Is Eye Stye Contagious

A stye is a bump or a small boil that can occur on the inside or outside of the upper or lower eyelid. It occurs due to an infection of the sebaceous gland. A stye develops when a gland of the eyelid becomes infected or clogged by bacteria. It usually swells and fills with pus. More than one stye can occur at a time. A stye on eyelid can occur at any age, however children are more prone to eye styes. The symptoms of a stye include eye problems like pain in the eye, tenderness, swelling, inflammation, redness, or watery eyes. Though styes are not a pretty sight to look at, they are relatively harmless. However, you have to take some necessary hygiene precautions. 'Is an eye stye contagious?' is the most frequently asked question. Let us try and understand the causes, precautions, remedies and the final answer to the question 'Is eye stye contagious?

Eye Stye Causes

An eye stye is a staph infection in the eye. Though this bacteria is usually found even in healthy skin, it sometimes causes infections like styes, boils, etc. Styes may also occur due to poor hygiene, like touching your eyes repeatedly without washing your hands, dirty contact lenses, expired cosmetics, and blepharitis. Some people also believe that stress and eye strain are major factors contributing towards formation of an eye stye.

Is Eye Stye Contagious?

Like most eye diseases, styes are also contagious but only through direct contact. If a person having an eye stye touches his eyes , any surface that he touches without washing his hands will be contaminated. In this way if another unsuspecting person touches that surface and then rubs his eyes without washing his hands, then he or she has a high chance of getting a eye stye. In order to avoid this, it is important to maintain good hygiene by washing your hands regularly and avoiding touching your eyes unnecessarily. This forms the basis of eye care. Also, it is important to remember that when you have a stye, it is best to avoid wearing any eye makeup and lenses.

Eye Stye Treatment

It is often not necessary to treat an eye stye, as they heal on their own. Mostly styes burst and discharge pus. However, if you want to speed up the process, the best way is to use eye stye home remedies.

• Apply a warm compress. It can be done by using a soft woolen fabric along with hot water. Dip the cloth in water and firmly place it on the closed eye. Make sure the water is not boiling hot, it should be lukewarm. Do this about three to four times a day for 15 minutes.
• Another option is to make a poultice with the help of baked apple. Mash the apple, wrap it in a damp cloth, and apply it on the eye gently while it is still warm. Do this twice a day.
• Using a clove can also help in case of a stye. Dampen a clove with warm water and apply directly on the stye. Cloves can also be wrapped in a cloth or towel in the form of a compress.
• Take a spoon of turmeric, add it in two cups of water, and boil the water till it is reduced to half. Cool and strain, and use it as drops on the stye eye. Use the drops three to four times a day.
• Alum can be used as an eye wash by dissolving it in water.
• To reduce swelling in the eyes, use grated potatoes in the form of a poultice.
• In order to reduce the redness and pain in the stye eye, guava leaves should be used as a compress with a warm damp cloth.
• By using an aloe leaf, you can reduce itchiness in eyes. Slit the leaf lengthwise and place the pulpy side on the eye.
• Coriander seeds is another option that can be used to speed up the recovery process. Put the coriander seeds in water and bring the water to boil. Cool and use this eye wash three to four times a day.

These eye stye treatments and eye infection home remedies are usually very effective, however, in case the stye still remains, it is best to have a doctor look at it .

It is best to let a stye heal on its own and it is important to remember not to try and squeeze or pop a stye like a pimple, as this will only make it worse. Styes do not affect vision but if they do, then you should consult your doctor. Usually styes do not recur, however, if you are prone to them it's better to take antibiotics prescribed by your doctor. In the end, to answer the question 'Is eye stye contagious?', it can be said that an eye stye is contagious, but it can be avoided if proper precautions are taken.