Do you ever feel an overwhelming itchy, burning feeling in the eyes and ever your eyes stuck shut? This all may be caused by the discharge that’s accumulates during pink eyes. Don’t ever get confused between conjunctivitis and pink eye term both are the same thing, sometimes inflammation gives the eye a pink or reddish color.
What is the Conjunctivitis?
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Conjunctivitis is none other than the pink eye is redness and inflammation of the transparent membrane covering the eyeball inside of the eyelid and white part of the eyeball. This inflammation causes the blood vessels more visible in the periphery part of the eyeball and gives the eye a pink or reddish color. The conjunctivitis infection diffuses dilation of conjunctival vessels with redness that tends to be maximal peripherally.
Signs and Symptoms of Conjunctivitis
The symptoms of conjunctivitis may be varying depending on the significances and type of pink eye you have. The symptom of infectious start to begin in one eye but allergic pink eye usually involves both eyes at the same time. It causes mild discomfort rather than pain.
- Redness of the eye maximally at the periphery
- Swollen, red eyelids
- Lots of tearing
- Itching and burning eyes
- Watery thick may be yellow, white and green drainage from the eye
- Crusty eyelids
- Sensitivity towards to light and sun
- Feeling something glittery in the eye
- Temporary mild blurring due to discharge
Causes of Conjunctivitis
It can be difficult to find out the exact cause of conjunctivitis because the same sign and symptoms or reddish appearance of the eye may be developed in subconjunctival hemorrhage, corneal infection, acute iritis, and acute angle-closure glaucoma but usually conjunctivitis may be developed from:
- Bacterial Infection
- Viral Infection
- Allergens such as Dust, Pollen Grains
- Chemical Agents
- Irritants like Smog or Chlorine in Swimming Pool, Shampoo & Perfume Spray.
- The Underlying disease also plays a vital role.
Home Remedies to Treat Conjunctivitis or Pink Eye Naturally
The bacterial and viral conjunctivitis is contagious. It’s easily spread the infection by sharing the same towel, coughing, and sneezing. But allergic and chemically conjunctivitis is not contagious. If you have a bacterial or viral infection than try to stay out from college, school, and office till you recover from conjunctivitis.
Honey
As you heard early “Honey is a good salve for sore eyes” said by Aristotle. It sounds almost too ancient for a remedy you won’t put sweet sticky stuff into your eyes are the usual reaction we get from most of the people.
It is proving effective for open wounds, cuts, infected skin and eye infection for its antimicrobial properties. It is believed that honey is better natural eye drop than artificial tears. Antioxidant and osmotic properties of honey make it more effective to cure eye infection.
How to Use: Dissolved ¼ teaspoon raw honey and optional salt in ¼ cup pure lukewarm water and mix it well. With the help of a clean dropper, place 1-2 drops in each eye every few hours as needed.
Colloidal Silver
Colloidal silver is effective to treat viral and bacterial infection. The use of silver solution for eye infection is nothing new in market, but silver nitrate solution is the combo of silver and nitric acid which causes more irritation while colloidal silver contains only silver particles suspended in water that’s why causes less irritation as compared to silver nitrate.
How to Use: Use colloidal silver solution as an eye drop 1-2 drops 3 to 4 times a day to treat conjunctivitis easily.
Breast Milk
Breast milk also called as colostrum contains antibody called immunoglobulin A, which prevents bacteria from attaching to the mucosal surface of the eye and prevents the bacteria to build up their colony by limit the growth of the bacteria, helping to cure the eye infection.
How to Use: Take a ¼ tablespoon of breast milk, place a few drops onto the surface of the eye and slightly lift the upper eyelids to help the breast milk circulate underneath. Repeat this treatment 3 times a day for a few days to get back healthy eye.
Saltwater Wash
Wash the eye surface with sterile salt water 3-4 times daily may give additional relief from the eye infection.
How to Use: Take a glass of cold water and 1 tablespoon of salt and mix it well. The saline water solution helps to get rid redness and itching.
Raw Potatoes
Fresh slices of cold, raw potatoes are also said to be effective to cure eye infection.
How to Use: Cut the raw potatoes into 3-4 slices and put it in a freeze to get cold for some time then put the slices on to your eye surface and leave it for 30 minutes. Repeat the process 2-3 times a day.
Other Ways to Take Care of Pink Eye at Home
- Rinse your eyes with cold to lukewarm water at least 2-3 minutes can help to relieve the discomfort.
- If you have allergic conjunctivitis than stop rubbing your eyes because it can worsen your infection.
- If you have conjunctivitis in one eye than avoid touching both eyes with same hand or tissue to reduce the risk of spreading the infection from one eye to another one.
- To relieve the discomfort associated with conjunctivitis, start to use either cold or warm compress- you can use a soft moist hand towel and keep it on your closed eyelids 3-4 times a day.
- Cold compress help to get rid of itching and inflammation.
- The sticky buildup of discharge on the eyelids and or crust that forms on your eyelashes can be reduced by a warm compress.
- Stop wearing contact lenses if you have or make sure to clean before starting to wear again.
- Stop wearing eye makeup till the infection or throw out old makeup and get new makeup once you get healthy eyes again.
Allergic Conjunctivitis or Pink Eyes Treatment
- If you have allergic conjunctivitis than stop to go out at the time when pollen and ragweed’s level are high.
- When we are exposed to allergen’s, our body starts to release a chemical known as histamine, causing redness, inflammation, and itching in the eye that time doctor suggests us to take antihistamine medication to get fast relief from allergic conjunctivitis.
- Use allergy eye drops.
- Use lubricating eye drops (artificial tears)
Bacterial and Viral Conjunctivitis Treatment
As I already mentioned that a viral pink eye has no cure it will cure automatically within 1 week.
Bacterial conjunctivitis causes more pain as compared to viral conjunctivitis usually, it produces more pus or mucus than viral pink eye.
So to reduce the risk of spreading infection you need to do is:
- Use the lubricating eye drops at least 3-4 times a day.
- Put warm or cold washcloths on your eyelids for a few minutes.
- Use different hand towels for each to reduce the risk of spreading infection from one eye to another.
- Protect your eyes from direct contact with sunlight by wearing goggles all day long.
How to Stop Spreading Conjunctivitis
- Use a fresh towel every time.
- Change pillowcase or bed sheet every day.
- Wash hand with lukewarm water after touching your eyes.
- Avoid wearing contact lenses until you get back healthy eyes.
- Start to wear goggles for a few days to protect your eyes from sun and others.
Conclusion
As to last I will say always keep in mind that “prevention is better than cure”. It’s better to be safe than being sorry, sometimes don’t treat conjunctivitis infection gets worse with time. Conjunctivitis is more like the common cold, spreads very easily from one eye to other or we can say from one person to another person.
You all need to do is keep your hand cleans; wash them properly, especially when you touch the eye and area around it. Even infection can enter in the body through mouth and nose so try to avoid share clothes, towels, pillowcases and handkerchiefs with others. Stop using other people’s eye drops and cosmetics particularly mascara, eyeliner, and kajal.
If you get redeye or pinkeye than stay away from school, college and office for a few days because once pinkeye comes down, it can be easily spread to others. Most people have specific worriers about conjunctivitis but don’t worry conjunctivitis doesn’t affect your cornea and pupil.
