What should you know about really bad stye?

A stye is a tender, inflamed lump near an eyelash or inside the eyelid. It can make one area red, swollen, and sore, sometimes with a small spot of pus. Marked swelling may make the eyelid feel heavy or partly closed. Discharge or redness affecting more of the eye can suggest another eye problem alongside the stye; see information on Eye Discharge and Red Eye.

Place a clean, comfortably warm flannel over the closed eye for several minutes and repeat it through the day. Wash your hands before and after touching the eyelid, keep the area clean, and avoid squeezing or puncturing the lump. Do not share towels, eye cosmetics, or contact lenses while the eye is irritated. A clinician can decide whether you need treatment and whether the lump needs drainage; arrange a GP Consultation if it is worsening, recurrent, or not settling.

Seek urgent medical help for pain with eye movement, reduced or blurred vision, marked light sensitivity, fever, swelling spreading into the cheek, or difficulty opening the eye. These features can point to infection beyond the eyelid and should not be managed by squeezing the stye at home. Prompt assessment is also sensible if you have a weakened immune system or the eye injury followed a chemical splash.

Ask whether the swelling is limited to a stye, whether any medicine is appropriate, and how to clean the eyelid safely. Mention contact-lens use, previous styes, skin conditions, and any change in vision or pain with movement.