid lumps. EyeSmart. http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/infections/eyelid.cfm. Accessed March 11, 2010.
  6. Safe use of eye cosmetics. Prevent Blindness America. http://www.preventblindness.org/resources/Non-Customizable/NC_FS15_08-076_Cosmetics.pdf. Accessed March 12, 2010.
  7. What you need to know about contact lens hygiene and compliance. American Optometric Association. http://www.aoa.org/x8024.xml. Accessed March 12, 2010.
  8. Robertson DM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 19, 2010.
DS00257 April 8, 2010

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