Hordeolum and Stye in Emergency Medicine Workup

  • Author: Michael J Bessette, MD, FACEP; Chief Editor: Rick Kulkarni, MD   more...
 
Updated: Apr 4, 2012
 

Laboratory Studies

  • No laboratory studies are indicated for hordeolum.
  • Colonization with noninvasive bacteria is common, and bacterial cultures of material from the area generally do not correlate with clinical improvement.
  • Conjunctival bacteria culture results are positive in as many as 70% of asymptomatic persons with a hordeolum. S aureus is the most likely organism discovered, but cultures of the eyelid are more likely to obtain Staphylococcus epidermidis. For this reason, eye cultures are of little clinical value.
  • Blood tests are of no value in a simple hordeolum, but generalized eyelid cellulitis requires a more complete evaluation. If the infection is not well localized, a CBC and blood culture are required, and ophthalmologic consultation is indicated.
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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Michael J Bessette, MD, FACEP  Director of Emergency Medicine, Jersey City Medical Center

Michael J Bessette, MD, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Robin R Hemphill, MD, MPH  Associate Professor, Director, Quality and Safety, Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine

Robin R Hemphill, MD, MPH is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

Douglas Lavenburg, MD  Clinical Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Christiana Care Health Systems

Douglas Lavenburg, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

John D Halamka, MD, MS  Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Rick Kulkarni, MD  Attending Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Cambridge Health Alliance, Division of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School

Rick Kulkarni, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Association, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: WebMD Salary Employment

References

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  10. Olson MD. The common stye [published erratum appears in J Sch Health 1991 Mar;61(3):138]. J Sch Health. Feb 1991;61(2):95-7. [Medline].

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Hordeolum pointing internally
Internal side of the same hordeolum
 
 
 
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