Eyelid still pink 8 weeks after a stye...

I had a very bad stye about 8 weeks ago. I was put on antibiotic ointment and then oral antibiotics for it. My eyelid began to look and feel much better after that, but my eyelid is still pink 8 weeks after I had this stye. My optometrist referred me to an ophthalmologist who basically told me that there was nothing wrong with my eye (he said the tissue looked normal under my lid and that there was no chalazion for them to drain) and just prescribed an antibiotic ointment with a steroid in it and said that hopefully that would clear up the rest of the redness. Well I've been using the steroid ointment for about two weeks and my lid is still pink. It also feels raw and gets red after if I touch it or when I wash my face. I can't put any eye makeup on it without it feeling irritated either. I'm trying to decide if I should go in for a second opinion from someone else or if my eyelid is just doomed to be irritated. Any ideas? Thanks!

[Houman Vosoghi, MD]

Try alternating warm and ice compresses on it at different times of day for a few days and see if it makes a difference.  Otherwise, get the second opinion and see what they say.  It is unusual to have permanent color change with a stye but it is possible.  More likely, it will eventually clear up as long as you keep the oil glands clear using warm compresses and lid hygiene.  The longest I've seen it take to return to normal is about six months.

HV