You should never burst a stye, this will spread the infection and may cause other complications.

The stye will usually disappear or break on its own.

If it breaks, careful treatment will help prevent another infection. Carefully bathe the eye with cooled freshly boiled water to clean it of all the infected material.

If the symptoms persist despite treatment the patient should visit their general practitioner or optician.

More information about styes can be found in our dedicated guide.