Styes are caused by a bacterial infection in an oil gland or hair follicle on your eyelid. These glands and follicles can get clogged with dead skin ...WhatCausesaStye?MedicallyreviewedbyAnnMarieGriff,O.D.—WrittenbyNancyMoyer,M.D.onJune13,2019StyeRisksPreventionDiagnosisSeethedoctorTreatmentBottomlineStyescanbeuncomfortableandannoying.Evenifyoutakegreatcareofyoureyes,youcanstillgetthem.Styesarecausedbyabacterialinfectioninanoilglandorhairfollicleonyoureyelid.Theseglandsandfolliclescangetcloggedwithdeadskincellsandotherdebris.Sometimes,bacteriagettrappedinsideandcauseaninfection.Thisresultsinaswollen,painfullumpcalledastye.Whatisastye?Astyeisareddishlumpontheouteredgeofyoureyelid.It’sfilledwithpusandinflammatorycellsproducedwhenacloggedglandorfolliclebecomesinfected.It’stendertothetouchandcanbeverypainful.Doctorscallastye(sometimesspelled“sty”)ahordeolum.typesofstyeAstyecanbeontheoutside(external)orinside(internal)ofyoureyelid.Externalstyes.Muchmorecommonthaninternalstyes,mostexternalstyesstartinaneyelashfollicle.Occasionally,theystartinanoil(sebaceous)gland.They’relocatedontheoutsideedgeofyoureyelid.Internalstyes.Mostofthesebegininanoil(meibomian)glandwithinyoureyelidtissue(meibomiangland).Theypushonyoureyeastheygrow,sotheytendtobemorepainfulthanexternalstyes.Likeapimple,thepusproducedbytheinfectionwithinthestyleusuallycomestoahead.Itcreatesabeigeoryellowishspotontopofthestye.Othersymptomsofastyeinclude:eyelidswellingyellowishdischargesensitivitytolight(photophobia)feelinglikethere’ssomethingintheeyeagrittyfeelingintheeyewateryeyeacrustthatformsontheedgeoftheeyelidWhataretherisksfordevelopingastye? MoststyesarecausedbyStaphylococcus,atypeofbacteriathatliveonyourskinandarenormallyharmless.Whenthebacteriaaretransferredtoyoureyeandbecometrappedinaglandorhairfollicle,theycauseaninfection.risksfordevelopingastyeTouchingorrubbingyoureyeisthemostcommonwayforbacteriatobetransferred.Somefactorsthatincreasetheriskofbacteriaenteringyoureyeinclude:havingitchyeyesfromhayfeverora