What should you know about a large stye on the eyelid?

A stye is a painful, red lump near the edge of the eyelid. It can form when an eyelid oil gland or eyelash follicle becomes blocked and inflamed. The eyelid may feel heavy, watery or sore when blinking. A stye can have a small pus-filled point, while swelling across much of the lid may signal more extensive inflammation. Eye discharge can occur, but marked discharge or redness spreading beyond the lump deserves a clinical review.

Place a clean, comfortably warm compress over the closed eye for several minutes, repeating this through the day. Wash your hands before touching the area, keep the eyelid clean and avoid squeezing, piercing or rubbing the lump. Pause contact lenses and eye makeup until the eye has settled. A clinician can assess a very large, persistent or recurrent stye and decide whether prescription treatment or drainage is appropriate.

Seek urgent medical help if pain is severe, vision becomes blurred, the eye is difficult to move, light is unusually uncomfortable, fever develops, or redness and swelling spread around the eye. Arrange a prompt assessment if the lump is not improving, keeps returning, or the whole eyelid becomes swollen. Red eye with reduced vision is not something to manage with home compresses alone.

Could this be a stye or a different eyelid problem? Does the amount of swelling require treatment? What symptoms should make me seek urgent help? When can I safely restart contact lenses or eye makeup?