The term stye refers to small painful boil, an inflamed hair follicle or an infection of a sebaceous gland in the edge of the eyelid. The infecting organism is usually a staphylococcus. This disease occurs due to debilitated condition of the system. Some children seem more prone to these infections than others. Stye has all the the signs of inflammation, swelling, redness, pain and heat or warmth and occurs on the edge of the eyelid.
Causes of stye
Stye results from an infection of the hair follicles of the eyelid which leads to blockage of the hair follicles. It may also results from blocking of the gland by dirt or due to error of refraction. Recurrent styes occurs because the infection is spread from one hair shaft to another often by the child rubbing it to relieve itching.
The real cause of styes is the toxic condition of the child’s system brought about by wrong eating habits, especially consumption of foods such as white bread, refined cereals, boiled potatoes, pudding, pies and confectionery. The disease makes its appearance when the child is in a run down condition and below par. Eye strain is also a subsidiary factor in the onset of styes.
Stye Symptoms
A stye gives rise to a throbbing pain which can be out of all proportions to its size. It can be felt for a day or two even before the stye is visible. It is accompanied by redness, swelling and oedema of the lid and conjunctiva. Sometimes, the infection disappears quickly without becoming a red swelling. But other styes worsen rapidly until the eyelid is very swollen. In the final stage, the stye will burst and discharge pus, causing the eyelids to stick together during a night’s sleep in severe cases.
Home Remedies To Treat A Eye Stye
Use herbal home remedies at the first signs of discomfort, i.e., pain, redness or watering.
1. Turmeric
Boil a teaspoon of turmeric in two cups of water. Reduce it to one cup. Cool. Strain 4-5 times through a fine muslin. This extract can be used as an eye drop – a drop in the infected eye 3-4 times a day.
2. Coriander Seeds
Boil a teaspoon of coriander seeds with a cupful of water for a while, like a herbal tea preparation. Use this to wash the eyes 3-4 times a day.
3. Guava Leaves
Guava leaves, warmed and placed on a warm damp cloth, and then used as a compress, reduce the redness, pain and swelling.
4. Water
Take a cup of water. Dissolve 2-3 granules of alum in it. Use as an eyewash.
5. Acacia Leaves
Boil a handful of acacia leaves in two cups of water. Make a decoction and use as a compress on the eyelids. It reduces swelling and pain.
6. Clove
The use of clove is a very valuable remedy for stye. This spice should be rubbed in water and applied over the stye. This will give relief from the stye.
7. Potato
A grated potato used as a poultice, reduce swelling in inflamed eyes.
8. Aloe
Slit an aloe leaf lengthwise (the leaves are thick). Place the pulpy side on the sore eye. It reduces itchiness in inflamed and sore eyes.
9. Apple
Another poultice is made by baking or grilling an apple. Mash it, wrap it in a damp cloth and while it is still very warm, but not enough to cause burns, use it as a poultice. Helps to get rid of a stye.
All above the best natural home remedy to treat a stye and also beneficial for reducing the pain and swelling in a stye.
Useful References
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stye/
- https://www.webmd.com/eye-health/get-rid-of-stye#1
- https://www.aao.org/eye-health/ask-ophthalmologist-q/styes-contagious
- http://ijpsr.com/bft-article/polyphenolic-composition-and-antimicrobial-potential-of-methanolic-coriander-coriandrum-sativum-seed-extract/?view=fulltext