Eyelid Infection
Worried you have an Eyelid Infection?
Our Doctor Will See You Today.
Treating an Eye Infection
- We’ll evaluate your problem, answer all your questions & call in a prescription … all for $89
- This is the Fastest & Easiest way to get a Prescription Antibiotic Medication
- We can Call an Antibiotic Directly to your Local Pharmacy, Immediately
- Dr. Landmann is a Board-Certified Ophthalmologist who specializes in Eyelid Surgery
- We have treated thousands of eyelid infections and styes
How Do I Know If I Have an Eyelid Infection?
When people have an eyelid infection, it usually comes on pretty quickly, over the course of one to three days. At first, it could feel like a dull ache, but eventually, it becomes rather uncomfortable. It also looks pretty bad! When examining patients, I will often see diffuse redness and swelling of the entire eyelid, as well as swelling on the lower eyelid and cheek. The eyelid will be rather tender to touch.
Aside From an Eyelid Infection, What Else Could It Be?
Infected Styes are by far the most common thing we treat here at StyeGuy. We have treated thousands of patients, and the vast majority are just simple infections that we are able to treat over the Internet. But, we’ve come across several other eyelid problems, so we’re always on the lookout for things like an eyelid cancer, a herpes infection, or inflammation – all of which would be treated very differently.
Can an Infected Stye Be Treated Over Telemedicine?
How Fast Can This Stye Go Away?
Can I Continue Wearing Makeup While I Have an Infected Stye?
I would not wear makeup if I had an infected stye on my eye. That being said, I’m a guy and never wear makeup! Now, if you have a chronic stye that is not infected – i.e., it is not red, it is not tender, it has been there for more than 3 or 4 weeks – it’s essentially just a bump on your eyelid. In that case, I think it is reasonable to wear makeup if you’d like to try to hide it and look your best. In that case, you might consider just cutting it out, which will make it go away much faster too.
Are There Any
Over-the-Counter Medications I Can Use For an Infected Stye?
No. If your stye is actually infected, then you would need prescription antibiotic medications. If you have a cut on your leg, they sell “Triple Antibiotic,” but those creams and ointments are not made for the eye, and it will specifically say on the tube, “Not for Ophthalmic Use.” It could be incredibly irritating to the eye and cause a bad reaction.
There’s an ointment that’s literally called, StyeTM. The active ingredients in that are just Mineral oil and White Petrolatum (i.e., Vaseline). Essentially, this is just a lubricant to make it feel more comfortable. If you need a lubricant, I find Systane or Refresh make higher-quality lubricating eye drops.
Can I Wear Contact Lenses If I Have an Infected Stye?
You really should not wear contact lenses if you have a stye on your eye. Contact lenses are considered foreign bodies, and bacteria can easily latch on to them. From there, your cornea (the clear part of your eye that you see through) can become infected. That is not only very painful but also your vision can be permanently damaged as a result.
Can I Continue Wearing Makeup While I Have an Infected Stye?
I would not wear makeup if I had an infected stye on my eye. That being said, I’m a guy and never wear makeup! Now, if you have a chronic stye that is not infected – i.e., it is not red, it is not tender, it has been there for more than 3 or 4 weeks – it’s essentially just a bump on your eyelid. In that case, I think it is reasonable to wear makeup if you’d like to try to hide it and look your best. In that case, you might consider just cutting it out, which will make it go away much faster too.
Are There Any
Over-the-Counter Medications I Can Use For an Infected Stye?
No. If your stye is actually infected, then you would need prescription antibiotic medications. If you have a cut on your leg, they sell “Triple Antibiotic,” but those creams and ointments are not made for the eye, and it will specifically say on the tube, “Not for Ophthalmic Use.” It could be incredibly irritating to the eye and cause a bad reaction.
There’s an ointment that’s literally called, StyeTM. The active ingredients in that are just Mineral oil and White Petrolatum (i.e., Vaseline). Essentially, this is just a lubricant to make it feel more comfortable. If you need a lubricant, I find Systane or Refresh make higher-quality lubricating eye drops.
Can I Wear Contact Lenses If I Have an Infected Stye?
You really should not wear contact lenses if you have a stye on your eye. Contact lenses are considered foreign bodies, and bacteria can easily latch on to them. From there, your cornea (the clear part of your eye that you see through) can become infected. That is not only very painful but also your vision can be permanently damaged as a result.
Can I Continue Wearing Makeup While I Have an Infected Stye?
I would not wear makeup if I had an infected stye on my eye. That being said, I’m a guy and never wear makeup! Now, if you have a chronic stye that is not infected – i.e., it is not red, it is not tender, it has been there for more than 3 or 4 weeks – it’s essentially just a bump on your eyelid. In that case, I think it is reasonable to wear makeup if you’d like to try to hide it and look your best. In that case, you might consider just cutting it out, which will make it go away much faster too.
Are There Any
Over-the-Counter Medications I Can Use For an Infected Stye?
No. If your stye is actually infected, then you would need prescription antibiotic medications. If you have a cut on your leg, they sell “Triple Antibiotic,” but those creams and ointments are not made for the eye, and it will specifically say on the tube, “Not for Ophthalmic Use.” It could be incredibly irritating to the eye and cause a bad reaction.
There’s an ointment that’s literally called, StyeTM. The active ingredients in that are just Mineral oil and White Petrolatum (i.e., Vaseline). Essentially, this is just a lubricant to make it feel more comfortable. If you need a lubricant, I find Systane or Refresh make higher-quality lubricating eye drops.
Can I Wear Contact Lenses If I Have an Infected Stye?
You really should not wear contact lenses if you have a stye on your eye. Contact lenses are considered foreign bodies, and bacteria can easily latch on to them. From there, your cornea (the clear part of your eye that you see through) can become infected. That is not only very painful but also your vision can be permanently damaged as a result.
Can an Infected Stye Spread to Other Parts of the Eye?
Yes, though that is not very common. The most common thing that I see is that the infection will spread along the soft tissue (skin and muscle) around the area. So, the cheek might get red, and there will be a lot of swelling under the eye or on the inside corners of the eye. That is called Preseptal Cellulitis. We treat this every day here on StyeGuy, and these are our happiest patients. With the right oral antibiotic, possibly an eye drop, and some simple warm compresses, you should feel better quickly.
The biggest concern is something called post-septal cellulitis, which is when the infection spreads behind the eye. In addition to eyelid swelling and redness, patients will feel sick and tired and have fevers and chills. Patients with orbital cellulitis may have decreased vision, an abnormal pupil, a bulging eye, double vision, and/or diminished color vision. The whole eye is usually red too. This is an emergency, and if you think you have orbital cellulitis – you should stop reading this website and just go directly to the emergency department!
Can an Infected Stye Spread to Other Parts of the Eye?
Yes, though that is not very common. The most common thing that I see is that the infection will spread along the soft tissue (skin and muscle) around the area. So, the cheek might get red, and there will be a lot of swelling under the eye or on the inside corners of the eye. That is called Preseptal Cellulitis. We treat this every day here on StyeGuy, and these are our happiest patients. With the right oral antibiotic, possibly an eye drop, and some simple warm compresses, you should feel better quickly.
The biggest concern is something called postseptal cellulitis, which is when the infection spreads behind the eye. In addition to eyelid swelling and redness, patients will feel sick and tired and have fevers and chills. Patients with orbital cellulitis may have decreased vision, an abnormal pupil, a bulging eye, double vision, and/or diminished color vision. The whole eye is usually red too. This is an emergency, and if you think you have orbital cellulitis – you should stop reading this website and just go directly to the emergency department!
You Sound Like an Expert in All Things Stye Related. How Do I Get Treated By the StyeGuy Himself!?
How to Get Rid of your Stye in
3 Easy Steps
No appointments necessary. No time off from work. $89 consultation fee. No copay. No deductible.
Tell Us About Your Stye
Fill out our quick, easy and secure online consultation form.
Snap a Photo
Upload a photo of your stye without even leaving your couch or office!
Get Treated, Fast!
Dr. Dan Landmann will review your info, then design a customized treatment plan and prescribe an Antibiotic/Steroid to your pharmacy.