Word On Common Eye Conditions

Our grateful thanks to the NHS for the information below. 

Stye - A stye is a small, painful lump on the eyelid. They're common and should go away within a week. Styes are rarely a sign of anything serious, but may be painful until they heal.

A stye usually only affects 1 eye, but it's possible to have more than 1 at a time and on both eyes.

It's probably not a stye if:

• there's no lump – if your eye or eyelid is swollen, red and watery it's more likely to be conjunctivitis or blepharitis
• the lump is hard but not very painful – this is more likely to be a chalazion

How you can treat a stye yourself

• Soak a clean flannel in warm water.
• Hold it against your eye for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Repeat this 2 to 4 times a day.
• To relieve the pain, take painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. 
• Do not give aspirin to children under 16.
• Avoid wearing contact lenses and eye make-up until the stye has burst and healed.

Important - DO NOT burst a stye -  This can spread the infection.

See a GP iif a stye does not get better within a few weeks

Urgent advice - Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from by calling NHS 111 if:

• a stye is very painful or swollen
• it affects your vision
• your eye is producing pus
• the infection has spread to your eye or eyelid

Treatment from a GP - If you have a stye, the GP may:

• burst the stye with a thin, sterilised needle
• remove the eyelash closest to the stye
• refer you to an eye specialist in hospital

How to prevent a stye- You can help avoid stye by keeping your eyes clean.

Styes are often caused by bacteria infecting an eyelash follicle or eyelid gland.

You're also more likely to get a stye if you have long-term blepharitis or rosacea.

Do

• wash your face and remove eye make-up before bed
• keep your eyelids and eyelashes clean, especially if you have blepharitis#
• wash your hands before putting contact lenses in or taking them out

Don’t

• share towels or flannels with someone who has a stye
• rub your eyes if you have not recently washed your hands

Conjunctivitis is an eye condition caused by infection or allergies. It usually gets better in a couple of weeks without treatment. It  is also known as red or pink eye and usually affects both eyes and makes them:

• red
• burn or feel gritty
• produce pus that sticks to lashes
• itch
• water
• An eye with sticky yellow pus on the eyelashes.

Conjunctivitis that produces sticky pus is contagious.

If eyes are red and feel gritty, the conjunctivitis is also usually contagious.

How to treat conjunctivitis yourself - There are things you can do to help ease the symptoms of conjunctivitis.

• Wash your eyelids with clean water. Boil the water and let it cool down, then gently wipe your eyelashes with a clean cotton wool pad to clean off crusts (1 piece for each eye).
• Hold a cold flannel on your eyes for a few minutes to cool them down.
• Do not wear contact lenses until your eyes are better.

A pharmacist can help with conjunctivitis -  They can give you advice and suggest eyedrops or antihistamines to help with your symptoms.

If you need treatment for a child under 2 years old, you'll need a prescription from a GP.

Do

• wash your hands regularly with warm soapy water
• wash your pillow cases and face cloths in hot water and detergent
• cover your mouth and nose when sneezing and put used tissues in the bin

Don’t

• do not share towels and pillows
• do not rub your eyes

Staying away from work or school - You do not need to stay away from work or school unless you or your child are feeling very unwell.

See a GP - If: your baby has red, sticky eyes – get an urgent appointment if your baby is less than 30 days old

• you wear contact lenses and have conjunctivitis symptoms as well as spots on your eyelids – you might be allergic to the lenses
• you have conjunctivitis and your symptoms have not cleared up within 7 days

Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if you have:

• pain in your eyes
• sensitivity to light
• changes in your vision, like wavy lines or flashing
• very red eyes (1 eye or both eyes)
• a baby less than 30 days old with red, sticky eyes

These can be signs of a more serious eye problem.

Call 111 if you need help for a child under 5.

Treatment for conjunctivitis -  will depend on the cause of your conjunctivitis.

If it's a bacterial infection, you might be prescribed antibiotics. But these will not work if it's caused by a virus (viral conjunctivitis) or an allergy.

Some sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can cause conjunctivitis. This type takes longer to get better.#

Blepharitis - causes swollen, itchy eyelids. It’s not usually serious and can often be treated by washing your eyelids every day.

Blepharitis symptoms often come and go. Symptoms of blepharitis include:

• sore eyelids
• itchy eyes
• a gritty feeling in the eyes
• flakes or crusts around the roots of the eyelashes
• eyelids sticking together in the morning when you wake up#

Things you can do to treat and prevent blepharitis

Do

• clean your eyelids twice a day to start with and then once a day as your symptoms improve
• continue to clean your eyes, even if your symptoms clear up

Don’t

• do not wear contact lenses while you have symptoms
• do not use eye makeup, especially eyeliner and mascara, while you have symptoms

How to clean your eyes - Soak a clean flannel or cotton wool in warm water and place it on your closed eyelid for 5 to 10 minutes.

• Gently massage your eyelids for around 30 seconds.
• Clean your eyelids using cotton wool or a cotton bud. It might help to use a small amount of baby shampoo in water. Gently wipe along the edge of your eyelids to remove any flakes or crusts.
• A pharmacist can help with blepharitis

A pharmacist might be able to suggest things to help keep your eyelids clean, including:

• eye pads and wipes
• eyedrops

See a GP if:

• blepharitis symptoms do not improve after a few weeks of cleaning your eyelids

Treatment for blepharitis from a GP

• A GP might suggest using an antibiotic cream or ointment that you rub on your eyelid if your blepharitis does not clear up after cleaning your eyelids regularly.
• If blepharitis has caused other problems, such as a lump of fluid under the skin (cyst), antibiotic eyedrops or tablets may be recommended.
• If your blepharitis is severe, or if you also have other eye symptoms, the GP may refer you to an eye specialist (ophthalmologist).

Causes of blepharitis- Blepharitis can be caused by:

• a type of bacteria that lives on the skin
• a skin condition, such as seborrhoeic dermatitis
• the glands inside the eyelids not producing enough oil

Blepharitis cannot be spread to other people.

Listen to this weeks radio report