Eye Infections & Styes — Symptoms, Causes & Same Day Treatment

A stye typically develops quickly, often overnight, and usually only affects one eye. Common signs include:

• A painful red bump — on the edge of the eyelid, often resembling a small spot or pimple
• Swelling and tenderness — around the affected area of the eyelid
• A gritty or scratchy feeling — as though something is in the eye
• Watering eye — increased tearing on the affected side
• Sensitivity to light — mild discomfort in bright conditions
• A yellowish head — the stye may develop a visible point of pus after a few days

Conjunctivitis affects the surface of the eye rather than the eyelid itself, and usually causes:

• Redness across the white of the eye — rather than a localised bump
• Watery or sticky discharge — yellow-green if bacterial, watery if viral
• Crusting — especially noticeable first thing in the morning, sometimes sticking eyelashes together
• Itching or a burning sensation — often worse with allergic conjunctivitis
• Swollen eyelids — mild to moderate swelling of the lid itself
• Usually affects both eyes — often starting in one eye and spreading to the other within a day or two

This is where most people get genuinely confused, so here’s the comparison that ties it all together:

A useful rule of thumb: if there’s a distinct, painful bump, it’s likely a stye. If there’s a bump but no pain, it’s more likely a chalazion. If the whole eye is red and irritated without a bump, it’s more likely conjunctivitis.

Styes develop when an oil-producing gland at the base of an eyelash, or deeper within the eyelid, becomes blocked and infected — usually with the same bacteria commonly found on skin. You’re more likely to develop one if you have blepharitis, rosacea, acne-prone skin, or diabetes that isn’t well controlled. Styes are not caused by poor hygiene, stress, or diet, though touching your eyes with unwashed hands can introduce bacteria.

Conjunctivitis has three main causes:

• Bacterial infection — causes sticky, yellow-green discharge, often more pronounced in the morning
• Viral infection — usually accompanies a cold, causing watery discharge and can last two to three weeks
• Allergies — triggered by pollen, dust, or other allergens, causing itching and watering without infection

It can be tempting to treat a stye like a spot and squeeze it, but this is one of the most important things to avoid. Popping or squeezing a stye can force the infection deeper into the surrounding tissue rather than letting it drain naturally, potentially spreading bacteria to other parts of the eyelid or eye. In more serious cases, this can contribute to the infection spreading into the wider eye socket. Letting a stye come to a head and drain on its own — or having it professionally drained if needed — is always the safer option.

Styes are not typically contagious, though in rare cases bacteria can spread if towels, pillowcases, or makeup are shared with someone else. Conjunctivitis is a different story — bacterial and viral conjunctivitis are both contagious, particularly while there’s discharge present, and spread easily through contaminated hands, towels, or shared cosmetics. Allergic conjunctivitis, by contrast, isn’t contagious at all since it’s not caused by an infection.

If you wear contact lenses, both styes and conjunctivitis need a bit of extra care:

• Stop wearing lenses immediately once symptoms start, and switch to glasses until the infection has fully cleared
• Never wear lenses over an active infection — this significantly increases the risk of the infection spreading to the cornea
• Throw away disposable lenses worn during the infection, and clean reusable lenses and cases thoroughly before use
• Avoid reusing eye makeup applied around the time symptoms started, as it may harbour bacteria
• Contact lens wearers with conjunctivitis symptoms should be seen sooner rather than later, as lens wear increases the risk of complications affecting the cornea

Most styes and conjunctivitis are harmless and resolve with simple care, but certain signs suggest the infection may be spreading beyond the surface of the eye and need urgent attention:

• Redness, swelling, and warmth spreading across the entire eyelid and onto the surrounding cheek, rather than staying localised
• Pain when moving the eye, or visible bulging of the eye
• Reduced or blurred vision
• High fever alongside eye symptoms
• Severe swelling that makes it difficult to open the eye

These can be signs of periorbital or orbital cellulitis, a more serious infection of the tissue around the eye that requires urgent medical treatment, sometimes with intravenous antibiotics.

A GP can usually diagnose a stye or conjunctivitis simply by examining your eye and eyelid, and asking how quickly your symptoms developed and whether one or both eyes are affected. For conjunctivitis, they may ask about accompanying cold symptoms (suggesting a viral cause), the colour and consistency of any discharge (suggesting a bacterial cause), or any known allergy triggers. A swab is rarely needed for routine cases but may be taken if symptoms are severe, recurrent, or not responding to initial treatment.

• Prescribe antibiotic eye drops or ointment for confirmed bacterial conjunctivitis
• Recommend antihistamine drops for allergic conjunctivitis
• Advise on warm compress technique to help a stye drain naturally
• Prescribe oral antibiotics if infection is spreading beyond the immediate area
• Refer you to an ophthalmologist for surgical drainage if a stye is large, persistent, or affecting your vision
• Investigate recurrent styes for underlying conditions such as blepharitis or rosacea
• Advise on safe contact lens use during and after your infection

For a stye:

• Warm compress — hold a warm, clean flannel against the closed eyelid for 10–15 minutes, 3–4 times a day, to help it drain
• Gentle massage — lightly massaging the area after a warm compress can help loosen the blockage
• Avoid makeup and contact lenses — until the stye has fully healed
• Never squeeze or pop it — let it drain naturally

For conjunctivitis:

• Clean the eyelids — with cooled boiled water and a fresh cotton wool pad for each eye, wiping outward from the nose
• Cold compress — can help reduce swelling and soothe irritation
• Lubricating eye drops — available over the counter, can ease grittiness and discomfort
• Wash your hands frequently — especially before and after touching your eyes

If you find yourself getting styes repeatedly, it’s worth having this properly looked into rather than treating each one in isolation. Recurrent styes are often linked to an underlying condition such as blepharitis (chronic eyelid inflammation) or rosacea, both of which make the oil glands in the eyelid more prone to blockage. A GP can assess for these underlying causes and recommend an ongoing eyelid hygiene routine to reduce how often they occur.

• Wash your hands regularly, especially before touching your eyes
• Avoid sharing towels, pillowcases, or eye makeup
• Remove eye makeup thoroughly every night
• Replace eye makeup regularly, and never share it with others
• Clean contact lenses properly and never sleep in daily lenses
• Manage underlying conditions like blepharitis or rosacea with a consistent eyelid hygiene routine

Book an online GP appointment if:

• Symptoms haven’t improved after 7 days
• Your stye lasts longer than 2–3 weeks despite home treatment
• Redness or swelling spreads beyond the eyelid to the surrounding skin
• Your vision becomes blurred or affected
• You have severe pain, especially when moving your eye
• You develop a high fever alongside eye symptoms
• You wear contact lenses and have any signs of infection
• Eye infections keep recurring

Eye Infections & Styes are usually straightforward to treat once you know exactly what you’re dealing with — but getting that diagnosis right matters, since the wrong treatment can prolong recovery unnecessarily. Our online GPs are available 7 days a week — get diagnosed, get the right treatment, and start feeling better today.

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