Pink eye, otherwise known as conjunctivitis, is an eye condition that is caused by several factors. It can be caused if a person has an allergy to house dust, pollen, or certain kinds of make up. It could also be caused by certain chemicals such as large amounts of chlorine in a swimming pool, tobacco smoke, or factory fumes. Bacteria can also cause pink eye. Pink eye that is caused by bacteria is very contagious, and it can be spread to other people very easily. Fortunately there are many home remedies to treat pink eye.
Homeopathy
There are several homeopathic remedies that can treat pink eye. There are homeopathic eye washes and eye drops made from chamomile or eyebright that have great results. Other homeopathic remedies include Belladonna and Pulsatilla.
Eyebright
Eyebright is an herb that you can find at farmer’s markets or in health food stores. Put one teaspoon of eyebright into one cup of boiling water, and let it steep to make a tea. Strain the tea, and let it cool. Use this as an eye wash every night, and the infection should clear up in a few days.
Pulsatilla Tablets
You can find these tablets at most health food stores. The recommendation is to take five tablets every three to four hours. The infection should get better in several days.
Boric Acid
An eye wash made with boric acid can help ease the discomfort that comes with pink eye. A boric acid eye wash helps to clean the infected eye, and it soothes the discomfort as well. You can also make a warm compress with boric acid to get some relief.
Tea
Pink eye discomfort can be eased by placing wet tea bags over the infected eye. Boil the tea bags as you normally would, and let them cool. Place the cool tea bag over the eye, and let it sit for as long as you’d like. You can also make the tea water a bit stronger than you normally would, and use an eye cup to hold the tea against the eye.
Colloidial Silver
Colloidial silver has been used for more than a hundred years, and is a natural antibiotic. Place a few drops in the infected eye and it should clear up faster.
Calendula
Antiseptic agents are great for eye irritation and helps with inflammation and itching. Calundula posses antiseptic properties and works well as an eye wash or a warm compress over the eye.
Jasmine Flowers
Put a few jasmine flowers in some distilled water, and let them soak over night. Pour the water into an eye dropper, and place a few drops in the infected eye. This works very well for pink eye, especially if the eye has a yellow discharge.
Marigold
Marigold has antiseptic properties as well as anti-inflammatory properties. A warm compress using marigold will clear out the infection and reduce any swelling of the eye.
Honey
Mix a few drops of honey with warm water, and put the mixture in the infected eye. This remedy does work, although it may burn and be a bit uncomfortable.
Saltwater
Soak a few cotton balls in boiled saltwater, and put the soaked cotton balls over the eye that is infected. You can also use a saltwater solution as an eye wash.
Chamomile
Boil water with chamomile and soak some wets cloths in the solution. Place the warm compress over the eye, and it will clear up the infection.
Certain Foods Can Help Pink Eye
There are some foods that can help speed up the healing of pink eye. Such foods include the following.
- Raw juices
- Carrots
- Spinach
- Whole milk
- Pumpkin
- Butter
- Tomatoes
- Papayas
- Mangoes
- Bananas
- Almonds
It’s best to treat pink eye right away, since it does spread very quickly from person to person. Try one of these home remedies to treat pink eye before it spreads to too many people. Make sure to wash your hands and avoid touching your eyes.
Photo by ehabkost
