Appendix 1. CENTRAL search strategy

#1 MeSH descriptor Hordeolum explode all trees
#2 (Hordeol* or stye or styes)
#3 MeSH descriptor Eye explode all trees
#4 (sty)
#5 (#3 AND #4)
#6 MeSH descriptor Meibomian Glands explode all trees
#7 (Meibomian* adj3 (gland* or cyst* or infection* or inflammat*))
#8 (tarsal adj3 (gland* or cyst* or infection* or inflammat*))
#9 (palpebral adj3 (gland* or cyst* or infection* or inflammat*))
#10 (conjunctiv* adj3 (gland* or cyst*))
#11 (gland* adj5 (zeis* or Moll*))
#12 (lid* or eyelid* or "eye margin") adj3 inflammat*
#13 (lid* or eyelid* or "eye margin") adj3 infection*
#14 (#1 OR #2 OR #5 OR #6 OR #7 OR #8 OR #9 OR #10 OR #11 OR #12 OR #13)

Appendix 2. MEDLINE Ovid search strategy

1. Randomized Controlled Trial.pt.
2. Controlled Clinical Trial.pt.
3. (randomized or randomised).ab,ti.
4. placebo.ab,ti.
5. drug therapy.fs.
6. randomly.ab,ti.
7. trial.ab,ti.
8. groups.ab,ti.
9. 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 or 8
10. exp animals/ not humans.sh.
11. 9 not 10
12. exp hordeolum/
13. (Hordeol* or stye or styes).tw.
14. sty.tw.
15. exp eyes/
16. 14 and 15
17. exp meibomian glands/
18. (Meibomian* adj3 (gland* or cyst* or inflammat* or infection*)).tw.
19. (tarsal adj3 (gland* or cyst* or inflammat* or infection*)).tw.
20. (palpebral adj3 (gland* or cyst* or inflammat* or infection*)).tw.
21. (conjunctiv* adj3 (gland* or cyst*)).tw.
22. (gland* adj5 (zeis* or Moll*)).tw.
23. ((lid* or eyelid* or eye margin) adj3 inflammat*).tw.
24. ((lid* or eyelid* or eye margin) adj3 infection*).tw.
25. 12 or 13 or 16 or 17 or 18 or 19 or 20 or 21 or 22 or 23 or 24
26. 11 and 25

The search filter for trials at the beginning of the MEDLINE strategy is from the published paper by Glanville 2006.

Appendix 3. Embase.com search strategy

#1 'randomized controlled trial'/exp
#2 'randomization'/exp
#3 'double blind procedure'/exp
#4 'single blind procedure'/exp
#5 random*:ab,ti
#6 #1 OR #2 OR #3 OR #4 OR #5
#7 'animal'/exp OR 'animal experiment'/exp
#8 'human'/exp
#9 #7 AND #8
#10 #7 NOT #9
#11 #6 NOT #10
#12 'clinical trial'/exp
#13 (clin* NEAR/3 trial*):ab,ti
#14 ((singl* OR doubl* OR trebl* OR tripl*) NEAR/3 (blind* OR mask*)):ab,ti
#15 'placebo'/exp
#16 placebo*:ab,ti
#17 random*:ab,ti
#18 'experimental design'/exp
#19 'crossover procedure'/exp
#20 'control group'/exp
#21 'latin square design'/exp
#22 #12 OR #13 OR #14 OR #15 OR #16 OR #17 OR #18 OR #19 OR #20 OR #21
#23 #22 NOT #10
#24 #23 NOT #11
#25 'comparative study'/exp
#26 'evaluation'/exp
#27 'prospective study'/exp
#28 control*:ab,ti OR prospectiv*:ab,ti OR volunteer*:ab,ti
#29 #25 OR #26 OR #27 OR #28
#30 #29 NOT #10
#31 #30 NOT (#11 OR #23)
#32 #11 OR #24 OR #31
#33 'hordeolum'/exp
#34 hordeol*:ab,ti OR stye:ab,ti OR styes:ab,ti
#35 sty:ab,ti
#36 'eye'/exp
#37 #35 AND #36
#38 'meibomian gland'/exp
#39 (meibomian* NEAR/3 (gland* OR cyst* OR inflammat* OR infection*)):ab,ti
#40 (tarsal NEAR/3 (gland* OR cyst* OR inflammat* OR infection*)):ab,ti
#41 (palpebral NEAR/3 (gland* OR cyst* OR inflammat* OR infection*)):ab,ti
#42 (conjunctiv* NEAR/3 (gland* OR cyst*)):ab,ti
#43 (gland* NEAR/5 (zeis* OR moll*)):ab,ti
#44 ((lid* OR eyelid* OR 'eye margin') NEAR/3 inflammat*):ab,ti
#45 ((lid* OR eyelid* OR 'eye margin') NEAR/3 infection*):ab,ti
#46 #33 OR #34 OR #37 OR #38 OR #39 OR #40 OR #41 OR #42 OR #43 OR #44 OR #45
#47 #32 AND #46

Appendix 4. PubMed search strategy

1. ((randomized controlled trial[pt]) OR (controlled clinical trial[pt]) OR (randomised[tiab] OR randomized[tiab]) OR (placebo[tiab]) OR (drug therapy[sh]) OR (randomly[tiab]) OR (trial[tiab]) OR (groups[tiab])) NOT (animals[mh] NOT humans[mh])
2. (Hordeol*[tw] OR stye[tw] OR styes[tw]) NOT Medline[sb]
3. (Meibomian*[tw] AND (gland*[tw] OR cyst*[tw] OR infection*[tw] OR inflammat*[tw])) NOT Medline[sb]
4. (tarsal[tw] AND (gland*[tw] OR cyst*[tw] OR infection*[tw] OR inflammat*[tw])) NOT Medline[sb]
5. (palpebral[tw] AND (gland*[tw] OR cyst*[tw] OR infection*[tw] OR inflammat*[tw])) NOT Medline[sb]
6. (conjunctiv*[tw] AND (gland*[tw] OR cyst*[tw])) NOT medline[sb]
7. (gland*[tw] AND (zeis*[tw] OR Moll*[tw])) NOT Medline[sb]
8. ((lid*[tw] OR eyelid*[tw] OR "eye margin"[tw]) AND inflammat*[tw]) NOT Medline[sb]
9. ((lid*[tw] OR eyelid*[tw] OR "eye margin"[tw]) AND infection*[tw]) NOT Medline[sb]
10. (#2 OR #3 OR #4 OR #5 OR #6 OR #7 OR #8 OR #9)
11. #1 AND #10

Appendix 5. LILACS search strategy

MH:C01.252.354.400$ OR MH:C01.539.375.354.400$ OR MH:C11.294.354.400$ OR MH:C11.338.648$ OR Hordeol$ OR stye OR styes OR sty OR MH:A09.371.337.614$ OR MH:A10.336.827.600$ OR Meibomian$ OR (Tarsal gland$) OR (tarsal cyst$) OR (tarsal inflammat$) OR (tarsal infection$) OR (palpebral gland$) OR (palpebral cyst$) OR (palpebral inflammat$) OR (palpebral infection$) OR (conjunctiv$ AND gland$) OR (conjunctiv$ AND cyst$) OR (zeis$ AND gland$) OR (moll$ AND gland$) OR (Eyelid$ AND inflammat$) OR (Eyelid$ AND infection$)

Appendix 6. metaRegister of Controlled Trials search strategy

Hordeolum OR hordeola OR stye OR styes OR sty OR Meibomian OR Eyelid inflammation

Appendix 7. ClinicalTrials.gov search strategy

Hordeolum OR Meibomian OR Eyelid inflammation OR Tarsal gland OR tarsal cyst OR tarsal inflammation or tarsal infection OR palpebral gland OR palpebral cyst OR palpebral inflammation OR palpebral infection OR conjunctiva gland OR conjunctiva cyst

Appendix 8. ICTRP search strategy

Hordeolum OR hordeola OR stye OR styes OR Meibomian OR Eyelid inflammation OR Tarsal gland$ OR tarsal cyst$ OR tarsal inflammation or tarsal infection$ OR palpebral gland$ OR palpebral cyst$ OR palpebral inflammation OR palpebral infection$ OR conjunctiva  gland$  OR conjunctiva cyst$