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Styes

A stye (known by eye doctors as a hordeolum) is an infection of an oil gland which forms a pimple-like bump on the base of the eyelid or within the eyelid itself. Sytes can be uncomfortable, causing swelling, pain, redness, discomfort, and sometimes excessive tearing. If the stye is large and it distorts the front surface of the eyes, it can cause blurred vision.

What causes a stye?

The oil glands on the eyelid sometimes become blocked with dirt, dead skin, or a buildup of oil. When this occurs, bacteria can grow inside. Blockage is also commonly from eye cosmetics that block the orifices within the lid. This blockage causes the gland to become infected and inflamed, resulting in a stye. A stye can form on the inside or the outside of the eyelid and can cause swelling around the eye, sometimes affecting the entire eyelid.

Treating a stye

Styes are treated with antibiotics, often in moderate and severe cases with a prescription for oral antibiotics to reduce the bacteria responsible for the infection. Treatment for a stye is recommended otherwise there is a likelihood of recurrence. Applying a hot compress to the eye for 10-15 minutes a few times throughout the day will bring some relief and speed up the healing process.

Similar to a pimple, the stye will likely rupture, drain and heal on its own. Occasionally a stye, especially one on the inside of the eyelid will not resolve itself and may require the assistance of an eye doctor for additional treatment. In such a case the stye is surgically opened and drained to reduce the swelling and cosmetic issues associated with the style.

You should never pop a stye! This can cause the bacteria to spread and worsen the infection. The infection can then spread around the top and bottom eyelids and even reach the brain. If a stye is getting worse, painful, or irritated, contact your eye doctor for treatment.

In cases where styes occur frequently, your eye doctor may decide to prescribe topical antibiotic ointment or a cleansing regimen to prevent recurrence.

Chalazia: Another type of bump on the eyelid

Similar to a stye, a chalazion is a blocked oil gland on the eyelid that becomes enlarged. The main difference between a chalazion and stye is that the chalazion is usually non-infectious. A chalazion in most occasions is an old hordeolum that did not resolve. Treatment involves lid hygiene, warm compresses, and lid massage. In most cases, a chalazion requires surgical removal.

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Dear Valued Customers,

We hope this letter finds you in good health. After a remarkable journey of serving this amazing community for the past ten years, we have to make a difficult decision. Our lease for this property is coming to an end, and we have decided that our last day of business will be October 31, 2023.

We want to take this opportunity to convey our heartfelt appreciation for the trust and support you have shown us over the years. It has been our honor to provide your eye care and eyewear needs. We have enjoyed every minute of delivering professional eye care services and assisting you.

This community has been the heart and soul of our practice, and we will always cherish the memories and connections we made here. Your patronage and commitment have been the driving force behind our success, and we cannot thank you enough.

As we approach our closing date, we would like to invite you to take advantage of our services and products one last time. As a thank you, we will be providing special savings on our eyeglass selection.

Our commitment to your eye health and satisfaction will not waver until the very end. We will also help you move your data or prescriptions to another optometric provider of your choosing. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us for any assistance you may need during this transition by emailing us at Parkoptics8@gmail.com.

While this chapter of Park Optics is coming to an end, we hope to see you in the future as we look for new ways to serve you.

Thank you for being a part of the Park Optics family. It has been our pleasure to serve you, and we hope to see you and say goodbye in the coming weeks.

Warmest regards,

Park Optics Team