Styes (Eye Sties)

MSM Eyedrops and certain herbs and nutrients such as Burdock, Forsythia, Goldenseal and Echinacea may help heal Sties and preserve vision.

An eye stye is simply an infection or inflammation of one of the oil or sebaceous glands that lies along the edge of the eyelid. Eye sties appear as painful red lumps and then develop heads of whitish pus. They are not contagious and cannot be passed from person to person.

Children tend to develop sties more often than adults, probably because children's glandular secretions are more erratic, especially during puberty, and children tend to be less careful about keeping their hands clean and away from their eyes.

• Appearance of red lumps which then develop heads of whitish pus.

• Usually caused by some unnoticed chronic infection.

Sties are usually treated with plain hot compresses, although you could also use a boric acid solution. When treatment is begun early - right after a sty is first noticed - it will usually clear up in a couple of days.

Many doctors prescribe antibiotic drops or ointment to control the infection. Sties rarely require excision, and under no circumstances should a sty be squeezed. The eyelid is the thinnest skin on the body and is easily damaged.