Barley primarily affects the hair follicle of the eyelash or (less commonly) the lobules of the meibomian glands of the upper or lower eyelid, which secrete fatty secretions. Barley on the hair follicle of the eyelashes is called external and is more common. Barley on the meibomian glands - internal. It happens less often, but it is also more difficult to treat externally. Which ointment for barley is the most effective?
The appearance of symptoms of the disease
- Severe itching appears in the area of the edge of the eyelid with eyelashes
- The eyelid becomes painful when touched
- Swelling of the eyelid, its redness
- Excessive tearing from the eye
- Feeling like there's a speck in your eye
- Appearance of a yellow purulent vesicle (3-4 days of illness)
- Opening of the abscess ((4-5 days)
Despite the small localization (only the eye area), amateur treatment in the form of squeezing out pus or applying wet hot compresses can end badly for the patient. After all, internal stye is already an abscess occurring in the eyelid and can spread to organs that lie deeper. What is located deeper there? Brain? Congratulations: by performing intensive care or even surgery, without having a medical education, you brought pathogenic flora right there, causing deadly meningitis.
The external gordiolum can behave in exactly the same way if you try to squeeze out the abscess that appears on the 4-5th day on top of the initially itchy red swelling of the eyelid.
The only sure thing that a non-medical person who has contracted this scourge can do is to use special eye ointments containing antibiotics or other strong anti-inflammatory drugs.
Symptoms of stye
The first symptoms of stye on the eye are swelling and redness of the conjunctiva of the eyelid. It swells, hurts, waters, as if a foreign body has entered there, swelling appears. After 2-4 days, symptoms develop:
- at the top of the swelling there is a yellowish head, inside of which there is pus and dead tissue particles;
- barley grows, divides into several;
- headache;
- increased body temperature;
- enlarged lymph nodes.
You cannot squeeze out the pus yourself, as this can lead to the spread of infection towards the orbit. The consequences are phlegmon of the orbit, meningitis, thrombosis of cavernous sinusitis of the brain, and even death is possible. If it does not go away on its own, ointment is prescribed for stye on the eye.
Barley factors
Staphylococcus aureus (less commonly, streptococci) is activated, causing inflammation in the hair follicle of the eyelash or in the sebaceous gland of the eyelid under certain external factors. This:
- Gastrointestinal problems due to which vitamins are poorly absorbed into the blood.
- Hypothermia of the body, which will result in colds and a general decrease in the body’s immune properties.
- Poor nutrition, passion for diets, especially vegan ones.
- Stress, excessive (“exhausting”) physical activity (hello from the fitness room with its overly demanding trainer)
- Chronic tonsillitis, untreated caries, adenoids.
- Violation of hygiene rules (wiping eyes with unwashed hands)
- Contact lenses. The lenses themselves, subject to the rules of wearing and caring for them, cannot be the cause of the appearance of stye, but in combination with other circumstances they can provoke its appearance.
The effectiveness of treating barley with ointments
This dosage form works best on the abscess. The ointment destroys harmful microflora, specifically combating the causative agent of the disease. The abscess matures over time, and the pus breaks out. The product prevents infection of other tissues. It envelops the abscess, acting as a protective barrier against pus. If you do not use medicine and try to squeeze out the abscess, you can seriously harm yourself. Pure pus will spread over the eyeball and conjunctival sac. Because of this, phlegmon of the eyelid, meningitis and abscess can develop.
Not all ointments can give a positive result during treatment. Therefore, it is important to consult a doctor in time and get tests done. A swab from the conjunctiva will help determine the causative bacteria. Also, the cause of the appearance of stye on the lower eyelid can be problems with the endocrine system, digestive organs, and even the presence of worms and mites. Based on the test results, the doctor will select exactly the ointment that will be most effective in each individual case.
Treatment should be started as soon as possible when the following symptoms appear:
- redness and swelling of the eyelid;
- thickening of the skin near the eyelids;
- itching, burning sensation, pain when blinking;
- high fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes.
Monitor your health carefully. The most common side effects of ointments are skin rashes, increased itching, and a decrease in hemoglobin (anemia) or white blood cell count (leukopenia).
Hydrocortisone ointment for barley
The main thing you need to know about this ointment is that, although it is very effective in treating eye inflammation (including barley), it is not an independent drug. Because hydrocortisone is a hormonal antihistamine, and as such it can be indispensable in combination with antibiotics, to which many are allergic. The antihistamine effect of hydrocortisone just stops this deficiency of the antibiotic, preventing its incompatibility with the body.
So, without having an antibacterial effect, hydrocortisone combats symptoms well, which in the case of stye is no less important - just the maddening itching of a diseased eyelid can infuriate a person. And besides itching, the exudative, antihistamine effect of hydrocortisone also has a beneficial effect in that the redness, soreness and swelling of the eyelid are removed.
Apply to the stye area with a cosmetic stick with a thick cotton swab at the end 2-3 times a day. They use it simultaneously with antibacterial drugs until the last signs of barley disappear. Contraindicated for fungal and viral eye diseases.
Causes
Throughout life, the human body fights a wide variety of bacteria, microorganisms and viruses. Therefore, most often such local inflammations and infections occur if a person has reduced immunity.
The occurrence of a puss also contributes to:
- viral and bacterial diseases;
- hypothermia;
- overexertion, stress;
- diabetic diseases and thyroid disorders;
- diseases associated with the gastrointestinal tract;
- unbalanced diet;
- skin diseases;
- parasites;
- smoking, drinking alcohol and other bad habits;
- poor hygiene.
Hygiene is the basis of health, since microorganisms that enter the mucous membrane of the eye find themselves in a nutrient medium and multiply quickly, causing inflammation of the eyelids and eyes. Potentially dangerous actions in which it is important to maintain special hygiene - wearing lenses and applying cosmetics. Most often, infections occur precisely from unwashed fingers and the use of other people's cosmetics.
Due to the use of cosmetics, women are at greater risk, but most often this unpleasant disease affects children. This happens because children's immunity is formed before the age of 7. After this age, the child can more easily bear the load on the immune system.
In addition, the reason may be:
- Heredity. A predisposition to stye may affect the child's health.
- Puberty. At this age, due to the activation of hormones, inflammation on the skin and acne begin to appear. Accordingly, sometimes they extend to the eyelids.
- Wearing contact lenses. It is important to ensure that children practice good hygiene by washing their hands before putting or removing lenses, and remembering to clean the contact lenses themselves.
- Staphylococcus aureus. Children are most susceptible to harmful bacteria.
It is not recommended to treat barley in a child on your own. The doctor assesses the extent of the lesion and prescribes the necessary treatment. If a pus appears on a child’s eye too often, tests are carried out to identify the cause.
Ichthyol ointment for stye on the eye
The venerable age of this ointment (it appeared as a remedy in 1883 in Hamburg, Germany!) does not make it less effective than any modern medicines. Just like hydrocortisone, ichthyol ointment is not an independent drug, but it works well in combination with antibiotics.
Its action is specific: after application to the edge of the eyelid near the eyelashes, it first causes mild irritation in the form of a barely noticeable burning or tingling sensation. Which, however, quickly pass and are replaced by a feeling of complete numbness of the eyelid - this is how the anesthetic effect of the drug manifests itself, removing pain and itching from barley.
The drug is perfectly stored without losing its properties, even at room temperature. The main condition for long-term storage is the absence of oxygen access to the ointment, so the tube with it must be carefully closed, squeezing out air from the internal cavity.
The ointment is made on the basis of mineral oil, which is obtained by distilling Alpine oil shale. These shales were formed from fish or waterfowl that died many millions of years ago in an era when the planet was almost completely covered by a primeval ocean. Hence the name – ichthyol, with the root “ichthy” meaning fish. This ointment was created by the German doctor Paul Gerson Unna in alliance with the chemist Rudolf Schröter. Initially it was used to treat eczema, but as it was used in clinical practice, other healing properties of ichthyolka were revealed, including in the treatment of boils and barley.
Apply to the area of inflammation three times a day until the last symptoms of the disease disappear. Available without a prescription in glass pharmaceutical jars or tubes No. 6 and 10. Easily washed off with water.
Levomekol
A multi-component combined preparation in the form of a white ointment of uniform fine consistency with an antibacterial and healing effect. It is better to store it in the refrigerator at a temperature of 4 to 10⁰C. When stored at normal room temperature, the shelf life of the ointment is no more than 2 years.
It consists of a stimulator of tissue regeneration, dioxomethyltetrahydropyrimidine, in a 4% concentration, and a specific strong antibiotic, chloramphenicol, the composition of which in the ointment is only 0.75% of the bulk of the drug. The antibiotic quickly and easily penetrates deep into tissues, and, having a filtering ability, without disturbing the integrity of cell membranes, acts directly on pathogenic gram (+) and gram (–) bacteria of the species Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli.
It has contraindications and cannot be used for certain forms of psoriasis (which ones will be determined by a dermatologist), eczema and fungal skin infections.
In order to apply ointment against stye, apply the ointment to the area of inflammation with a cotton swab, and then cover the eye socket with the eye closed with a cotton-gauze swab with a slightly pressure bandage over it. Change 3-4 times a day.
How to treat a pimp on the eye
To quickly get rid of barley, you must follow all the doctor’s recommendations. The patient is prescribed a number of medications, vitamins and traditional medicine recipes.
Drug treatment
In most cases, the stye breaks out on its own, and the patient’s condition immediately improves. But if symptoms of intoxication are observed, the patient’s eyelid is very swollen or pus is discharged from the eye, it is necessary to see a doctor.
The treatment regimen includes antibacterial ointments and eye drops that help quickly relieve inflammation:
- Tetracycline or Gentamicin ointment. This is a powerful antibacterial drug that is often prescribed for conjunctivitis and stye. The ointment is placed under the lower eyelid 2-3 times a day. After this, you should massage the upper eyelid a little so that the medicine is evenly distributed.
- Floxal and Tobrex. These eye drops are prescribed for infectious diseases of the visual organs. It is necessary to apply eye drops 3-4 times a day. Floxal can be used to treat even young children.
- Tsipromed. A strong antibacterial drug that is prescribed for barley in severe cases. The medicine has a detrimental effect on many pathogenic bacteria.
- Albucid. These eye drops can also be prescribed for stye on the eyelid. The only drawback of the drug is its side effects. After the medicinal solution gets on the mucous membrane of the eye, a severe burning sensation occurs.
For an abscess on the eyelid, Levomycetin drops help a lot. This is an inexpensive but quite effective drug that helps quickly eliminate inflammation and swelling of tissues.
In addition, the patient is prescribed vitamins and immunomodulators. They are necessary to improve immunity.
To wash the eyes, you must use a solution of Furacilin or Miramistin. It is especially important to treat the eyelid with antiseptic solutions after the abscess ruptures.
The area of the abscess is lubricated with brilliant green or alcohol. The problem area should be treated carefully using a cotton swab.
You can prepare Furacilin solution yourself or buy ready-made medicine at the pharmacy.
Traditional methods
You can cure a pimples on the eye using a number of folk recipes. Lotions with decoctions of medicinal herbs, bee products and infusions will help eliminate inflammation:
- Take ¼ cup of chopped chamomile and St. John's wort herbs. Pour boiling water over the plant material, leave for 15 minutes and filter. Use warm to wash the eyes.
- Take 3 tablespoons of St. John's wort flowers, add a liter of water and bring to a boil. After infusion, filter and drink the infusion instead of tea twice a day, ½ cup.
- Fresh cabbage leaves are crushed to a puree and mixed with fresh chicken protein. The resulting mixture is moistened with gauze and applied to the eyelid.
- A little honey is poured onto a saucer. Soak a piece of rye bread in it and apply it to the barley for 4–5 hours; the bread should be secured with an adhesive plaster.
- Squeeze the juice out of a clove of garlic. Soak a cotton swab in it and carefully treat the abscess with the juice. You can mix garlic juice with vodka and treat the head of the abscess with this tincture.
- Aloe juice is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:2, after which the solution is used for lotions.
- Boil an egg and apply it to the problem eyelid for 20 minutes. Such procedures can only be carried out until the abscess has broken out.
You can treat barley with fresh plantain leaves. To do this, wash the leaf, knead it with your hands and apply it to the eyelid for an hour.
If you are prone to allergies, then you should not use folk recipes that contain decoctions of medicinal herbs.
Surgery
If the abscess does not break through for a long time, then surgical intervention is necessary. The doctor pierces the head with a needle or makes a small incision in the eyelid. After the pus has been removed, the cavity is washed with an antiseptic solution. After this, the patient is recommended to use antibacterial drops for 5 days to prevent secondary infection.
In particularly severe cases, systemic antibiotics may be prescribed. Penicillin or macrolide medications are often prescribed. Antibiotics must be taken for at least 5 days. Before taking medications, you should carefully read the instructions.
Vishnevsky ointment for barley
Another name is “Balsamic liniment according to Vishnevsky.”
Suitable for the treatment of external barley, so the scope is limited only to it. Due to the specificity of the action, which is expressed in a warming effect, which, in turn, provokes faster ripening of boils and styes, it should be used with caution, and better under the supervision of a doctor. Since there are other, more modern means, the scope of application of Vishnevsky ointment has been limited in recent decades. Mainly - because of the specific smell of liniment, which is given by the birch tar included in its composition.
But the drug proved its effectiveness, especially during World War II, where it was used for wound infections, so its production does not stop, although now its area of use is minor household injuries and wounds.
When treating stye, it is applied to a bandage, which is then applied to the place where the stye is formed. It is secured with a cotton-gauze swab following the example of Levomikol ointment.
Pros and cons of using liniment
Positive properties include the ability to open suppuration, achieve a faster and more effective result, prevent relapses, powerful anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effects, and improve the healing process after opening the formation.
Negative factors include the presence of a strong and unpleasant odor, the possible appearance of irritation on the skin after prolonged use, and age restrictions.
The answer to the question of whether Vishnevsky ointment can be used for barley is positive. It is important to adhere to some requirements in this regard. It is advisable to prevent it from getting on the mucous membrane of the eyelid, as this can lead to irritation. In addition, in childhood, such procedures should be carried out under the strict guidance of a doctor.
INTERESTING fact: Potassium permanganate for thrush: treatment, douching, washing
Floxal ointment for barley
A highly effective eye ointment used in the postoperative period in the treatment of the eyes, as well as as a remedy for injuries, which rightfully includes the appearance of stye on the eyelids.
When Floxal is applied to the area of inflammation, the effect of the drug reaches a maximum after 6 hours, the penetration depth is almost the entire area and volume of the eyeball. When the active element of Floxal, the antibiotic ofloxacin from the fluoroquinolone group, penetrates into the ocular structure, the intraocular fluid is first saturated with it, which is responsible for the active washing of the outer membranes of the eye, including the mucous membrane of the eyelids, where the stye is localized.
The ointment easily liquefies due to body temperature, and, once it gets behind the lower eyelid, where it should be injected, it quickly spreads evenly throughout the entire mucous membrane of the eye.
I apply a small, up to 2 cm, strip of ointment under the lower eyelid 3 times a day. The effect of use appears after 10-12 hours.
Despite the high effectiveness of using only one ointment, to further speed up treatment, doctors recommend using drops of the same name from the same manufacturer simultaneously with Floxal ointment. That is, if the ointment and drops are made in Russia, then use this tandem for treatment. If it is German, then both medicinal components must also be German. This is due to the fact that the original recipe uses slightly different substances as a base.
Causes
Many people mistakenly believe that stye in an adult or child is a consequence of hypothermia. But this is absolutely not true; hypothermia is just a provoking factor. Because of this, immunity decreases and a person becomes susceptible to various infections.
The cause of an abscess under the eye can also be the following negative factors:
- hidden infection in the body;
- gland blockage;
- respiratory diseases;
- weakened immune system;
- failure to comply with basic hygiene. Using someone else's towel, glasses or bed linen;
- hypothermia or lack of vitamins in the body;
- chronic diseases of the digestive tract;
- demodicosis and blepharitis;
- furunculosis;
- helminthic infestations.
Stye under the eye is often observed in pregnant women and young children. This is explained by the greatly reduced immunity of patients in these categories.
Many children have the bad habit of constantly rubbing their eyes, due to which germs get into the mucous membrane and an infection develops.
Tetracycline ointment for barley
A translucent yellowish ointment with a viscous consistency, produced in very convenient to use small tubes with an active ointment weighing from 3 grams. The advantage of these packages (which even many imported ointments lack) is the presence of a long and thin spout near the tube, convenient for application to the eye, which allows for strict dosing of the drug.
The active active substance is tetracycline hydrochloride at a concentration of 1% by weight of the ointment. This concentration is used only in tetracycline eye ointment.
Since its first release back in the 50s of the twentieth century, the drug has undergone many modernizations caused by the resistance of pathogens of many diseases to tetracycline. Among the main medical prescriptions for tetracycline ointment are trachoma, barley, and infectious conjunctivitis, so this particular ointment most often ends up in home medicine cabinets, which is greatly facilitated by the clarifying inscription “eye” on the packaging.
If you intend to use tetracycline ointment, you need to know that its use is undesirable for pregnant women and breastfeeding women, for children under the age of 5 years and with a severe allergic reaction to the main substance. In the latter case, it is advisable to use it with hydrocortisone ointment or with some other sedative prescribed by the doctor.
It is used when the very first symptoms of barley appear, when it is already clearly visible that this is it, and until the last signs of inflammation disappear. Apply directly from the tube in a thin layer to the surface of the eyelid mucosa in the area of the eyelashes, 2 times a day; the use of tampons on top of the applied ointment is not required.
No side effects have been identified with the latest generation of drugs since approximately 2000.
What is a piss on the eye
A puss on the eye is a stye or an abscess. It can be external, when the purulent head is clearly visible, and internal, when the eyelid is simply well swollen. An abscess on the eyelid occurs as a result of pathogenic microorganisms entering the hair follicle in the eyelash area.
If the pus on the eye is internal, then the swelling persists for a long time. Pus may break into the conjunctival sac, in which case conjunctivitis develops. The external stye can break out on its own, in which case the patient’s condition immediately improves. If the abscess does not break out on its own within several days, then it is opened.
Other eye ointments for stye
In clinical practice for the treatment and prevention of stye on the eye, ointments such as
- Erythromycin
- Synthomycin
- Oxolinic
- Acyclovir
Erythromycin
Available in tubes No. 2, similar to tetracycline eye ointment. It is placed in a thin strip behind the eyelid or directly on the inflamed, swollen area; in this case, the use of a protective tampon on the orbit is indicated. Apply 3 times a day. In cases of allergic reactions to the ointment, its use is combined with hydrocortisone and other sedatives, or completely stopped by switching to another drug.
Syntomycin ointment
Syntomycin ointment (syntomycin liniment) also showed good results against barley. This is a strong antibacterial ointment with a good anti-inflammatory effect. The main active ingredient is the antibiotic chloralfenicone, which acts by disrupting protein synthesis by pathogenic bacteria, which stops their division processes, and therefore their vital functions.
Apply to the area of the inflamed eyelid twice a day. It is especially effective against internal stye, which affects the sebaceous glands of the eye.
Contraindicated in psoriasis and suppression of hematopoietic function.
Oxolinic ointment
This drug stands apart in the fight against barley; it is not used in the treatment of the disease, but it is an extremely effective means of preventing it.
Its main effect is antiviral, and as such it is very useful in the cold and damp seasons (spring and autumn). By preventing the occurrence of a viral infection, it will not allow the body to weaken and will protect it from stye on the eye. However, sometimes the appearance and progression of barley is provoked by viruses, and then the main active ingredient of oxolinic ointment, dioxotetrahydroxytetrahydronaphthalene, the concentration of which in the ointment is 0.0025 g, acts directly on barley, effectively suppressing it within 2-3 days.
Acyclovir
Acyclovir-based ointment, like oxolinic ointment, is antiviral. It acts similarly to oskolinic acid and is used for prophylactic purposes and in the treatment of viral inflammatory processes.
Products for children
Treatment of barley in a child should be under the supervision of a doctor. Children are more sensitive to medications, so medications should be in minimal concentrations and as safe as possible. The dosage and duration of therapy is determined by a specialist.
Hydrocortisone
Hydrocortisone ointment has a minimal number of side effects and has a complex effect. The result of using a hormonal drug:
- elimination of the inflammatory process;
- combating the pathogen;
- acceleration of cell regeneration.
The medicine should be rubbed into the affected eyelid 2 to 4 times a day. In case of severe inflammation, a bandage is applied. Long-term use of this drug can lead to an increase in intraocular blood pressure.
Levomekol
Levomekol is a combined antibacterial agent that has a detrimental effect on staphylococcal infections and E. coli. The active substance is chloramphenicol. It penetrates the affected tissues and activates the process of their regeneration.
The ointment is applied to sterile napkins or a cotton pad and attached to the affected eye for an hour. This procedure should be carried out 2 times a day. During the treatment process, it is necessary to carefully monitor the condition and reaction of the child’s body.
Levomycetin
Levomycetin ointment is an antiseptic with a quick effect. A small amount of active substances is absorbed into the blood. The use of this drug for the treatment of barley in a child should only be carried out in consultation with a doctor, as adverse reactions are possible.
Levomycetin drops can be prescribed for the treatment of children over 10 years of age. The medicine has a pronounced bacteriostatic effect and significantly accelerates the healing process. The active component causes a burning sensation. The product is not suitable for patients with circulatory disorders, renal and liver failure.
