Stressed Behind the Wheel: A Bus Driver’s Persistent Stye

A 60-year-old New York City bus driver was recently referred to me by a coworker who had seen me for a similar issue. He’d been struggling with a stye that just wouldn’t go away — despite warm compresses, prescription eye drops, ointments, and even oral antibiotics.

He told me his job was always stressful, but he couldn’t pinpoint any specific change that might have triggered this stye. Still, as we talked more, the timeline began to make sense.

 

The Bigger Picture: Stress and Inflammation

His stye began in early January — right around the time his inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) flared up. He also noted a flare in his psoriasis, a skin condition which also tends to resurface during periods of high stress.

These weren’t isolated medical events. They were connected — three inflammatory conditions triggered by a spike in stress.

As I asked more questions, he mentioned that one of his parents had become seriously ill about a year ago. Since then, he had taken on the role of primary caregiver, balancing that emotional and physical responsibility with his already demanding full-time job.

He wasn’t sleeping well. He felt worn down. And the symptoms were showing up everywhere — in his skin, his gut, and his eyelids.

The Link Between Stress and Styes

In my experience, stress is the number one cause of styes — more common than makeup, poor hygiene, or contact lenses.

Here’s what happens:

• Stress elevates your cortisol levels
• Cortisol thickens the oil in your eyelid glands
• Thick oil blocks the glands, leading to inflammation
• Your immune system, often weakened by stress, can’t resolve the blockage

The result? A stye that won’t go away, no matter what you put on it.

When Warm Compresses and Medications Aren’t Enough

For mild cases, warm compresses and prescription meds often help. But in patients with:

• Lingering inflammation
• High stress
• Poor sleep
• A history of chronic conditions

…the body just can’t recover on its own.

What Helped Him — and What I Recommend

In these cases, I often recommend a steroid injection directly into the stye. The procedure takes just a few seconds and in my experience, 95% of patients improve after one or two injections. 

This was my recommendation for the bus driver — and he agreed.

 

The injection worked. Within days, the swelling and discomfort were noticeably better.

 

What Comes After the Injection

After an injection, I usually tell patients:

 

• You can stop compresses, and resume all activities, no restrictions
• You can discontinue prescription drops or ointments
• Focus instead on prevention and long-term eyelid health

That’s where I recommend StyeRx products — developed specifically for patients with recurring or stress-related eyelid inflammation.

• StyeRx Topical Drops — for reducing inflammation and oil buildup
• StyeRx Foaming Cleanser — for gentle, daily eyelid hygiene and stye prevention

Many of my patients continue using one or both products at night — not just to treat, but to prevent styes before they form.

Final Thoughts

Styes may seem insignificant, but they often signal a larger underlying imbalance. In most of my patients, they’re part of a broader stress-related pattern — whether it’s poor sleep, chronic illness, or emotional strain.

If you’ve had a stye that just won’t go away — especially when you’re feeling stretched thin — don’t ignore it.

We can help.

 

Want to prevent styes before they start?

Explore our StyeRx Drops and Cleanser — physician-developed and trusted by patients across New York and beyond.