Tuesday, April 14, 2009

OH MY GOD I HAVE A STY

I have a Sty. On my eye.

According to this website, this is what I am dealing with:
A sty (sometimes spelled stye) is a tender, painful red bump located at the base of an eyelash or under or inside the eyelid. The medical term for a sty is hordeolum (plural, hordeola).

A sty results from an acute infection of the oil glands of the eyelid (meibomian glands) that occurs after these glands have become clogged. A sty also may arise from an infected hair follicle at the base of an eyelash. The bacterium Staphylococcus aureus is responsible for 90%-95% of cases of styes. Staph aureus is frequently found on the skin. A sty can develop as a complication of blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelid).

The term external hordeolum has been used to refer to a sty that develops at the base of an eyelash involving a hair follicle of the eyelid, whereas the term internal hordeolum refers to a sty arising due to an inflamed meibomian gland under the eyelid.

And what are the symptoms?
The first symptoms of a sty are generally redness, tenderness, and pain in the affected area. The eye may feel irritated or "scratchy." Later symptoms can include swelling, discomfort during blinking of the eye, watering of the eye, and sensitivity to light. A common sign of a sty is a small, yellowish spot at the center of the bump that develops as pus expands in the area.

Yep. That's me. I have a sty because I have this teeny tiny little bump smack dab in the middle of my upper eyelid of my left eye and my co-worker who is apparently prone to stys just confirmed it. SO NOT COOL. Apparently it will "rupture" on its own, or I can just use a hot compress to ease the pain. GREAT. JUST GREAT.

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