Stye & Homeopathy

What is a Stye?

In our eyelid there are very tiny glands called Meibomian glands which secrete a fluid that cover the surface of the eyeball. A stye is a local inflammation of eyelid (generalized inflammation of eyelid is called blepharitis), to be more precise, inflammation of Meibomian glands with collection of pus. This is commonly caused by bacteria of Staphylococcus group. Styes generally resolve automatically within a fortnight with compress of warmth etc; however, sometimes they need medical attention particularly when associated with disturbance of vision or are of grave type causing severe pain or reappear again and again. It affects the adolescents predominantly.

They are of two types viz., external and internal. Ordinarily, they are external type. Symptoms in both types are almost same, except that, the internal styes are not visible since they develop inside the eyelid and are more painful.

What are the differences between a Stye and a Chalazion?

A Chalazion is a bump on the eyelid due to blockage of oil producing glands. It starts with no pain and gradually increases in size; commonly it has no inflammatory signs and symptoms of a stye and it is not formed on the eyelid line, rather, it occupies a position farther back on the eyelid. Sometimes, it is very difficult to differentiate between a stye and a chalazion.

                       STYE                                                                                                     CHALAZION

  What are the symptoms of a stye?

• A lump or swelling in the eyelid;

• Tenderness, pain and redness;

• Burning, itching and uncomfortable feeling;

• Blurred vision;

• Drooping of eyelid;

• Light sensitivity of the affected eye;

• Crust formation along the eyelid;

• Pus secretion from yellowish swollen mass;

• Sometimes, there may be more than one stye in an eye;

• Occasionally, stye reappears one after another;  

What are the situations that often lead to their formation?

• Changing of contact lenses without washing hand properly;

• Use of cosmetics after date of expiry;

• Going to bed before removing eye make-up properly;

• Poor sleep;

• Insufficient nutrition;     

• Putting up contact lenses before disinfecting them;

• In general, anything that may cause inflammation of the eyelid;

What are common remedies used to tackle styes in Homeopathy?

Homeopathy has a lot of medicines to tackle styes of all types. The beauty of Homeopathic medicines lie in the fact that these are of little side-effects, natural and are quite compatible with patients' constitution, as such, leave a permanent effect on the systems of the persons. Commonly used medicines to treat patients of Styes with potency and frequency are given below:

1)Belladonna 3, 3hrly: for styes with throbbing pain, fiery red eyes;

2)Staphisagria 30, 8 hrly: When styes become hard with repeated infection;

3)Hepar Sulph 6, 4 hrly: To eradicate the tendency to form styes one after another; if relieved from hot fomentation;

4)Lycopodium Clav. 30, 6hrly: When there is pus formation in styes;

5)Ammonium Carb. 6, 3hrly: When there is smarting sensation in the affected part;

6)Pulsatilla 30, 4hrly: When there is thick, profuse, bland and yellowish discharge from the eye affected with stye;

7)Ferrum Phos 6x, 4hrly: When just the infection starts, eye becomes painful and hot, if it is used, stye nips in the bud;

8)Calcarea Sulph 6x, 4hrly: When pus formation has yet started but stye has formed, it is given, stye would retard, simply dries up.

[Please do not use them without your doctors’ advice]