Barley
Symptoms
- Swollen, red eyelid
- Pain or sensitivity, especially when blinking
Diagnostics
Determined by routine eye examination
Treatment
- Warm compresses
- Antibiotics
- Surgical treatment
What is barley?
A blackhead is a small, painful bump that appears on the inside or outside of the eyelid. Although it can be painful, it is not worth worrying about, as a black eye is not dangerous and usually goes away on its own.
Barley is divided into several types:
- Outer barley is an acute purulent inflammation of the sebaceous or sweat gland of the eyelid margin with an eyelash follicle (sac);
- Internal barley is an acute suppurative inflammation of the eyelid cartilaginous gland and its surroundings;
- Cold barley is a chronic proliferative inflammation of the eyelid cartilaginous gland and its surroundings.
What are the symptoms of barley?
A mole on the eyelid (on the outer side) is usually a bit more painful but easier to treat. Usually, a barley appears on one eye, but it can appear on both eyes, or even several barleys on one eyelid. Their appearance can be alarming, but barley is very common and usually disappears on its own. Symptoms of barley:
- A small bump on the inside or outside of the eyelid (similar to a spot);
- Swollen, red eyelid;
- Soreness or sensitivity, especially when blinking.
What causes barley to appear?
Our eyelids contain many small glands that help keep the eye moist. Sometimes bacteria that are normally present in the skin (staphylococci) can enter one of these glands and cause an infection. Barley can also be caused by an infected eyelash follicle.
How is barley diagnosed?
Barley is diagnosed by a standard eye examination.
What help is available?
After a couple of weeks, the barley on the eye disappears on its own. However, there are some things you can do to relieve some of the symptoms.
- To reduce pain and swelling and to promote faster drainage of pus, apply a warm (for example: flannel) compress to the affected eye for about 10 minutes several times a day;
- If the pain bothers you, take paracetamol or ibuprofen as instructed in the package leaflet;
- While the scab is healing, avoid wearing contact lenses and make-up to avoid irritating the infected area;
It is important that you do not try to squeeze the barley in the eye yourself, as the infection can spread.
Take care of your eyes!
Visit your nearest Optikos pasaulio showroom or register for an ophthalmologist consultation at Familia Clinica in Vilnius (Nemenčinės pl. 4D) and get a 15% discount with your Optikos pasaulio loyalty card.
Frequently asked questions
Ar akies miežis užkrečiamas?
Miežis yra riebalinių liaukų infekcija. Nusiraminkite, pats miežis nėra užkrečiamas ir negali būti perduodamas kitam.
Kas sukelia akies miežio atsiradimą?
Miežį sukelia bakterinė infekcija, dažniausiai stafilokokas. Infekcija gali atsirasti blakstienos folikule arba akies riebalinėse liaukose.
Kokie yra pirmieji akies miežio simptomai?
Pirmieji akies miežio simptomai yra: akies voko patinimas, paraudimas, nestiprus skausmas. Taip pat nemalonus jausmas mirksint, padidėjęs jautrumas šviesai.
