# I have a stye on my eye the size of an ardvark. Tell me your home remidies PLEESE! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 4, 2003, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-stye-on-my-eye-the-size-of-an-ardvark-tell-me-your-home-remidies-pleese/179633 "2003-06-04T16:37:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-stye-on-my-eye-the-size-of-an-ardvark-tell-me-your-home-remidies-pleese/179633/1 "2003-06-04T16:37:45Z")
That’s about it. Advark sized stye - any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. 😉 \<—Me with the stye. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-stye-on-my-eye-the-size-of-an-ardvark-tell-me-your-home-remidies-pleese/179633/2 "2003-06-04T16:57:53Z")
The safe, Doc approved way- is a hot compress, until it drains. However, I tweezer out the central hair, which does the same thing, faster- but not as safe and approved. Or, squeeze the damn thing with said tweezers, which hurts like HELL. Try the compress first. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-stye-on-my-eye-the-size-of-an-ardvark-tell-me-your-home-remidies-pleese/179633/3 "2003-06-04T16:59:16Z")
Aardvark. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-stye-on-my-eye-the-size-of-an-ardvark-tell-me-your-home-remidies-pleese/179633/4 "2003-06-04T17:05:40Z")
Right. Due to the swelling in my eye I couldn’t see that first “A”. Really. I think I’ll try the hot compress route first - there doesn’t appear to be a hair… ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-stye-on-my-eye-the-size-of-an-ardvark-tell-me-your-home-remidies-pleese/179633/5 "2003-06-04T17:06:59Z")
alice, I just got over a bout of blepharitis. It sucks like hell. My doctor advised me to place warm compresses on the eye for five minutes several times a day. ---
**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-stye-on-my-eye-the-size-of-an-ardvark-tell-me-your-home-remidies-pleese/179633/6 "2003-06-04T17:09:05Z")
Make the compresses just on the verge of uncomfortably hot, and still kinda moist. Replace them as soon as they start to cool. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-stye-on-my-eye-the-size-of-an-ardvark-tell-me-your-home-remidies-pleese/179633/7 "2003-06-04T17:18:03Z")
My doc also suggested I cleanse the eyelid with baby shampoo, too. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-stye-on-my-eye-the-size-of-an-ardvark-tell-me-your-home-remidies-pleese/179633/8 "2003-06-04T20:12:57Z")
Will it fit into your pants? ---
**Author:** ![roadrunner70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@roadrunner70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roadrunner70)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-stye-on-my-eye-the-size-of-an-ardvark-tell-me-your-home-remidies-pleese/179633/9 "2003-06-04T20:18:12Z")
Damn you, Zebra. ---
**Author:** ![Kyann22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a4c791/32.png) [@Kyann22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyann22)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-stye-on-my-eye-the-size-of-an-ardvark-tell-me-your-home-remidies-pleese/179633/10 "2003-06-04T20:37:38Z")
If I remember correctly, my mom dissolved some Epson salts in warm water and made a compress for me to put on my eye. It appears from the above advice that maybe just the hot/warm compress will do. I feel for you. I know how irritating those things can be. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-stye-on-my-eye-the-size-of-an-ardvark-tell-me-your-home-remidies-pleese/179633/11 "2003-06-04T20:56:29Z")
☹ It’s throbbing and itchy right now, and I’m at work so I can’t very well lean back and slap a compress on it. BAH! Stupid Aardvark Sized Stye!! ---
**Author:** ![Iteki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/eada6e/32.png) [@Iteki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iteki)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-stye-on-my-eye-the-size-of-an-ardvark-tell-me-your-home-remidies-pleese/179633/12 "2003-06-04T20:57:21Z")
Have none of you heard of the wonder that is tea-bags? Tea-bag your eye (hahah, not like that you dirty git!). Make a cup of tea, squeeze tea-bag lightly to remove excess fluid, let cool a little, lie down with tea-bag on eye. Fixed. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-stye-on-my-eye-the-size-of-an-ardvark-tell-me-your-home-remidies-pleese/179633/13 "2003-06-04T21:03:54Z")
I have heard that **Iteki** - but again, I’m at my office - I suppose I could stretch out on my desk… ---
**Author:** ![Iteki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/eada6e/32.png) [@Iteki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iteki)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-stye-on-my-eye-the-size-of-an-ardvark-tell-me-your-home-remidies-pleese/179633/14 "2003-06-04T21:33:03Z")
Could go for the pirate-look and give it a good squeeze and then tie a piece of string around your head holding it in place. I have done that before. It feels a bit dorkey but everyone at my workplace understood, and I had no customer contact 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-stye-on-my-eye-the-size-of-an-ardvark-tell-me-your-home-remidies-pleese/179633/15 "2003-06-04T21:39:52Z")
Humm - I suppose that might go well with my very big pants… ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-stye-on-my-eye-the-size-of-an-ardvark-tell-me-your-home-remidies-pleese/179633/16 "2003-06-04T21:46:44Z")
The Epsom salt idea would basically produce Magnesium sulphate (Mag Sulph) paste. The sutff uis very very good for boils/abcesses. I might be scared of it getting into the eye though. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-stye-on-my-eye-the-size-of-an-ardvark-tell-me-your-home-remidies-pleese/179633/17 "2003-06-05T00:25:06Z")
Well, I’ve been trying the compress. I don’t think anything is happening… ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-stye-on-my-eye-the-size-of-an-ardvark-tell-me-your-home-remidies-pleese/179633/18 "2003-06-05T01:40:09Z")
Isn’t a boric acid eyewash the classic remedy? ---
**Author:** ![bwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@bwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bwk)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-stye-on-my-eye-the-size-of-an-ardvark-tell-me-your-home-remidies-pleese/179633/19 "2003-06-05T04:26:18Z")
If you want a hot/warm compress, my eye doctor told me to boil an egg, and then wrap it damp in a washcloth (still in the shell). This makes a nice warm compress that stays warm for a long while. And is a nice size. Of course you can’t do this at work, but maybe once you get home. And then later on you can make a dessert with the rest of the eggs. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-stye-on-my-eye-the-size-of-an-ardvark-tell-me-your-home-remidies-pleese/179633/20 "2003-06-05T04:41:07Z")
Hot shower, rum, squeeze. Rinse and repeat. It might take a few days. I did this last year (even went to ER because it never occurred to me that such a giant could be just a sty). Good luck! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-stye-on-my-eye-the-size-of-an-ardvark-tell-me-your-home-remidies-pleese/179633.md?page=2)