Stye Inside the Eyelid: What to Look for and Treatment - Verywell Health
An internal stye is a small, red bump on the inside of the eyelid. It can be itchy and may be more painful than styes outside the eyelid. As it gets bigger, an internal stye presses down on the lid of the eye, which can be uncomfortable.
Internal styes are usually caused by a bacterial infection in an oil gland on the underside of the eyelid. They can last a few weeks and may go away on their own. If not, they can be treated with over-the-counter products, home remedies, and in some cases, medical procedures.
This article will go over the causes of internal styes, how long they last, and the treatments available.
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Stye Types
An internal stye is a stye inside the eyelid. This infection starts in an oil-producing gland in the eye. An external stye begins at the base of the eyelash. An infection in the hair follicle is often to blame for this type of stye, which looks like a pimple.
Internal Stye Symptoms
Aside from a painful bump on the inside of the eyelid, other symptoms of an internal stye can include:
- Feeling like there's something in your eye
- Crusting on the eyelid
- Discharge from the eye
- Eyelid swelling, redness, or pain
- Eye tearing
- Feeling like you want to rub a sore eye or scratch an itchy eye
- Sensitivity to light
Styes are not contagious. It's rare, but possible, for the bacteria that cause an eye infection to spread through shared objects like towels or pillowcases.
How Long Does an Internal Stye Last?
Styes tend to open up and drain within two to four days of forming. Most internal styes completely heal after a week. However, internal styes sometimes do not rupture on their own and can turn into another eye condition called a chalazion, a larger bump.
What Causes a Stye Inside the Eyelid?
The most common cause of an internal stye is a bacterial infection called Staphylococcus aureus. The infection often starts in the tiny glands along the edge of the eyelid that lubricate the eye's surface and provide the oil needed to make tears (meibomian glands). A stye can also start in other types of glands.
Risk factors that could make you more likely to get an internal stye include:
- Having styes before
- Blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelids that makes the eyelashes red and swollen)
- Dry skin
- Hormonal changes
- Underlying conditions, including diabetes, rosacea, or seborrheic dermatitis
- Using old (meaning at least six months old) or contaminated eye makeup or brushes
- Wearing contact lenses
- Wearing eye makeup overnight
Can Stress Cause a Stye?
Stress does not directly cause a stye but being stressed can weaken your immune system and make you more likely to get infections.
When to See a Provider
Here are some clues that you should see a provider for an internal stye:
- The stye does not start getting better within a few days
- You feel like something is stuck in your eye
- Your eye or eyelid is bleeding
- Your eyelid hurts or feels hot
- Your eyelid is red or swollen
Eye health specialists can often tell if you have an internal stye just by looking at your eyelid. You won't usually need any special tests to diagnose a stye.
Complications
A possible complication of an internal stye is that it will turn into a chalazion, which is a swollen bump that is located on the eyelid. A chalazion is usually not painful, but it can get red, swollen, and tender. If the chalazion gets too big, it can press on the eye and cause blurry vision.
If you've had an internal stye, it's possible that you'll get another—it may even become a recurring problem for you. Your healthcare provider may want to do a biopsy of the stye to make sure it's not something more serious—for example, a rare type of eye cancer (sebaceous carcinoma) is an eyelid tumor that causes growths that look like styes.
Styes can turn into a more serious infection, such as cellulitis. If your internal stye is not getting better, make sure to see your provider and have it checked.
How to Tell a Stye From a Chalazion
You can tell apart a stye and a chalazion because:
- A stye is painful; a chalazion usually isn't.
- A stye often surfaces at the edge of an eyelid and swells; a chalazion bump usually grows further back on the eyelid.
- A stye tends to form quickly while a chalazion develops more gradually.
- A stye can be filled with pus and have a yellow head. Chalazia do not fill with pus.
How to Treat a Stye
There are several treatments for a stye on the inside of your eyelid that might be needed if it's not going away on its own.
Medications or Procedures
Medical treatments for a stubborn internal stye that doesn't respond to self-care remedies may include:
- A steroid injection: A shot of steroids can reduce swelling of an internal stye, especially if a chalazion forms.
- Antibiotics: Prescription oral or topical antibiotics can be used for infected internal styes. For internal styes that don't go away on their own, an ophthalmologist may prescribe a topical antibiotic, such as erythromycin or bacitracin. These medicines come either as eye drops or an ointment.
- Drainage: An eye specialist may do a procedure to drain an internal stye that is not getting better and is affecting your vision. Drainage of an internal stye is usually done in a medical office under local anesthesia so you won't feel anything.
Self-Care
At-home treatments for internal styes may not be enough to clear them up. However, they can help with your symptoms while you're waiting for the stye to get better on its own or for medical treatment to work.
While you're healing:
- Do not try to squeeze or pop the stye.
- Apply a warm washcloth over your eyelids for 10 to 15 minutes, at least three to five times daily. Reheat the washcloth as needed when it cools down.
- Keep your face, especially your eyes, free of makeup until the infection heals.
- Take an over-the-counter (OTC) pain reliever to help with pain and inflammation.
- Wash your hands and face (including the eye area) daily.
- Rinse your eyelids after getting out of a chlorine-treated pool or hot tub and after a round of sweaty exercise or activity.
Prevention
You can't always prevent an internal stye, especially if you're prone to them. However, there are some general eye health tips that can help make them less likely to pop up.
Since styes happen when bacteria or dirt get into oil glands in the eye or eyelash hair follicles, reducing exposure to bacteria can help prevent them. Some ways to do this include:
- Wash your eyelids regularly with a small amount of baby shampoo mixed with warm water.
- Don't rub your eyes if you have allergies.
- Keep your makeup to yourself; don't share it with others (and don't borrow from others, either).
- Remove makeup before going to bed so that your eye follicles don't become plugged overnight.
- Replace eye makeup about every six months (and keep it no longer than one year) to avoid bacterial growth.
- Wash your hands thoroughly before touching your contact lenses. And if you wear the disposable kind, throw them away on schedule.
Summary
Internal styes can be a temporary, if not annoying, eye problem that goes away on its own in a few weeks. However, if you have a stye that is not getting better or you get styes a lot, you should see your provider.
In some cases, you can manage the symptoms of a stye while it's healing with some home remedies. An infected stye or one that's very stubborn may need medical treatment like antibiotic drops to clear up.
You can't always prevent styes but taking care of your eyes (like keeping your face clean) can help make them less likely to happen.
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