What is barley? Prevention and treatment

What is barley? This is a small red painful lump at the edge of the eyelid, which may resemble a blister or pimple. Barley is usually filled with pus. A bump is able to form both on the outer and inner sides of the eyelid.

In most cases, the disease goes away on its own in a couple of days. During this time, pain and general discomfort can be alleviated by applying a warm, damp cloth to the affected eyelid.

Symptoms

Barley in the eye is quickly diagnosed by the following symptoms:

• the presence on the eyelid of a red bump that looks like a blister or pimple;
• pain syndrome;
• swelling of the eyelid;
• lacrimation.

Inflammation of the eyelid can lead to a condition such as halazion (hailstones). Chalazion is a seal that forms when one of the sebaceous glands is clogged at the edge of the eyelid, just behind the eyelashes. Unlike barley, this compaction usually does not bring pain and protrudes more from the inside of the affected eyelid. Barley and halazion are treated with similar methods.

When to see a doctor

In most cases, red painful bumps, despite the discomfort caused, do not harm the eye and do not affect the clarity of vision. Before contacting the clinic, you can try to get rid of the scourge at home. Apply a cloth moistened with warm water to the closed eyelid for 5-10 minutes several times a day and carefully massage the eyelid. Contact a specialist if:

• barley in the eye did not begin to dissolve within two days;
• redness and swelling spread beyond the borders of the eyelid and cover the cheek or other parts of the face;
• home treatment methods led to the opposite effect and only increased pain or barley itself;
• the course of the disease is complicated by fever, chills, or fever;
• there are problems with vision;
• the infection too often recurs;
• the pathology of the immune system is diagnosed (for example, with diabetes or HIV, as well as during the treatment of cancer or recovery after organ transplant surgery).

Causes

While most diseases arise for a variety of reasons (and even experts in many cases are not able to say exactly what was the prerequisite for the development of the disease), barley always develops for only one reason - due to infection of the sebaceous glands in the eyelid. Staphylococcal bacteria are the most common pathogens of such a form of inflammation as barley.

Risk factors

You are at risk if you:

• touch your eyes with unwashed hands;
• install contact lenses without first thoroughly disinfecting them or without washing your hands;
• go to bed without removing makeup from the eyes;
• Use old or expired cosmetics
• suffer from blepharitis - a chronic inflammatory process along the edge of the eyelid;
• you suffer from rosacea - a pathological condition of the skin, which is characterized by a red complexion.

Before a visit to the doctor

If barley causes severe pain or does not go away two days after the onset, consult your local GP. If such a need arises, the therapist will redirect you to a doctor specializing in the treatment of eye diseases - an ophthalmologist.

Since medical consultations are usually very limited in duration, it is better to prepare for a meeting with a specialist in advance. For this:

• make a list of symptoms you have noticed, including those that you think are not related to inflammation of the eyelids;
• record in a concise list key personal information that is potentially of interest to the doctor;
• write down all the medications, vitamins, minerals, and other dietary supplements that you currently consume;
• make a list of questions that you plan to ask your doctor.

What to ask the therapist or ophthalmologist?

If you want to know where the barley came from and how to treat it, take the following list of questions for the specialist:

• Why did barley appear on my eyelid?
• When will the pain and inflammation go away?
• Is this disease contagious?
• What diagnostic tests do I need to go through?
• What treatment methods exist and how much do they suit me?
• What are the benefits and risks of your treatment options?
• What preventive measures should be taken to avoid the occurrence of barley in the future?
• Can contact lenses continue to be worn?
• Is there an alternative to the medication you have prescribed?
• What printed materials or websites do you recommend for review?
• Do I need to come after an appointment?

Diagnostics

Given that barley is a purulent inflammation with quite noticeable manifestations, the doctor will be able to diagnose it even with a simple examination of the patient's eyelid. For a more thorough check of the diagnosis, the specialist is likely to use a special light and a magnifying device.

Treatment

In most cases, the inflammatory process on the eyelid does not require specific treatment. Barley usually passes by itself. Often cases of relapse are recorded.

If the red cone does not decrease in size, and the pain does not come to naught, the doctor can recommend the following treatment methods:

• Antibiotics . The doctor will prescribe eye drops with antibiotics or a special cream for applying to the skin of the eyelid. If these measures do not help, or if the infection spreads beyond the primary focus, the specialist will recommend taking antibiotics in the form of tablets.
• Surgery to relieve pressure. If barley does not go away on its own, the doctor will make a small incision in it to remove accumulated pus. Such surgery will speed up the healing process and soothe pain and swelling.

Halazion

If the ophthalmologist does not diagnose barley (the photo is in the article), but chalazion, for treatment, a similar method of warm compresses is first applied. Some patients receive a direct injection of an anti-inflammatory drug in the area of ​​compaction. In addition, chalazion can be removed with a simple surgery under local anesthesia. After such an operation, you may need to wear an eye patch for two days.

Home treatment

What is barley? First of all, this is one of those infections that the body is able to cope on its own. If two days have not passed since the appearance of the seal on the eyelid, and you still do not plan to go to the clinic, you can try to speed up the disappearance of barley on your own. For this:

• Leave the barley alone. Do not try to open it yourself or squeeze pus accumulated in the seal. Such actions can lead to the spread of infection.
• Carefully observe the hygiene of the century. Gently wash the affected eyelid with mild soap and water.
• Apply a cloth moistened with warm water to your closed eye. To relieve pain, wet a clean cloth or napkin in warm water. Squeeze it and put it on your closed eye. Once the material is cool, re-wet the cloth. Keep a warm compress for 5-10 minutes, then gently massage the eyelid. Repeating this procedure two to three times a day will help the barley to resolve on its own.
• As an alternative method, instead of a warm cloth or napkin, compresses from warm tea bags are used. It is better to choose green tea, since the substances contained in it have antibacterial properties and will partially help relieve inflammation and pain characteristic of such an infectious disease as barley. How to treat it with tea? The method is as simple as the previous one. Boil water and put the tea bag in a cup. Brew tea and let it brew for one minute. Then take out the bag and wait until it cools sufficiently so that it can be put on the eye. Keep the compress on the affected eyelid for about 5-10 minutes. Use separate bags for each century.
• Keep your eyes clean. Do not apply cosmetics on the eye until the inflammation has completely subsided.
• Avoid using contact lenses. Microorganisms that can lead to infection of the eyelid are often found on contact lenses. Try to stop wearing lenses until the barley heals completely.
• If the soreness of the reddened seal is a big concern, you can take any painkiller drug that is sold in a pharmacy without a doctor’s prescription. Safe medicines include, for example, ibuprofen and acetaminophen. To reduce the symptoms of unpleasant symptoms, follow the instructions for use and carefully check the correct dosage.

Prevention

To prevent infectious eye diseases:

• Wash your hands. Wash your hands regularly (several times a day) with warm water and soap, or use a special alcohol-based disinfectant. Try not to touch your eyes with your hands.
• Use caution when using cosmetics. You can reduce the risk of contracting eye infections and prevent relapse if you discard old cosmetics on time. You should not share mascara, eye shadow, eyeliner and other means with other people. Doctors also do not recommend leaving makeup overnight - remove it every night with cotton pads and specially designed fluids or lotions.
• Apply warm compresses. If your eyelid has already become inflamed, and you know well what barley is, put warm compresses on your eyes from time to time - this will help to avoid a new infection.
• Treat blepharitis. If you are diagnosed with blepharitis, follow the doctor’s instructions and be sure to treat the disease.

Eyelid hygiene

If an infectious disease recurs regularly, you may need to take enhanced hygiene measures for your eyelids. Barley, the prevention of which is always much easier than treatment, develops as a result of infection with harmful microorganisms. This means that to prevent frequent relapses, you will need to regularly exfoliate bacteria and dead skin cells from the surface of the eyelids that feed on the causative agents of the infection. Add a few drops of mild baby shampoo to a glass of warm water and stir. Using a cotton pad or a clean cloth, gently treat the base of the eyelashes of each eye with the resulting soap solution while keeping the eyelids closed. If you don’t have time to make a solution, you can take an undiluted baby shampoo and wipe your eyes closed with a dampened cloth immediately while taking a morning or evening shower. This procedure takes only a minute, but soon you will be able to forget what barley is.

The development of hypersensitivity in a separate part of the eyelid, covering several eyelashes, may indicate an early infection. As soon as you notice a similar sign of barley, begin to apply warm compresses to the eyelid - they will help prevent the further spread of the disease and clogging of the sebaceous glands. If barley in your case is associated with rosacea, consult a dermatologist for additional advice.