Brief Answer:
Information

Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXX,

It looks like the swollen area is near the edge of the eyelid, which is typical for a stye. A stye is sort of like a pimple. There are oil glands in this part of the eyelid, and they can get clogged and infected, giving the appearance your left eye has.

Usually these go away on their own without requiring any treatment. But I recommend applying a hot (not so hot that it burns your skin) wet washcloth to the closed eyelid several times per day. The more often the better, but if you can do it 3 x/day (before work, after work, and at bedtime) that would be good.

Moist heat will increase blood circulation to the area and if the stye has some infection in it, the white blood cells will help clean that up. Also, if there is bacteria in it, the heat makes the conditions inhospitable for them to multiply. So use moist heat to help it resolve quicker. Cold will not help here. An easy way is to stand over the bathroom sink and keep rewarming the wash cloth, leaving it on the eyelid until it begins to cool, then rewarming the cloth again.

It can take a few days to weeks for it to completely resolve, but if you notice that the area is getting worse instead of better, in spite of hot wet compresses, then do go in to be seen.

I say it looks like a stye because the redness and swelling look like it is near the edge of the lid, as a bump. But if that is not the case (a good picture is hard to get) there is also the possibility that an allergen such as pollen has gotten into your eye, but usually then there is more diffuse swelling over both the upper and lower lids, rather than just in one spot.

I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information.

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