Fifth Grade
Worksheets
Styes
Why would one get a stye on his eye? Does that sound like a Dr. Seuss rhyme? Perhaps it does, but it is not. Instead, it's a real medical question.
A stye is an infection of the eyelid. Specifically, it is an infection of the glands or hair follicles there. It can appear on the upper eyelid or the lower eyelid. Its medical name is hordeolum.
Bacteria are a fact of life. They are all over the human body, including the surface of the eyelid. Usually, they are there but don't cause an infection. Occasionally, though, the bacteria get trapped in the hair follicle of the eyelash. The oil glands are inside the hair follicles. Over the course of a few days, the glands become inflamed, typically right where the eyelash meets the eyelid. This is a stye. It looks like a red, swollen bump or a pimple because of the pus inside. A stye is usually easy to see. It is typically quite tender as well. When the pus drains, the stye normally goes away. Therefore, it is often short-lived.
