Red, swollen eyelid. What can I do?

[Viriditas]

For the last 2 days the upper lid of my left eye has been hurting, right at the eyelash line. Today it is red and swollen, and the pain is worse.

I really don't want to go to the doctor. I have a high deductible insurance that only kicks in after you've spent $1,000, and I REALLY can't afford to spend $250 for a 5 minute appointment and a prescription for eye drops.

Has anyone had experience with something like this? Is there any natural remedy-type thing I can do that might help it?

[lmk1]

It may be a stye. If it is, applying warm wet compresses frequently to your eye will help heal it faster. If it becomes infected, you may need some antibiotic drops. Google "stye" for a description of the symptoms and photos that you can compare to your eye.

[neveryoumindthere]

When my eye was swollen shut I actually expressed some breastmilk, used a cloth and wiped the affected area. got better within a couple hours and by the next day was gone.

[Viriditas]

Originally Posted by neveryoumindthere

When my eye was swollen shut I actually expressed some breastmilk, used a cloth and wiped the affected area. got better within a couple hours and by the next day was gone.

Aaargh. Yesterday I was saying to dh that I wish I was still lactating so I could do this.

I didn't think it was a stye because I don't see or feel a pronounced lump. But I looked at pictures and some of them look exactly like my eyelid, so it might be. I did a hot compress last night and it seemed to help a little. This morning it is less painful, but my eye is blurry and it's a little scratchy. I read online that I can do an eyewash made from boiled coriander seeds, so I'm going to do that too.

Thanks for the help!

[Panserbjorne]

I would either get euphrasia as a crude herb (you can buy it bagged from Traditional Medicinals) and use the warm wet teabag as a compress or get homeopathic euphrasia and try using it acutely. In fact, you could do both and I probably would. If you have either on hand belladonna or apis may work as well....*if* it is warm to the touch.