Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 2: Treating barley
• Part 2 of 2: Preventing the formation of barley
• Tips
• Warnings

Stye is a painful, red, pimple-like lump on the edge of the eyelid. Most often, barley occurs due to an infection in the follicles of the eyelashes or in the sebaceous glands of the eyelid. Although painful, the swelling usually goes away on its own within a week. Aside from the potential for pain and irritation, barley itself is usually harmless. You can take steps to relieve pain and reduce swelling, as well as steps to prevent barley from reoccurring.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Treating barley

1. 1 Peel the barley. Barley usually occurs completely by accident, and sometimes due to the ingress of a foreign substance (such as dust or cosmetics) into the eye. Barley itself is a small bacterial infection. If you develop barley, the first thing you should do is rinse the infected area.
   • Wash your hands thoroughly and use warm water to scrub the barley with clean hands or with a cotton swab. You can also use a special eyelid scrub or diluted baby shampoo.
   • Make sure both of your hands and the cotton swab you use to peel the barley are clean. Otherwise, you will only bring more substances and microbes into the eye.
   • Barley is usually caused by a staphylococcus bacterium trapped in a hair follicle or sebaceous gland in the corner of the eye. This is often due to touching the eyes with dirty hands. However, other bacteria can also cause barley.
2. 2 Apply a warm compress. Painful swelling caused by barley is best treated with a warm compress. Make a warm compress with a clean towel or other cloth soaked in hot water. Place the compress on the eye for 5-10 minutes.
   • When the compress has cooled, soak it again in hot water and place it for another 5-10 minutes.
   • Apply a warm compress three to four times a day. Be consistent with this treatment until the stye disappears.
   • Warm (but not hot) and wet tea bags can also be used as a compress (chamomile tea bags are sometimes recommended for their soothing properties).
   • The heat of the compress will cause the barley to shrink or release pus. If this happens, gently wash off any secretions. Do not press or squeeze the barley, just press lightly on it.
   • After the pus comes out of the barley, the symptoms should go away quickly enough.
3. 3 Do not squeeze or try to squeeze the barley yourself. It may occur to you to squeeze all the pus out of the barley yourself, but refrain from doing so! Squeezing or trying to squeeze out the barley can make the situation even worse. This can lead to the spread or complication of the infection, and sometimes even scarring.
4. 4 Use an antibacterial cream. Buy an antibacterial cream specifically formulated for treating barley. You can buy it at any pharmacy. If you are unsure which cream to buy, discuss your options with your pharmacist. Apply a small amount of cream to the barley. Be careful not to get the cream in your eye.
   • These creams can speed up the healing of barley.
   • The local anesthetic, which is found in most of these creams, will also provide temporary relief from the discomfort caused by barley. However, if the cream gets in your eyes, the anesthetic can also cause significant damage. Apply cream with great care.
   • If the cream does get into your eyes, then rinse them thoroughly with warm water. After that, you should see your doctor.
   • Do not use the cream more often than indicated on the package.
5. 5 Use home remedies. Certain natural substances can help clear up stye as well as relieve pain and swelling. Be careful not to get the natural remedies in your eye; if you feel a burning sensation or discomfort, stop using it immediately. Although not medically proven to be effective, you can still try these natural remedies:
   • Coriander seed wash.Soak the coriander seeds in water for one hour, strain the water and use it to rinse the eye. The seeds are said to have properties that reduce the swelling of barley.
   • Aloe. Aloe helps reduce swelling and redness. Cut the aloe leaves lengthwise and press the soft side to the barley. If you can't find whole aloe leaves, then take an eye pad and soak it in aloe vera juice. Some people like to use a combination of aloe vera juice and chamomile tea.
   • Guava leaf compress. It is a common home remedy for pain relief and swelling caused by barley. Soak guava leaves in warm water and apply them to your eyes for 10 minutes.
   • Potatoes. Grind the potatoes into a gruel and apply them to a clean, soft cloth. Then apply it to the barley to reduce swelling.
6. 6 OTC pain relievers. If your stye is causing severe pain, take a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) to make the first few days more comfortable. For immediate relief, buy an NSAID that contains aspirin or ibuprofen.
   • Take only the recommended dose, which is printed on the package.
   • Do not give aspirin to children under 16.
7. 7 See your doctor. Seek medical attention if your stye has not disappeared after a week. If you experience incredible pain, redness or swelling begins to spread, or your vision has deteriorated, seek immediate medical attention. If your barley problem gets worse, it could be the result of another condition and you may be prescribed one of the following treatments:
   • Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics, especially if you have bacterial conjunctivitis. Usually, taking antibiotics will treat the condition rather quickly.
   • The doctor may insert a needle or sharp-pointed blade into the barley to pierce it. This involves piercing the barley so that the pus can escape through a small opening, making the barley disappear.
   • If you have a skin disorder like rosacea or seborrheic dermatitis, then you may be susceptible to blepharitis, an inflammation of the edges of the eyelids. If this is the case, your doctor may recommend that you start a new hygiene regimen for this area of ​​the eye.
   • If you do not have a personal ophthalmologist, consult your doctor and ask him for a referral, search in the phone book of ophthalmologists or enter the phrase "ophthalmologists + your city" into a search engine.
   • You can see your doctor at any time. You don't have to wait a week before seeing a specialist.

Part 2 of 2: Preventing the formation of barley

1. 1 Flush your eyelids. If you frequently develop barley, your eyes may be particularly susceptible to bacterial infections. Take a clean towel and some gentle shampoo, such as baby shampoo, or a special eyelid scrub to gently clean your eyelids. Rinse them thoroughly with warm water.
   • If barley is becoming a common problem for you, then your eyelids should be rinsed daily.
2. 2 Wash your hands before touching your face. One of the most common ways to get barley is by transferring bacteria to your eyes from your hands. Don't rub or touch your eyes.
   • Wash towels regularly and never share a towel with someone who has barley.
3. 3 Maintain contact lens hygiene. Wearing contact lenses requires frequent eye contact, so every time you put them on and take them off, you need to make sure your hands are clean. Contact lenses can also carry bacteria, so be sure to rinse them in a cleaning solution daily.
   • Do not wear lenses if you suffer from barley. Putting on a contact lens over an eye with barley increases the risk of transmission of infection from barley to the cornea.
   • Do not wear your lenses longer than necessary.If you have ephemera (disposable contact lenses designed for single use), throw them away every day. If you have monthly lenses (reusable lenses that need to be replaced once a month), be sure to replace them with new ones after 4 weeks.
   • Don't wear your lenses all night. Even contacts that are designed to be safely worn overnight can cause problems if you are prone to barley.
   • Always follow your doctor's advice on the correct use of contact lenses. Do not wear contact lenses in prearranged situations, such as when swimming (unless, of course, you wear them under tight swimming goggles)
4. 4 Apply makeup correctly. Eyeliner and eyeshadow applied under the edge of the eyelid can lead to stye formation, especially if you tend to wear a lot of makeup and reapply it throughout the day. Apply makeup over the lash line and limit the amount.
   • Don't go to bed without first washing off the makeup from your face. Use eye makeup remover before going to bed, then rinse your face with warm water to rinse off the product itself.
   • Change your makeup and eye applicators regularly. Brushes, sticks, and pencils used to apply makeup get dirty over time, which can cause you to carry bacteria every time you use them.
   • Like contact lenses, pencils, brushes and other cosmetic applicators make frequent contact with your eyes. If there is a harmful bacteria on them, then it will not be difficult for them to lead to the appearance of barley.
   • Don't share your makeup with others.

Tips

• If you wear corrective lenses, then for barley, it is better to wear glasses instead of contacts.
• For temporary relief, place a chilled cucumber slice over your eye and let it sit for 10-15 minutes.

Warnings

• Before proceeding with self-treatment of barley, it is better to first consult a doctor.
• Do not try to squeeze or puncture the barley yourself. This can worsen the condition and spread the infection. It can also lead to scarring.
• Do not wear makeup on your eyes if you have stye, as this can make the situation worse.