Styes In Kids: Symptoms, Causes & Home Remedies

Most people visit us in an emergency with considerable pain and say I have a bump on my eye, it’s very painful and I don’t know why? This is generally a stye and appears on the eye at the wrong time and causing severe pain and disruption to your routine.  

What Is A Stye?  

A stye is a swelling or small nodule on the eye caused due to bacterial infection. The eyelid appears swollen, red and sometimes with yellow pus pointing due to the accumulation of pus causing pain in the eye. Once the pus pointing bursts, it relieves the pain but the look is cosmetically very disfiguring which is very annoying. If you ever had one, you will know how bothersome it is.  

Symptoms Of A Stye

• Red bump or swelling near the eyelid
• Itchiness of the eye and eyelid
• Feeling that an object is in the eye

Why Do You Get A Stye?

This can occur in any season but it’s generally seen that in winter it appears more often as the oil glands get blocked and the pent-up secretions get infected to form a nodule which in turn forms a stye.

• Adults and children who have a habit of repeatedly touching their eyes with their hands are more prone to get it due to dust blocking the base of eyelashes and oil glands. It occurs more in females as they tend to sleep overnight with make-up on, which clogs up the oil glands.  
• People with dandruff or seborrheic blepharitis (dry flakes over the eyelid margins)
• Dry eyes 
• Blepharitis due to skin conditions like rosacea, atopy etc are more prone to get styes.  
• Untreated refractive errors (glasses power) in children and sometimes adults too due to strain on the eyes.  

Treatment of Stye  

The stye is generally harmless and heals on its own in about a week. Visiting your eye doctor will help you deal with this agony.  

There are a few things that you can start at home to get rid of this stye a little faster and also hasten the healing process.  

Home Remedies For Styes

• If you get a stye, stop using eye makeup and discard all the old cosmetics. 

• Use pre-moistened eyelid cleansing wipes or eyelids to clean your eyes regularly before sleeping.  

• You can clean your eyelids with diluted baby shampoo too.  

• Apply warm compresses for around 5-10 minutes, three times a day. It should be warm & moist  compresses. Take a washcloth and dip it in warm water and squeeze it and then place it over your eyelid. This helps the stye to open up faster, drain and heal faster.  

• You can take a painkiller to reduce your pain, in case it is really intolerable.  

Once you visit your eye doctor, she/ he may advise warm compresses along with the local application of an antibiotic ointment and sometimes, oral antibiotics. 

In case the stye is too big or longstanding with a chance of causing severe infection, your ophthalmologist may advise a small procedure to drain the stye, to prevent disfigurement and relieve your pain.  

Prevention Of Styes

Proper eyelid hygiene can reduce your chances of getting one. Clean your eyelids and face thoroughly before sleeping, especially if you wear eye make up.  

It’s important to teach children good hygiene practices to prevent the spread of infections, and to avoid sharing items like towels or washcloths. If your child develops frequent styes, it’s important to talk to their doctor about possible underlying health conditions or other issues that may be causing the problem.

If you are prone to skin problems like rosacea or atopy, kindly follow the instructions and prescription schedule given by your dermatologist.