Eye Infection

Eye infection, Conjunctivitis, Pink eye, Eye redness.

Root Cause of Disease

Your eyes can get infections from bacteria, fungi, or viruses. Eye infections can occur in different parts of the eye and can affect just one eye or both. Two common eye infections are: 

• Conjunctivitis: also known as pink eye. Conjunctivitis is often due to an infection. Children frequently get it, and it is very contagious.
• Stye: a bump on the eyelid that happens when bacteria from your skin get into the hair follicle of an eyelash.

Symptoms

You may have symptoms in one or both eyes when you have an infection. Look out for this kind of trouble:

How your eye feels. You may notice problems like:

• Pain or discomfort
• Feeling that something’s on or in your eye
• Burning in your eyes
• Small, painful lump under your eyelid or at the base of your eyelashes
• Eyelid is tender when you touch it
• Eyes won’t stop tearing up
• Irritation in your eyes

Causes

The most common causes of conjunctivitis (pink eye) are

• Viruses
• Bacteria
• Allergens

Other causes include:

• Chemicals
• Contact lens wear
• Foreign bodies in the eye (like a loose eyelash)
• Indoor and outdoor air pollution caused, for example, by smoke, dust, fumes, or chemical vapors
• Fungi
• Amoeba and parasites

It can be difficult to determine the exact cause of conjunctivitis because some symptoms may be the same no matter the cause.

Home Remedies to treat Eye Infections

Remedy – 1: Use a cold compress

Procedure:

• soak a clean washcloth or hand towel in cold water and 
• wringing out any excess water. They can then hold the cloth over the affected eye for a few minutes.
• Do it for at least 5 mins.

If an infection is the cause of pink eye, it is important not to reuse the washcloth. Doing so may spread the infection to the other eye or to other household members. Instead, a person should use a clean washcloth for each compress and launder used washcloths in hot water.

Remedy – 2: Wash warm cloth

Procedure:

• Wash a cloth in warm water.
• Now put the cloth in hot clean pan and 
• Apply the hot cloth on the eye.
• This gives relief to the pink eye.

Castor Oil improves blood circulation and helps decrease the bacterial infection on the affected eye area.

Remedy- 3: Castor Oil

Materials: Castor oil

Some animal studies have found that ricinoleic acid in castor oil, which has anti-inflammatory properties, can help to reduce the swelling of the eyes. The castor oil can lubricate your eyes, which can help to alleviate any irritation. You need to apply castor oil around your eyes (the castor oil needs to be 100% organic, cold-pressed, hexane-free). 

Procedure:

• Then, soak a sterile washcloth in warm water and put it over your eyelids. 
• Let it stay there for about ten minutes. 
• You need this natural treatment for about 10 minutes

Other Remedies

Lemon juice

In some cases, allergic reactions to substances or a change in the weather can cause eye infections to flare up. Lemon juice has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties which can help in the fight against eye infections and their symptoms. But, there are not enough studies to approve or disapprove of this, so you need to talk with your doctor before you use this home remedy for your eye infection. You need to extract the juice from a ½ ripe lemon. Then, add it to a glass of warm water and mix it well and drink it up. You should drink this juice once per day.

Turmeric

The main component of turmeric is curcumin. It is a bioactive compound. It has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, which can help to alleviate the symptoms associated with eye infections. There needs to be a lot more studies to approve the therapeutic properties for infected eyes, but initial studies have shown promising results. This means that turmeric can be a good home remedy for eye infections.

Honey

Honey has been used to treat eye infections, like keratoconjunctivitis, keratitis, and blepharitis for ages. Honey has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties which can help to alleviate eye infections. Firstly, boil a cup of water and add a few drops of honey to it. Then, stir it well and allow it to cool down. You should use a sterilized drop to put a drop in each eye. Then, wash it with water after 5 minutes. You should do this natural treatment two to three times per day.

Preventions

• Don’t touch your eyes with your hands.
• Wash your hands often.
• Use a clean towel and washcloth daily.
• Don’t share towels or washcloths.
• Change your pillowcases often.
• Throw away old eye cosmetics, such as mascara.
• Don’t share eye cosmetics or personal eye care items.

Ayurvedic medications at home:

• Mix Triphala Churna (15gm) in water (200ml) for half an hour and then boil it and filter it. This produces Triphala Lotion which can be used to wash the eyes for about 3-4 times in a day.
• Wash your eyes with freshly prepared coriander extract in water. Reduces burning sensation, pain and swelling.
•  Granny Leaf Paste and can be applied to the eyes overnight. Relieves pain and swelling.