What is stye?
In short
- A small, painful lump on or inside the eyelid. Common, rarely serious, and usually gone within a week.
- A sore red lump near the eyelashes, sometimes with pus.
- Most styes go on their own within about a week.
Also called: Hordeolum
- Part of the eye
- Eyelid
- Group
- Common conditions
- Vision functions involved
- Light and glare
- Main source
- NHS
A stye is a small, painful lump on or inside the eyelid or around the eye. It is a round, slightly red lump near the lashes, sometimes with a yellow spot of pus, with swelling and redness around it. Redness can be harder to see on brown and black skin. It usually affects one eye and should not affect your sight.
Chalazion
A firm, usually painless lump in the eyelid from a blocked gland. Different from a stye, which is painful. Glossary entry
How stye can affect day-to-day life
You may recognise some of these situations, or none of them. The point is to find help with the things you want to do.
A lump which hurts to blink
The lid is tender and the eye waters, which makes reading and screens uncomfortable for a few days.
Warm compresses several times a day ease it. Rest the eye from lenses and make-up.
Children with styes
Children rub the eye, which spreads the infection to the other lid or eye.
Keep hands washed and towels separate. Call 111 if a child under 5 seems unwell or the swelling spreads.
Changes you may notice
- A sore red lump near the eyelashes, sometimes with pus.
- A red, watery eye. Your vision should stay normal.
Everyone is different. Symptoms on their own cannot identify a condition.
What to do about a new or sudden changeAssessment and care
Most styes go on their own within about a week. See a GP if it has not improved within a few weeks. Ask for an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111 if it is very painful or swollen, affects your vision, produces pus from the eye, or has spread to the eye or eyelid. A hard lump which is not very painful is more likely a chalazion.
How vision is affected
These topics explain the parts of vision involved. They do not predict your sight, diagnose anything or show the condition itself.
Light and glare
Glare can be uncomfortable and can wash out detail. Where the light comes from matters as much as how much light there is.
Open the light and glare labEveryday support
Soak a clean flannel in warm water and hold it on the eye for 5 to 10 minutes, 2 to 4 times a day. Paracetamol or ibuprofen help with pain. Do not give aspirin to children under 16. Do not try to burst it or pull out an eyelash. Avoid contact lenses and eye make-up until it has healed, and do not share towels.
Driving: you must tell DVLA about an eye condition which affects both eyes, or your only seeing eye. Driving and your eyesight
Common questions
How long does a stye last?
About a week. It can stay painful until it heals. See a GP if it has not improved within a few weeks.
Can I squeeze a stye?
No. Bursting it or pulling out an eyelash can spread the infection. Use a warm flannel for 5 to 10 minutes, 2 to 4 times a day.
When is a stye urgent?
If it is very painful or swollen, affects your vision, produces pus from the eye or has spread to the eye or eyelid, ask for an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111.
A question to take to your appointment
Is this a stye or a chalazion, and when should I come back if it does not settle?Prepare your appointment checklist
Sources and review status
- Written by
- The Omnirx.io team, from the sources above
- Sources checked
- Page updated
- Next review due
- Clinical review
- Not yet. No clinician has endorsed this page.
- Reading level
- About 13 words a sentence, 212 words of guidance
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Cite this page
Glanced (2026) Stye: what the name means, care and support. Omnirx.io team for Medstack Ltd. Available at: https://www.glanced.co.uk/condition/stye/ (Accessed: ). Source checked 4 October 2026.
Educational information. Follow the advice of your own eye-care team.