Pink eye is also known as conjunctivitis. It is a very common eye infection which is causing itching, swelling, redness, tearing, and slightly thick and whitish drainage. Pink eye is caused by bacteria or viruses, es and it is very contagious. It can spread from one person to another easily.
The symptoms of pink eye, which are caused by bacteria, typically clear up within ten days and without treatment. The symptoms of the viral pink eye go away after 2 – 4 weeks. During these weeks, the front of the eyes is tender and swollen, and the eyelids can itch or burn. Chronic or ongoing infections can last longer than 4 weeks.
The most common cause of pink eye is viral conjunctivitis, and usually, this condition does not need treatment. The second most common cause of pink eye is bacterial eye conjunctivitis, and those cases which are not complicated are typically resolved with prescribed topical antibodies. The most common risk factors for pink eye are using contact lenses, especially extended–wear lenses, exposure to something for which you have an allergy (allergic conjunctivitis), and exposure to someone infected with the viral or bacterial form of conjunctivitis. You need to visit your doctor if you have a pink eye because this will reduce the risk of complications. [1]
Contents
12 Home remedies for pink eye
Neem oil
This home remedy can soothe the skin and fight inflammation. It can help to reduce the symptoms of pink eye. Also, it has anti-microbial properties, which can treat bacterial conjunctivitis. You should gently apply one tablespoon of neem oil around the infected eye. You should wash it off after fifteen minutes. [2]
Holy basil
This natural cure has anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties, which can give you relief from conjunctivitis. You should use the holy basil leaves to make tea, or you can eat a few leaves directly as part of your daily routine for good eye health. [3]
Cucumber
This home remedy has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, which can reduce the symptoms of pink eye. The effect of this home remedy was not proven scientifically, but there is enough anecdotal evidence which is making us believe that cucumber can help in the treatment of the pink eye. You should cut two thin slices of cucumber and place them over your eyes. You should remove them after fifteen to twenty minutes. Also, there is another option, and that is to use two tablespoons of cucumber juice as eyewash.
Yogurt
This is a probiotic which is shown that can be an effective natural treatment for pink eye. There was one study in which was shown that people who suffer from seasonal allergic conjunctivitis have a drop in the heat, itching, and redness after they consume mandarin orange yogurt for two weeks. You should drink two bowls of yogurt each day because it will help you to reduce inflammation. [4]
Potato
This natural cure has astringent properties, which can dry, disinfect and reduce the inflammation which is caused by pink eye. You should peel a potato and then cut it into thin slices. You should place the slices on your affected eye. You should repeat it for three consecutive nights for the best results. Also, you can make a poultice by grating the potato and wrapping it in cheesecloth. You should place the poultice on the affected eye and let it stay there for at least twenty minutes to have the best results. If you are allergic to potatoes, then you should avoid this home remedy because it can worsen your condition.
Vegetable and fruit juices
You should drink raw vegetable juices that are made from spinach and carrot because it was found that they are effective in fighting conjunctivitis from within. Also, you can consume a mix of honey and Indian gooseberry juice as your natural treatment for pink eye. You should prepare mixed juice with 200 ml of spinach and 300 ml of carrot juice. You should drink a cup of this juice two times per day until the infection subsides. Also, you can add two teaspoons of honey to one cup of Indian gooseberry juice and drink it 2 times per day.
Plantain
The leaves of plantain have been used for long periods in traditional medicine to treat many different conditions in which infections are also included. The extracts of plantain have immune–boosting, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which make the plantain a very popular home remedy in folk medicine. It is known that fresh plantain leaves have soothing effects, which can help a lot during conjunctivitis. You should boil a cup of water and steep a spoon of cut plantain leaves for five to ten minutes. You should cool the tea and then use it as a compress three to four times a day. Also, you can use it as eyewash. [5]
Marigold
The watery extracts of marigold have antioxidant properties which can fight against viruses, bacteria, and inflammation. You can use marigold flowers as a compress or eyewash because they can soothe the irritation during conjunctivitis.
Also, it has cleansing and detoxifying action, which can help to people who suffer from pink eye. You should boil a cup of water and then steep one teaspoon of dried marigold flowers for five to ten minutes. You should cool this tea and then use it as a compress three to four times a day. Also, you can use it as eyewash. [6]
Fennel
The fennel extracts were traditionally used as a natural treatment for conjunctivitis and other inflammatory conditions which are affecting the eyelid. The extracts and essential oils of fennel seeds have antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, which can help to fight against the infection. You should boil a cup of water and then add one teaspoon of crushed fennel seeds to it. You should cool the tea and then use it as eyewash or compress and use it three to four times a day. [7]
Coriander
This home remedy is rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin C, which possess antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Also, it is a good disinfectant. You should use the juice of dried coriander leaves as eyewash because it can help to reduce the discharge, and it will give you relief from pain, burning, and swelling. You should take a cup of dried coriander leaves and then steep it for about five minutes in two cups of boiled water. You should strain the herbs and then cool the liquid. You should use the liquid as eyewash three times a day to reduce the pain and soothe the inflammation. [3]
Eyebright
This natural cure has been used for a long time in traditional medicine to treat pink eye and inflammatory conditions which are affecting the eyelids. It will fight against the infection, and it can dry up excess fluid. The watery solutions of this home remedy have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects.
There was one study in which it was said that the application of one drop of eyebright one to five times a day could help to improve the symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis in a period of 17 days, and this improvement was noticed in more than 95% of patients.
You should boil a cup of water and steep a teaspoon of eyebright for five to ten minutes. You should soak cotton balls, gauze pads, or a clean cloth in the cooled tea, and you should use it as a compress three to four times a day. You should take a sterile dropper or an eye – cup to use this tea as an eyewash.
Chamomile
This is one of the oldest medicinal plants in the world. It is well–documented and widely used in traditional medicine. It has astringent, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, which are the reason why chamomile has been used to treat many different health problems for centuries.
Also, it is used to treat eye infections and disorders such as blocked tear ducts and conjunctivitis. There was one study in which it was said that people who were using chamomile tea as eyewash had worsened their hay fever or allergic conjunctivitis. But if you drink this tea, then it will not aggravate this infection.
You should press cool chamomile tea bags on closed eyes for about ten minutes each, and you should repeat this process every couple of hours. Also, you can use chamomile tea to wash your eyes. To make this natural treatment, you should pour the tea into a commercially available eye–cup and then hold it to your eyes.
Also, you can soak cotton balls in the cooled chamomile tea and wipe your eyes often to keep them free of any dirt and reduce irritation. People who are prone to allergies can have some kind of reaction when chamomile is used as a topical treatment. Also, it is not recommended to treat conjunctivitis in children. [8]
References:
[1] Azari AA, Barney NP. Conjunctivitis: A systematic review of diagnosis and treatment. JAMA. 2013;310(16):1721-29.
[2] Bhowmik D, Chiranjib JY, Tripathi KK, Sampath Kumar KP. Herbal remedies of Azadirachta indica and its medicinal application. Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research. 2010;2(1):62-72.
[3] Sharma P, Singh G. A review of plant species used to treat conjunctivitis. Phytotherapy Research. 2002;16(1):1-22.
[4] Hara Y, Shiraishi A, Sakane Y, et al. Effect of mandarin orange yogurt on allergic conjunctivitis induced by conjunctival allergen challenge. Clinical and Epidemiologic Research. 2017;58:2922-29.
[5] Najafian Y, Hamedi SS, Farshchi MK, Feyzabadi Z. Plantago major in Traditional Persian Medicine and modern phytotherapy: a narrative review. Electronic Physician. 2018;10(2):6390-99.
[6] Basch E, Bent S, Foppa IM, Haskmi S. Marigold ( Calendula officinalis L.):An evidence-based systematic review by the natural standard research collaboration. Journal of Herbal Pharmacotherapy. 2006;6(3/4):135-159.
[7] Badgujar SB, Patel VV, Bandivdekar AH. Foeniculum vulgare mill: A review of its botany, phytochemistry, pharmacology, contemporary application, and toxicology. BioMed Research International. 2014;2014:842674.
[8] Srivastava JK, Shankar E, Gupta S. Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with bright future. Molecular Medicine Reports. 2010;3(6):895-901.
