I have had a stye on both my eyes for the past two months. I went to see a doctor at the walk-in and was prescribed eyedrops. It did not do anything. What should I do now?   

To answer your question, you should always visit an optometrist whenever you have an eye related issue. They have much more specialized education on the eye and have the ability to treat many medical related eye issues. 

 Once you visit your optometrist they will be able to determine if the bump on your eyelid is an internal/external hordeolum (stye) or if it has progressed to a chalazion.  Both can look similar to the untrained eye, but have different methods of treatment. 

 If in fact it is a stye, you’ll most likely experience tenderness and swelling. Over time the inflammation can resolve and a firm benign nodule will be left. The size of the nodule can vary and it typically disappears within a month. If a few months have passed and the nodule is still there it means fibrous tissue has formed. 

 Your optometrist will also be able to prescribe the proper treatment for your stye. Some treatments include, topical and/or oral antibiotics, warm compresses or even surgery.  If your stye is small and is not bothering you it can just be watched.  

 I recommend you book an appointment with your optometrist as soon as possible to determine the severity of your stye and the proper treatment. 

If you don’t have an optometrist, feel free to use OAO’s find-a-doctor tool to locate one near you. 
 

All the best, 

Dr. Wes McCann, OD