Wellness Tips from Josef Schenker, MD | How to Cure a Stye

Wellness Tips from Josef Schenker, MD

Welcome to our Wellness Tips blog series, brought to you by Dr. Josef Schenker, the Medical Director at Centers Urgent Care. In this series, Dr. Schenker shares his extensive knowledge and experience in internal medicine and emergency medical services, including how to cure a stye, to help you lead a healthier life.

Dr. Schenker will cover a range of crucial health topics, offering expert advice on how to avoid common ailments. With a focus on prevention and practical tips, each blog post is designed to empower you with the information you need to make informed decisions about your health and well-being.

How to Cure a Stye

A small, painful eyelid bump can throw off work, screens, and sleep. Styes are common and usually clear on their own; most resolve within about a week to 10 days, especially with warm compresses and simple eyelid care.

Let Dr. Josef Schenker share quick relief steps, when to be seen, and how to stop repeat bumps. If you want to know more, let’s head over to the next sections.

Dr. Josef Schenker Explains the Symptoms of a Stye

Stye symptoms can look different from person to person. According to Dr. Josef Schenker, the pattern most people notice is a small, tender bump on one eyelid with irritation around the lash line. The list below highlights common signs so you can spot a true stye and avoid mixing it up with other eyelid problems:

Tender red bump at the lid edge: A stye usually appears as a localized, painful nodule right along the eyelid margin. The bump often looks like a tiny pimple or pustule near the lashes. Doctors identify it on exam because the redness and tenderness are confined to one small area.
Localized eyelid swelling: Swelling often centers on the affected gland, so one spot on the lid feels puffy and sore. Either the upper or lower lid can be involved. The rest of the eye surface typically looks normal unless irritation spreads.
Visible yellow “head” or pus point: Many styes develop a small yellow spot as the abscess forms. The surrounding skin can look red and puffy while the center looks yellow. This appearance signals trapped pus rather than a simple skin irritation.
Pain or tenderness to touch: Pressing lightly over the bump increases discomfort because the gland is inflamed. External styes feel more focal and sore at the lash line. Internal styes can feel deeper and more diffuse.
Watery eye (tearing): Extra tearing is common when the lid margin is inflamed. The eye may also feel irritated as tears wash over the sensitive area. Tearing tends to settle as the swelling improves.
Crusting or minor discharge: The lid margin can collect dried secretions, especially after sleep. Some people notice a small amount of yellow discharge. These surface findings reflect the inflamed oil gland and nearby lashes.
Foreign-body or “gritty” sensation: Many people describe a feeling that something is stuck in the eye. The sensation comes from the swollen lid rubbing the eye surface. Lubrication helps the irritation, but the feeling improves most as the bump settles.
Light sensitivity (sometimes): Mild photophobia can occur during the most inflamed stage. Bright light may feel uncomfortable until swelling eases. This symptom usually tracks with tenderness and tearing.
Vision blur from swelling, while eyesight itself stays normal: Puffiness can droop the lid or smear the tear film and make things look blurry. True eyesight usually stays intact. If vision is affected beyond mild blur from swelling, that points to something else.

Quick Note: Not every symptom shows up in every case. A firm, painless lump fits a chalazion more than a stye, and no visible lump with a red, watery lid fits conditions like blepharitis or pink eye. Painless hard lumps tend to point away from the stye.

What Is a Stye (Hordeolum)?

A stye, or hordeolum, is an acute infection of a small oil gland along the eyelid margin. As Josef Schenker, MD explains, clear basics help you tell a stye from look-alike eyelid lumps before you think about treatment. Here are the core facts about a stye:

External hordeolum (lash-line stye): An external stye starts at the eyelash follicle and nearby Zeis or Moll glands on the lid edge. The bump sits on the margin, often with a small yellow head as the abscess localizes. Eye societies describe external styes as the most common type seen on exams.
Internal hordeolum (meibomian stye): An internal stye involves a deeper meibomian gland inside the tarsal plate. The swelling sits on the inner lid surface and may feel more diffuse and tender. Clinicians classify hordeola as external or internal based on which gland is infected.
Usual cause is staph bacteria: Styes are infections most often due to Staphylococcus aureus. Academic ophthalmology sources report S. aureus in about 90% of cases. The organism lives on skin and can infect a blocked eyelid gland.
Eyelid oil-gland anatomy matters: Meibomian glands line the lids and produce the oily layer of the tear film. There are roughly 20–25 in the lower lid and 40–50 in the upper lid, which explains why more than one stye can appear. Location in these glands determines whether a stye looks external or internal.
Common links and risk modifiers: Styes track with conditions that inflame or clog the lid margin, such as chronic blepharitis or meibomian gland dysfunction. Doctors also check for contributors like rosacea or diabetes when styes recur. These associations reflect how blocked glands and local bacteria trigger a focal abscess.

The type of stye depends on which gland is involved and whether the lump points at the lash line or on the inner surface. That simple map helps you describe what you see and speeds the next steps in care.

Can You Stop a Stye Once It Starts?

Early steps can shorten the course and ease pain. Most uncomplicated styes settle on their own. Many improve within about a week, and first-line home care remains the core treatment. Starting the right routine on day one helps prevent spread and cuts the chance you’ll need prescriptions later. Here are evidence-based actions to take right away:

Start warm compresses: Apply gentle heat for 10–15 minutes, at least 3–4 times per day. Warmth softens thickened oils and promotes natural drainage, which speeds resolution in most cases. Clinician guidelines list warm compresses as first-line care for both external and internal styes.
Add lid hygiene: Clean the lash line once daily with a mild cleanser or a commercial lid scrub. Hygiene reduces debris and bacterial load along the lid margin while the stye heals. Eye society guidance supports lid hygiene as part of conservative care.
Avoid squeezing or “popping”: Pressure can push infection deeper and delay healing. Squeezing also raises the risk of preseptal/periorbital cellulitis, which needs antibiotics. Leave drainage to warm compresses or a clinician when indicated.
Pause makeup and contact lenses: Cosmetics and lenses can irritate the lid and spread bacteria. Stop use until the bump resolves to limit contamination and friction on the eyelid margin. Major medical references include this in standard self-care.
Use pain relief if needed: Over-the-counter acetaminophen or ibuprofen can reduce discomfort while the stye heals. Pain typically peaks when swelling is highest and settles as drainage improves. Follow label directions and avoid aspirin in children.

It also helps to know the success window. Conservative care resolves the majority of styes within 1–2 weeks. Studies summarized in clinical reviews report successful non-surgical management in over 70% of cases. If the lump persists or worsens, a clinician may consider drainage or evaluate it for chalazion.

However, take note that you can’t apply every measure to every case. Internal styes can feel deeper and may take a bit longer to settle, while external styes tend to point and drain sooner. If redness spreads beyond the lid, if pain escalates, or if vision changes occur, seek care the same day.

How Long Does a Stye Last?

Stye healing follows a short timeline in most cases. Many styes start to settle within a few days and clear within 1 to 2 weeks. National guidance notes some resolve in about a week, while others take closer to two.

Stye duration depends on where the bump sits and how inflamed it gets. Most uncomplicated cases resolve with simple care during that 1–2 week window. Stye that lingers beyond two weeks may be evolving into a chalazion, which is a different, non-tender lid cyst.

Moreover, do not worry if your stye keeps on coming back. This is common. You might notice a cycle if you have blepharitis or meibomian gland dysfunction.

Josef Schenker, MD advises tracking the calendar from the first day you notice swelling. If the bump is not improving after several days, or if it is still present near the two-week mark, get checked.

You can visit an urgent care facility like Centers Urgent Care for a quick eye evaluation if a stye is slow to heal, keeps returning, or starts to affect vision. Same-day assessment can confirm whether it is a stye or a chalazion and outline the next steps.

Josef Schenker, MD, Explains How to Cure a Stye

Stye care works best when you follow a simple stepwise plan. As Josef Schenker, MD notes, start with home treatments first. If swelling spreads or the bump does not improve on schedule, you can proceed in doing the following medical care:

Add a topical antibiotic only in select cases: Most styes do not need antibiotics. Clinicians consider an ophthalmic ointment, such as erythromycin, if the lesion is draining or there is concurrent blepharoconjunctivitis. Uncomplicated bumps are treated with compresses and hygiene alone.
Use oral antibiotics when tissue infection is suspected: Oral therapy is reserved for preseptal cellulitis or more diffuse involvement. Common options include amoxicillin-clavulanate or doxycycline, typically for 7–10 days, based on exam and history. This step targets spread beyond a localized gland infection.
Enhance drainage for an external stye at the lash follicle: When the bump centers on a single lash, epilating that lash can improve outflow. This quick office step relieves pressure and helps the point open. It is considered when the lesion fails to drain with compresses alone.
Proceed to incision and drainage if the stye is large or refractory: A small cut under local anesthesia allows trapped pus to escape and gives rapid relief. Clinicians consider this when a stye fails to improve after appropriate conservative care. Surgical resolution rates exceed 90% in persistent cases.
Address contributors to cut recurrences: Treating blepharitis or meibomian gland dysfunction reduces new styes. Low-dose doxycycline may be used in recurrent cases tied to rosacea or chronic lid disease. Good lid care remains the daily anchor between flares.

Styes are usually caused by Staphylococcus aureus, which accounts for about 90% of cases, so hygiene steps target both blockage and bacteria. Early rechecking helps when improvement stalls.

How to Avoid a Stye

Stye prevention starts with small daily habits. As Josef Schenker notes, clean lids, smart makeup rules, and good contact lens care lower risk and cut recurrences. The list below shows practical steps you can use right away:

Wash hands before touching eyes: Hand hygiene reduces transfer of microbes to the lid margin and lashes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance links poor hand and lens hygiene to higher eye-infection risk. Clean hands before putting in lenses, removing lenses, or adjusting irritated lids.
Do daily eyelid hygiene: Warm compresses and gentle lid scrubs clear oils and debris that clog glands. Clinical reviews recommend this routine long-term for people who get repeat styes or have blepharitis or meibomian gland dysfunction. Short, daily care keeps the lid margin calm and less likely to flare, aligning with our broader eye health tips.
Remove eye makeup every night and replace mascara on schedule: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises discarding mascara about every three months and never adding water or saliva to “refresh” it. A PubMed-indexed study found microbial growth in 36.4% of mascara tubes after three months of use. Clean removal at bedtime lowers residue on the lid edge.
Keep contact lenses away from water and follow lens rules: CDC recommends no swimming, showering, or sleeping in lenses unless specifically prescribed. CDC also reports that 85% of adolescent lens wearers, 81% of young adults, and 88% of older adults report at least one risky behavior, so tightening habits matters. About 45 million people in the U.S. wear contacts, which makes consistent care important.
Clean tools and never share eye cosmetics: FDA guidance advises against sharing mascara or eyeliners and stresses clean applicators. Old or contaminated products raise the chance of lid irritation and infection. Keeping wands and curlers clean protects the lash line.
Treat blepharitis and related skin conditions: Ongoing lid hygiene helps control blepharitis and meibomian gland dysfunction, two common drivers of styes. Managing rosacea or dandruff and using warm compresses can calm the lid margin. Addressing these links cuts the odds of another bump.
Take off lenses and makeup during any eye irritation: Avoid lenses and eye cosmetics if the lid is red, tender, or draining. This step limits friction and reduces bacterial spread while the area settles. Restart after symptoms clear.

Stye risk rises when lids stay oily or cosmetics sit overnight, so small daily steps pay off. If you keep getting styes despite these changes, ask for an exam to check for blepharitis, meibomian gland dysfunction, rosacea, or diabetes that may be contributing.

What to Do if Someone Has a Stye

Helping a family member or friend starts with calm, simple steps. As Josef Schenker notes, focus on clean hands, gentle heat, and clear signs for when to get care. Use the steps below and share them with the person you’re helping:

Start with clean hands and clean supplies: Wash hands with soap and water before and after any eye care. Do not share towels, washcloths, cosmetics, contact lenses, or cases.
Use a warm compress correctly: Place a warm, clean cloth over the closed eyelid for 5–10 minutes. Check the temperature on your wrist first so it’s warm, not hot.
Keep the lid margin clean: Gently wash the eyelid with mild soap and water, or use a commercial lid wipe.
Pause eye makeup and contact lenses: Stop eye makeup until the area heals. Switch from contacts to glasses because lenses and cases can carry bacteria linked to styes.
Keep contacts away from water: Avoid showering, swimming, or hot tubs while wearing lenses.
Do not squeeze or “pop” the bump: Pressing can push infection deeper and delay healing.
Offer pain relief and comfort care: Use acetaminophen or ibuprofen as directed for discomfort. Do not give aspirin to children under 16.
Set a short check-in window: Look for steady improvement over the next couple of days. If pain or swelling is not getting better after about 48 hours, arrange an exam.
Know the urgent red flags: Get same-day care for fever, spreading redness beyond the lid, new vision changes, bulging of the eye, or pain with eye movement. These can signal preseptal or orbital cellulitis, which needs prompt treatment.

Most styes improve with the simple routine above and do not need antibiotics. Heat and hygiene are the mainstays; medicines are reserved for spread beyond the lid or lack of improvement.

Know when to get care fast: Urgent evaluation is the right move for severe swelling, fever, vision changes, or eye movement pain. Persistent scratchy pain after an injury can signal a corneal abrasion. An eye professional can confirm it is a stye, rule out look-alikes, and treat complications early if they arise.

Josef Schenker, MD, Answers Frequently Asked Questions:

Can a tea bag cure a stye?

A tea bag does not cure a stye. A stye results from a blocked or infected eyelid gland, and heat promotes drainage. Warm compresses applied for 5–10 minutes two to three times daily provide the needed effect. A tea bag offers no benefit beyond heat. Persistent or worsening styes require medical care.

Can lack of sleep cause styes?

Lack of sleep does not directly cause styes. A stye develops from a bacterial infection of an eyelid gland. Sleep deprivation contributes to meibomian gland dysfunction, dry eye, and reduced tear secretion, which can block glands and increase stye risk. Adequate sleep, clean hands, and proper eyelid hygiene reduce occurrence.

How to massage a stye to drain?

Massage a stye after heat to aid drainage. Apply a warm compress over the closed eye for 5–10 minutes. With clean fingers, gently roll the eyelid toward the lash line to move pus outward. Repeat two to three times daily. Avoid squeezing the lump, pressing the eyeball, or using makeup and contacts until healing.

What can be mistaken for a stye?

Conditions mistaken for a stye include chalazion, blepharitis, preseptal cellulitis, contact dermatitis, herpes zoster ophthalmicus, and rare eyelid tumors. Chalazion forms a painless, firm blockage, blepharitis causes lid redness and crusting, cellulitis creates diffuse swelling, and tumors appear as persistent lumps. Atypical or recurrent cases need eye evaluation.

Are eye styes caused by stress?

Eye styes are not directly caused by stress. A stye develops from a bacterial infection of an eyelid gland. Chronic stress weakens immune defenses, which may allow infections to form more easily or heal more slowly. Eyelid hygiene, hand washing, makeup removal, healthy sleep, and stress control lower recurrence risk.

Prioritize Your Eye Health with Expert Care

Styes may be small, but they can disrupt daily life with pain, swelling, and irritation. The article has outlined what causes them, how to ease symptoms, and when to seek professional help. Simple steps like warm compresses and lid hygiene often work, yet persistent or recurring bumps need medical evaluation.

At our urgent care facility in New York, you can receive timely care for eye concerns that go beyond home treatment. Centers Urgent Care provides same-day evaluations and practical solutions to speed healing and prevent complications.

Under the guidance of Dr. Josef Schenker, our team is dedicated to delivering expert, compassionate care tailored to your needs. Whether it’s ruling out a chalazion, prescribing treatment, or giving advice to avoid repeat styes, we are here to help restore comfort and protect your vision.

Locate a Centers Urgent Care near you and take charge of your eye health today.

About Josef Schenker, MD:

Dr. Josef Schenker, a board-certified expert in internal medicine and emergency medical services, brings extensive experience and compassion to his role as Medical Director and Partner at Centers Urgent Care. With leadership in SeniorCare Emergency Medical Services and as an Attending Physician at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, Dr. Schenker oversees critical care and treatment protocols across varied medical needs. His dedication extends to chairing NYC REMAC, ensuring adherence to state standards in emergency medical procedures. At Centers Urgent Care, Dr. Schenker's expertise ensures prompt, high-quality emergency care for patients of all ages, supported by state-of-the-art facilities including a dedicated pediatric suite.