How can I get rid of a recurring stye?

Hi,

Styes result from oil glands of the eyelids. Unfortunately, there are no proven methods on how to prevent recurring styes.

For some people, the recurrence may be associated with certain high sugar diet/ high fat content food. Therefore, by making some changes to their diets, some patients may find that their condition can be improved. Also, keeping your eyelid hygiene is important; I would recommend patients to use eyelid wipes which are available over-the-counter. Ceasing contact lens wear could also help in some cases.

Generally, there are no foolproof method to prevent styes from occuring. However, I would advise you to visit to your opthahlmologist if necessary as he will be able to prescribe some medications to reduce the incident of recurrence.

I hope that this has helped you!

Recurrent styes can be very frustrating for the affected individual.

Conservative treatment is usually attempted on a maintenance basis. This includes adopting a diet low in simple carbohydrates and regular eyelid cleansing every evening.

For sporadic styes that develop, intralesional steroids can be useful in reducing the severity and duration of a new stye.

For frequent and persistent styes, oral macrolide antibiotics are often prescribed for a limited period of time to improve the microbial flora and hence the incidence of styes.

Do discuss your specific needs and requirements with your attending Ophthalmologist.

ESG

A stye usually occurs as a result of inflammation and poor oil flow in the oil glands around the eyelid margin.

There are 2 main approaches to treat a stye.

Performing warm compress twice a day for 10 to 15 minutes helps soften the contents in the stye and can resolve the stye gradually. In addition, maintaining lid hygiene by scrubbing the lids with mild soapy solution or lid wipes will help reduce the risk of infection.

Often, incision and drainage (I&D) of the stye can be recommended when there is little relief from the above-mentioned after a couple of weeks. However, I&D does not prevent a stye from recurring. One should continue to maintain regular lid hygiene and warm compress even after the stye has resolved as a form of preventative measure.

It is strongly recommended to visit an ophthalmologist when there are persistent and frequent occurrences of styes to establish the root cause as well as to exclude other serious causes such as eyelid tumours.