- This is a swelling on the eyelid, usually having a white or yellow purulent head. From a medical point of view, barley is an acute purulent inflammation of the hair follicle of the eyelash or the mouth of the sebaceous gland.
Barley is a popular name, but when a doctor makes a diagnosis, he will write it as hordeolum .
There are external and internal barley. External stye
- This is a classic situation when the stye is on the outside of the eyelid.
Internal stye
is located on the mucous membrane of the eyelid; in this case, a lobe of the meibomian gland (the fatty gland of the cartilaginous plate of the eyelid) becomes inflamed.
Eye stye: types
- External stye is an inflammation of the hair follicle at the root of the eyelashes. At the beginning of the disease, redness and painful swelling appears on the eyelid at the ciliary edge, which is called infiltrate (accumulation of inflammatory cells). Over the course of several days, the infiltrate “ripens”, pus appears inside it, and the tip of the swelling acquires a yellowish tint. On the 3-4th day, the head of the stye spontaneously opens outward with the release of pus, after which the painful phenomena gradually subside.
- An internal stye (sometimes mistakenly called a “closed stye,” but this is incorrect) is an inflammation of the cartilage around the meibomian glands in the eyelid. A painful infiltrate occurs on the inner surface of the eyelid, a purulent head forms within 2-3 days from the onset of the disease, and on the 3-4th day it opens from the side of the conjunctiva. Subsequently, small scars may remain at the site of the opened internal barley.
Depending on the number of infiltrates (purulent heads), single and multiple styes are distinguished. The occurrence of multiple stye is almost always accompanied by an increase in body temperature and general malaise; it occurs against the background of decreased immunity or other systemic diseases; in such a situation, it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor in order not only to cure the stye, but also to prevent the development of serious complications.
Depending on the nature of the disease, the following are distinguished:
- acute: acute purulent inflammation (properly treated with the help of a doctor: he will be able to select eye drops, procedures, etc.);
- recurrent: it is important to identify the pathogen and determine whether it is resistant to antibiotics. By eliminating the cause, subsequent relapses can be avoided.
Diagnosis and treatment
To quickly and effectively treat the disease, you should seek medical help as soon as possible. Before choosing the appropriate therapy, the ophthalmologist at the First Clinic Orekhovo will prescribe tests to determine the nature of the inflammation and the sensitivity of pathogenic bacteria to antibiotics. Based on the results of laboratory tests, a treatment plan is drawn up, which includes not only the use of antibacterial drugs, but also the external use of appropriate drops and gels.
Will it go away on its own?
In many cases, the abscess goes away on its own and does not require special treatment, but you should not neglect visiting a specialist. The doctor will give the necessary recommendations and ensure that the recovery process proceeds safely and quickly. However, it happens that over time the barley remains intact and the abscess does not open. Such inflammation on the eyelid can persist for more than one month and can often be eliminated only through surgery.
Risk factors
Barley appears in people of different ages and lifestyles. But there are factors contributing to the development of pathology:
- Reduced immunity. In this case, eye stye may be multiple.
- Oily skin.
- Diabetes.
- Adolescence is usually caused not by hormonal changes, but by the lack of proper hygiene, lack of vitamins and fresh air.
- Chronic eye diseases: blepharitis (inflammation of the edge of the eyelids), conjunctivitis (inflammation of the mucous membrane).
- Prolonged or frequent exposure to low temperatures, severe hypothermia.
- Diseases and pathologies of the endocrine system.
- Chronic diseases of the digestive system.
- Allergic reactions.
- Impaired metabolism.
- Avitaminosis.
- Failure to comply with personal hygiene rules.
- Injuries to the eyelid, including from ordinary scratching.
- Cheap or simply low-quality cosmetics, the use of dirty cosmetic tools.
- Unfavorable environmental conditions.
An internal stye or an external stye can develop due to one of these reasons or a combination of them.
Disease prevention
To prevent the development of barley, the following recommendations should be followed:
- regularly clean the surface of the eyelids;
- strengthen the immune system;
- eat foods rich in vitamins and microelements;
- eliminate alcohol consumption and smoking;
- reduce the number of stressful situations;
- establish a sleep schedule;
- Visit your ophthalmologist regularly for preventative eye examinations.
The ophthalmologist at our medical clinic has extensive experience in treating inflammatory eye diseases and will do everything necessary to effectively and quickly cope with the pathology once and for all. You can make an appointment by phone or by leaving a request on the website.
Main symptoms of eye stye
A few days after the first symptoms appear on the eyelid, a compaction similar to a pimple or boil appears at the site of the swelling. The pain becomes stronger, it can be either aching or shooting, and the eyelid hurts not only when touched, but also when blinking or even at rest. Patients often become more sensitive to light and experience lacrimation. Internal stye is not visible, but, like external stye, it causes significant discomfort. In severe cases, patients complain of general weakness and malaise, high body temperature.
Symptoms of eye stye at the stage of development of the disease include: severe swelling of the eyelids, which occurs due to infiltration located near the edge of the eyelid, increasing redness (inflamed eyes), a feeling of tightness of the eyelid, the formation of a large ball filled with pus - its apex (head of the stye) usually white or yellow. When treating stye, it is important to determine the thickness of the skin covering the abscess; a thin film usually bursts on its own. If it is dense, you may not be able to cure the stye on your own, then you will need the help of a doctor, and it is not always possible to quickly treat the inflammation in such situations.
In rare cases, treatment for stye is not required: the swelling resolves itself even before pus forms. The other symptoms also go away.
In some cases, for example, with a weakened immune system or when trying to squeeze out the infiltrate, eye stye can be complicated by an abscess. Then the infection spreads to the deeper layers of the eyelid, it becomes noticeable, hyperemic, it is impossible to touch it due to severe pain, the body temperature rises, a headache appears, and the lymph nodes enlarge. If such symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a doctor for serious treatment of stye and be prepared for hospitalization and surgery.
Treatment of barley
In some cases, purulent inflammation of the eyelid margin goes away on its own: 3-4 days after the formation of the head of the stye, it breaks out on its own, the pus comes out, and the inflammation subsides. But this does not mean that you should not pay attention to the treatment of barley and expect that the disease will recede without your help.
Styes on the eye: how to treat and can you do it yourself?
After the appearance of stye and before visiting a doctor at the stage of development of the disease (when treating stye, you should visit a doctor in any case!), you can use various methods to improve your health and appearance. For example, after the first symptoms appear, to accelerate the maturation of the infiltrate, you can apply dry heat (for example, a warm, clean flannel cloth or a fabric bag with heated salt) to the seal on the eyelid for 10-15 minutes. You can repeat the procedure up to 4 times a day, but only until the boil matures (it becomes soft, the purulent head is clearly visible), then you need to abandon it.
Rubbing your eyes with a solution of calendula or ethyl alcohol (70%) is not recommended, although such advice is quite popular. Squeezing out an abscess, rubbing it, or trying to open a stye yourself is also strictly prohibited, since due to the abundant blood supply to the eyelids and face, an infection that gets into the blood can quickly spread throughout the body and cause sepsis. This is an extremely serious complication that can be fatal.
You cannot treat stye with folk remedies, for example, making tea lotions. This is ineffective, and sometimes even provokes the spread of infection and causes other adverse effects on the health of the eyeball, etc.
To treat barley, the doctor can prescribe high-quality and useful medications. For example, tetracycline ointment has proven itself well, as well as other local antibacterial drugs: there are actually a lot of choices.
It is necessary to treat barley with prescribed medications, strictly following the doctor’s recommendations and instructions for their use, otherwise it will not be possible to achieve quick treatment of inflammation and a positive result in the long term. Be sure to pay attention to the storage conditions of the drugs; they must be strictly observed.
It won't hurt to strengthen your immune system either. Vitamin preparations are suitable for this, and there are also many choices in pharmacies.
Do not under any circumstances delay visiting your doctor in the following situations:
- Multiple stye developed.
- The general condition worsened, the temperature rose, weakness appeared, etc.
- There is an increase in lymph nodes.
- This is not the first time a purulent blister has appeared. The doctor will determine the causative agent of inflammation, and will also give recommendations or referral to other specialists, for example, an endocrinologist, to assess the state of the immune system, rule out diabetes, and check the blood for sterility.
- The disease appeared in young children.
Treatment methods for barley are selected by the doctor, usually these are:
- Medicines: drops, ointments, tablets.
- UHF therapy. Exposure to high temperatures accelerates blood circulation, and the abscess opens faster.
- Surgical intervention. It is necessary if the purulent inflammation is too large or if improper treatment was carried out, which led to complications.
How to properly treat stye in young children?
Children regularly rub their eyes with dirty hands and love to scratch their eyes, so the development of stye often cannot be avoided. If this happens, do not treat it yourself, but consult a doctor, even if it seems to you that the stye is going away without his help. Oxolinic ointment and Floxal are usually recommended for children.
Medicines
Have you decided to buy medications? There are many choices in pharmacies, but remember that only a doctor can choose the optimal remedy. Everything has its own nuances: some products contain a substance that is contraindicated during pregnancy or is not suitable for children, some are not suitable due to the method of application. So, drops can be used at any time of the day, even at work, and ointment is usually applied at night, as it is much more convenient and aesthetically pleasing. Some products contain components that can affect attention and blur your vision, so if you drive a car, work with documents, etc., then they are not suitable for you. The form of the disease should not be overlooked: drugs for internal inflammation may not be suitable for external inflammation and vice versa. This is due to the fact that in the first case the medicine will come into direct contact with the mucous membrane. The doctor knows these and other subtleties, so trust him and do not self-medicate, so as not to provoke dangerous diseases of the eyeball.
The most popular means include:
- Ofloxacin (Floxal). This is an antibacterial agent from the fluoroquinolone group. This antibiotic is active against most bacteria that can cause eyelid infections, including styes.
- Tetracycline ointment. This is an antibacterial agent of the tetracycline series, which has long been successfully used to treat barley. With this antibiotic, barley goes away quite quickly. Tetracycline ointment has a complex effect: antibacterial, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. But it should not be used by children, pregnant and lactating women.
- Erythromycin ointment. The product contains an antibiotic from the macrolide group that can fight staphylococci and fungi. You can apply the drug to the eyelid itself, but it is usually applied to a gauze bandage.
- Levomekol. This ointment relieves swelling and has a bactericidal effect, accelerating tissue regeneration. In some cases, after applying it, patients feel a slight burning sensation, this reaction is normal.
- Syntomycin. The drug has an antibacterial effect and effectively fights bacteria and fungi. It can be used even for exacerbations, for example, blepharitis, conjunctivitis, etc.
- Hydrocortisone. It is not recommended to use the drug on its own, but in combination with antibiotics it gives a good effect, reduces redness, swelling, and relieves pain.
- Vishnevsky ointment. This herbal preparation is used for external abscesses, relieves swelling, pain, and accelerates tissue regeneration.
As you can see, manufacturers produce a wide variety of drugs; there really is a lot to choose from. But you shouldn’t buy medications that you think are suitable for your eyes - all antibacterial drops and ointments are selected individually.
It is very important to apply products correctly. To do this, carefully read the instructions, wash your hands thoroughly, remove all makeup from your eyelids, remove your contact lenses, and only then apply the ointment. You can remove its excess with a clean napkin, pre-moistened in a special antiseptic solution. Only compliance with hygiene rules will ensure maximum effect. And improper treatment will worsen the situation.
Classification
Barley varies in type and location. According to this classification, the following types of inflammation are distinguished:
- External. The infection develops in the ciliary bulb or sebaceous gland of Zeiss. Because of this, inflammation forms at the edge of the eyelid.
- Internal. Bacteria collect in the passage of the meibomian glands, leading to their irritation. In this case, barley forms on the eyelid from the inside.
- Hot. Short-term inflammation that resolves within a week. In this case, barley forms in the eyelash pocket.
- Cold. Characterized by damage to the passage of the meibomian glands. Inflammation develops over several months and involves the cartilage of the eyelid. The subcutaneous seal is large in size and resembles a bone.
Another name for cold stye is chalazion. If it puts pressure on the eyeball, it must be removed. Under more favorable circumstances, the chalazion may resolve on its own.
Postoperative period
Treating barley surgically does not take much time: a specialist opens the abscess and washes the wound. For rapid healing, fighting infection, pain relief, etc., the doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs, antibacterial drops and ointments. Helping the treated eye with medications is also indispensable. And any non-compliance with the doctor’s recommendations sometimes even provokes the spread of infection, so you should take your health seriously. In some situations, you will have to visit the hospital regularly until the wound is completely healed: the surgeon will process its edges and apply lotions. This will avoid tissue scarring and maintain a beautiful, fresh look.
Preventive measures
Prevention includes following the recommendations:
- Strengthening immune forces
. This should always be done, not only when there is a threat of hordeolum or in the off-season. It is recommended to take vitamins, give preference to fresh vegetables and fruits, move more, be in the fresh air, and follow a daily routine. - Timely elimination of ophthalmological disorders
. If you are prone to eye diseases, you should regularly visit an ophthalmologist. Self-diagnosis and self-medication usually contribute to the transition of pathology to a chronic form. - Compliance with hygiene standards
. You need to have your own towel, wash your hands with soap, change bed linen every 1–2 weeks, and not use other people’s cosmetics. - Developing the habit of not touching your eyes
. This should not be done even in a normal state, when a person is not bothered by any problems. This rule also applies to the face - you should not touch it during the day with unwashed hands.
Simple preventive measures will help avoid inflammation and keep your eyes healthy.
Sources
- Samuylo E.K., Kozlov R.S., Krechikova O.I., Sukhorukova M.V. Bacterial infections in ophthalmology: standardization of pharmacotherapy based on objective data // Problems of standardization in healthcare. - 2013. - No. 3-4. — pp. 21-28
- Trubilin V.N., Polunina E.G., Angelova D.V., Evstigneeva Yu.V., Chinenova K.V., Kumar V., Pozharitsky M.D. Algorithm for the treatment of meibomyitis, barley and chalazion // Ophthalmology. — 2021 — No. 16(4). — pp. 515–521.
- Deibel, J.P.; Cowling, K. Ocular inflammation and infection // Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America. — 2013. — May (vol. 31, no. 2). - pp. 387-397.
- Lindsley K, Nichols JJ, Dickersin K. Non-surgical interventions for acute internal hordeolum. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 Jan 09; 1:CD007742.
- McAlinden C, González-Andrades M, Skiadaresi E. Hordeolum: Acute abscess within an eyelid sebaceous gland. Cleve Clin J Med. May 2016; 83(5): 332-4.
First aid
To diagnose barley, a visual examination is sufficient. If it is possible to detect its signs in time, then it is possible to begin treating the inflammation in the first hours of its development and stop the further spread of the infection.
How to treat with an antiseptic
When treating barley with antiseptic agents, you must follow these steps:
- Soak a small piece of cotton wool in vodka or medical alcohol diluted with water in proportions of one to one.
- Squeeze out the cotton.
- Apply it to the place where the stye has formed.
This method is called cauterization. When using it, you should be careful. Be careful not to get the antiseptic in your eye. An alternative to alcohol is iodine or brilliant green. Cauterization of the stye stops inflammation on the day of the procedure.
How to Apply Dry Heat
To treat barley, a boiled egg and salt and flax seeds heated in a frying pan are used as dry heat. They are wrapped in a rag and kept on the barley until completely cooled.
Please note: The formation of pus is a contraindication for heating barley!
Causes
Although the causative agent of barley on the eye is always an infectious agent, purulent inflammation develops only in the case of:
- weakened immunity;
- hypothermia (local or whole body);
- hypovitaminosis, lack of minerals;
- concomitant diseases of the endocrine system (such as diabetes);
- against the background of pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract (colitis, gastritis, ulcers);
- in the presence of skin diseases (the greatest danger is demodicosis);
- for general infectious and viral diseases of the body;
- against the background of furunculosis - multiple constant rashes of boils (regardless of location - face or body);
- for blepharitis - that is, inflammatory diseases of the eyelid.
Is stye contagious or not? No, the disease is not contagious, but proper treatment will significantly speed up recovery and relieve symptoms.
Possible complications
Possible complications of stye include:
- Repeated appearance of suppuration;
- The transformation of internal stye into a chalazion is a painless nodule that injures the cornea and leads to decreased vision.
Treatment with “folk remedies” can lead to additional complications:
- Treatment with alcohol, brilliant green or iodine can cause a burn to the cornea;
- An attempt to squeeze out pus contributes to the spread of infection deep into the tissue. Local inflammation may develop—orbital phlegmon—or generalized inflammation—meningitis or sepsis.
