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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffIn most cases, a sty doesn't require specific treatment. A sty typically goes away on its own in a few days to a week.
For a sty that persists, your doctor may recommend treatments, such as:
- Antibiotics. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotic eyedrops or a topical antibiotic cream to apply to your eyelid. If your eyelid infection persists or spreads beyond your eyelid, your doctor may recommend antibiotics in tablet or pill form.
- Surgery to relieve pressure. To treat a pus-filled sty that won't rupture or burst on its own, your doctor or ophthalmologist may choose to lance and drain the sty to relieve pain and pressure.
References
- Mueller JB, et al. Ocular infection and inflammation. Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America. 2008;26:57.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Eyelid lumps. EyeSmart. http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/infections/eyelid.cfm. Accessed March 11, 2010.
- 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.
- What you need to know about contact lens hygiene and compliance. American Optometric Association. http://www.aoa.org/x8024.xml. Accessed March 12, 2010.
- Robertson DM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 19, 2010.
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