Evgeniya Gaeva
Do not be ill!
Barley (the scientific name is hordeolum) is an acute inflammatory process in the hair follicle of the eyelash or in the sebaceous gland located at the edge of the eyelid. The swelling on the eyelid has a rounded shape, resembling a grain – hence the name.
Each of us in our lives at least once faced with the appearance of such an ailment as barley, and someone suffers from it regularly. What does the appearance of barley on the eye say, how to treat it and prevent its reappearance – we are figuring it out right now.
Causes of barley
At first glance, barley is a harmless sore: it does not bother you much and passes quite quickly. However, barley that suddenly jumps out on the eye can signal a decrease in the functioning of the immune system. Often, it is against the background of a decrease in the protective properties of the body that bacteria, viruses and parasites are activated, which have not made themselves felt for a long time.
Barley is caused by a bacterial infection, in 90-95% of cases by Staphylococcus aureus. Penetrating into the structure of the hair follicle, it causes an inflammatory process and suppuration, as a reaction to a pathogenic microorganism.
Risk factors can also be: diabetes mellitus, helminthic invasions, furunculosis, hypovitaminosis, chronic inflammatory processes and weak immunity. Often, barley occurs after an acute respiratory viral infection, against the background of a weakened body.
Barley happens:
- External – it is easy to recognize by the appearance of a red tubercle on the lash line;
- Internal (meibomite) – is formed on the inside of the eyelid as a result of purulent inflammation of the meibomian glands and is much less common.
Barley: symptoms
Pain, itching, redness of the skin and swelling are the first signs of a stye. Then a nodule forms on the skin, which protrudes outward or into the region of the back of the eyelid. Over several days, swelling can increase and spread throughout the eyelid. The stage of suppuration lasts approximately 2-3 days.
During this time, the pus approaches the edge of the eyelid, and after three days, breaks through – after which the inflammation quickly subsides. Sometimes inflammation can last up to 7 days.
In advanced cases, the disease is accompanied by headache, fever, inflammation of the lymph nodes. Barley can also cause complications in the form of chalazion – inflammation of the cartilage around the meibomian gland, which significantly delays the healing process and forces the patient to undergo regular examinations by an ophthalmologist.
Symptoms:
- Redness, itching, soreness of the eyelid;
- The appearance of edema on the eyelid;
- discharge from the eye;
- Unpleasant sensations when blinking;
- Feeling of sand or foreign body in the eye;
- The formation of purulent crusts at the edge of the eyelid.
How to treat barley on the eye
Since barley is caused by various bacteria, with this disease, antibiotics are preferred – drops or ointments. With external barley on the eye, as a rule, conservative treatment is sufficient, and with internal barley, surgery may be necessary.
Medicines
Suitable eye ointments: “Floxal”, “Maxidex”, “Tetracycline ointment”, “Levomekol”, “Eubetal”, “Tobrex”. As a rule, they are laid at night, as they can reduce the quality of vision.
All funds are aimed at accelerating the process of pus release.
Folk remedies
For the treatment of barley, you can make lotions from aloe juice diluted with water 1 to 10. Such lotions are recommended to be done every 6 hours. In order for the barley to dissolve faster, you can apply a compress from a solution of chamomile.
The most popular way to treat barley on the eye at home is to use black tea brewing. It is recommended to apply a cotton pad soaked in tea leaves to the sore spot three times a day.
Important! Folk remedies have no proven effectiveness and in some cases can even aggravate the situation.
Prevention of barley
In order to prevent the development of barley, you must follow simple hygiene rules:
- Wash hands thoroughly with soap;
- Do not touch your eyes with dirty hands;
- Wash off decorative cosmetics before going to bed;
- Wash your eyes in the morning and evening;
- Avoid hypothermia and prolonged stay in dusty places.
