Sometimes, the bacteria causing these boils can be resistant to certain antibiotics, or a different treatment approach is needed. Yes, the new painful lump in front of your ear is very likely a swollen lymph node reacting to the infection from the recent boil near your eye; your lymph nodes often swell as they work to fight off nearby infections. I highly recommend visiting your doctor. They can swab a boil to identify the exact bacteria and prescribe the most effective antibiotic.