Understanding Styes: Are They Contagious?
Styes, those painful, red bumps that can appear on the edge of your eyelid, are a common eye condition that can be both irritating and concerning. If you’ve ever had a stye or know someone who has, you might wonder if eye styes are contagious.
In this article, we’ll cover what styes are, their causes, treatment options, and whether you need to worry about passing them on to others.
Key Points
- Despite the discomfort they cause, eye styes themselves are not contagious.
- Maintaining good hygiene, including regular handwashing and proper contact lens care, can significantly reduce the risk of developing styes.
- While most styes can be treated at home, persistent symptoms, vision changes, or signs of infection warrant a visit to an eye doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.
What is a Stye?
A stye, medically known as a hordeolum, is a painful, red bump that typically forms on the edge of the eyelid. It looks very much like a pimple and is usually filled with pus. Styes can form on the upper or lower eyelid, and be inside or outside of the eyelid. They are often caused by an infection of the oil glands or eyelash follicles.1,2
Symptoms of a stye include:1,2
- Pain and tenderness: Styes are often painful, especially when touched or when blinking.
- Eyelid swelling: The affected area of the eyelid becomes red and swollen.
- Discomfort when blinking: Due to the presence of the stye on the eyelid, blinking can become uncomfortable.
- Watery eyes: Sometimes, the eye may water more than usual due to irritation caused by the stye.
- Sensitivity to light: In some cases, sensitivity to light (photophobia) may occur, though this is less common.
- Crusting and discharge: The eyelid may crust or produce a yellowish discharge, especially upon waking.
Causes of Styes
Styes are usually caused by a bacterial infection, most commonly by Staphylococcus bacteria. This bacterium is typically found on the skin but can lead to infection if it enters the oil glands or hair follicles around the eyelashes.1,2
Several risk factors can increase the likelihood of developing a stye, including:1,2
- Poor hygiene: Touching your eyes with dirty hands or not cleaning your face regularly.
- Contact lenses: Wearing unclean contact lenses or not following proper hygiene protocols.
- Eye makeup: Using old or contaminated eye makeup, such as mascara, can introduce bacteria to the eyelids.
- Blepharitis: This is an inflammation of the eyelid edges, often associated with dandruff, Demodex overgrowth, or skin conditions like rosacea.
- Previous eye conditions: Conditions like chalazia3 (plural for chalazion, which is a chronic, non-infectious blockage of an oil gland) can predispose you to styes.
All Rounder
Eyelid Hygiene Plan 3
Perfect for eye dryness, burning, itching, grittiness, crusting/flaking of eyelashes and inflamed/swollen eyelids. Free shipping 📦.
Try today - $60
Is Stye Eye Contagious?
Here’s the good news: Styes themselves are not contagious.1 The bacterial infection that causes an eye stye is typically confined to the infected individual’s eyelid. However, the bacteria responsible for styes, Staphylococcus, can be spread through direct contact. For instance, if someone with a stye touches their eye and then touches another person or a shared surface, they can transfer the bacteria.
How to Treat a Stye
Most styes can be treated with simple remedies at home. Here are some effective methods:4
- Warm water compress: Apply a damp, warm washcloth or a CorneaCare self-heating warm compress to the affected eye for 10-15 minutes, several times a day. This can help the stye to drain naturally.
- Maintain cleanliness: Practice good eyelid hygiene. Gently cleanse the eyelid with CorneaCare eyelid wipes or use a mild soap or baby shampoo diluted in water.
- Eye drops and ointments: Use antibiotic eye drops, CorneaCare artificial tears, or ointments as recommended by your pharmacist or healthcare provider.
- Don’t squeeze it: Do not try to pop or squeeze the stye, as this can spread the infection and worsen the condition.
- Avoid irritants: Stay away from smoke, dust, and other potential irritants that can exacerbate the stye. Keep the affected area clean and avoid wearing eye makeup until the stye heals.
If the stye persists or worsens, it’s important to see an eye doctor (optometrist or ophthalmologist), for medical stye treatment advice. They might prescribe stronger antibiotics or, in some cases, perform a minor procedure to drain the stye.
Rise
Eyelid Wipes
Perfect for eye dryness, itching, burning, and crusting/flaking of eyelashes. Free shipping 📦
Try today - $25
When to See a Doctor
While eye styes are not contagious and most heal without medical intervention, complications can occur. If you experience any of the following, seek medical advice:
- Persistent stye: If the stye doesn’t improve after a few days of home treatment.
- Vision problems: If the stye affects your vision.
- Increased swelling and redness: If the infection seems to be spreading.
- Recurring styes: Frequent styes could indicate an underlying issue that needs to be addressed.
A visit to your eye doctor is important for diagnosing and treating more severe or persistent styes. With a thorough eye exam, they can provide a more accurate diagnosis and rule out other eye conditions such as chalazia or conjunctivitis (pink eye).
In some cases, your eye doctor may:
- Prescribe oral antibiotics: For more severe infections, especially if the stye doesn’t respond to topical treatments.
- Steroid injections: To reduce inflammation and pain.
- Minor surgery: Drain the stye if it becomes too painful or doesn’t drain on its own.
Prevention Tips
While you can’t always prevent a stye, following these eye health tips can significantly reduce your risk:
- Maintain good hygiene: Regularly wash your hands and avoid touching your eyes with dirty hands.
- Proper contact lens care: Always wash your hands before handling lenses, use fresh solution, and replace lenses as recommended.
- Be cautious with eye makeup: Replace eye makeup every three to six months and never share makeup with others.
- Clean your eyelids: Gently clean your eyelids and eyelashes regularly, especially if you have conditions like blepharitis or rosacea. Try CorneaCare eyelid wipes for a convenient solution.
- Avoid sharing personal items: Do not share towels, pillowcases, or washcloths with others to reduce the potential risk of bacterial spread.
- Healthy lifestyle: Maintain a balanced diet, take a daily multivitamin, and get adequate sleep to support overall immune health. You’ll be less susceptible to infections.
Multivitamin
Eye Vitamins & Minerals
A single multivitamin to address the nutritional needs of your eyes, mind and body. 📦 Free shipping.
Try today - $35
Differences Between Styes and Other Eye Conditions
It’s important to differentiate between styes and other similar eye conditions, such as chalazia and pink eye.
Chalazion
Unlike styes, chalazia are typically painless and result from a blocked oil gland. They often resolve on their own but can sometimes require medical treatment.3
Pink eye (conjunctivitis)
This condition involves inflammation of the conjunctiva, leading to redness, itching, and discharge. It can be caused by eye infections, allergies, or irritants, and unlike styes, can be highly contagious if caused by a virus or bacteria.5
Are Eye Styes Contagious FAQ
No, you cannot catch a stye directly from someone else. While styes aren’t contagious, the bacteria that cause them, like Staphylococcus, can spread through direct contact.
A stye is typically triggered by a bacterial infection, usually involving Staphylococcus bacteria. Poor hygiene, such as touching your eyes with dirty hands, improper contact lens care, and using old eye makeup can introduce bacteria to the eyelids. Conditions like blepharitis and rosacea also increase the risk.
Yes, a dirty pillow can contribute to a stye. Pillowcases accumulate bacteria, oil, and debris, which can transfer to your eyes while you sleep. This can lead to bacterial infection of the oil glands or hair follicles on the eyelid, causing a stye. Regularly washing pillowcases helps reduce this risk.
Putting It All Together
Styes are a common and usually harmless eye condition caused by bacterial infections. While the bacteria responsible for styes can be spread, the styes themselves are not contagious.
Good hygiene practices, proper eye care, and prompt treatment can help manage and prevent styes. If you experience recurring or severe symptoms, consult with an eye doctor for proper care and treatment.
By understanding styes and their management, you can maintain better eye health and reduce the likelihood of dealing with these pesky eyelid bumps. Remember, good eye health isn’t just about addressing conditions as they arise but adopting a lifestyle that supports your eyes’ well-being.
What’s Next
To learn more about styes, you might want to check out:
