A sty is an infection or inflammation of the glands in the eyelid. Most of the time, the infection starts as a blockage of the glands. While the glands are blocked, the bacteria is allowed to accumulate in the blockage.

The best way to prevent a sty is to prevent the blockage in the first place. Good handwashing is a great start, as is washing your face well. If you are prone to getting a sty, it is a good idea to apply a warm washcloth (or warm water) to your eyelids when you wake up. This allows the secretions in the glands to move around and thereby helps to prevent a blockage.

The other common cause of a sty is cosmetic products, especially eye products. Eye products should not be used for more than 3 months to prevent bacteria from growing in the container. If you do get a sty or other eye infection, the eye product should be thrown away and you should not use the new product until the infection has cleared up.