Home Remedies For Pink Eye
Pink eye treatment at home depends mainly on what causes pink eye.
Home Remedies for Viral Conjunctivitis
Viral pink eye is very contagious and you have to be sure you are not spreading the virus (adenovirus and coronavirus) to the other eye and to other people around you so basic hygiene is very important:
• Washing hands frequently.
• Don’t touch or rub your eyes.
• Don’t touch your face.
• Don’t share your towel and always use fresh towel everyday.
• Change your bedding, pillowcases and sheet daily.
• Don't wear your contact lenses until your eyes are back to normal.
• avoiding wearing contact lenses and if the pink eye developed while you were wearing contact lenses or you used them after the pink eye developed, you should throw them with the contact lens case and solution away and buy new ones but don’t wear them until your eyes are healed. The same goes with the eye makeup.
• Use Over the counter lubricant eye drops especially preservative free. It helps to washout inflammatory cells and discharge out from the conjunctiva and the eye and also it helps to ease pink eye symptoms such as burning sensation and foreign body sensation.
• Use cold compress for few minutes over closed eye once or twice daily. It helps to ease pain, inflammation and eyelid swelling.
• Use warm compress if your eyelids are sticking together. Warm compress help to loosen sticky discharge and crusts on the eyelid.
• You can use eyelid wipes to clean your eyelid from discharge and crusts.
• Don’t use red-reducing eye drops such as visine as it won’t help and it can worsen the symptoms of foreign body sensation.
• Sometimes Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories or NSAIDs eye drops (Not Oral) such as voltaren ophtha and nevanac can be helpful to reduce inflammation and eyelid swelling. You have to be sure first that you are not allergic to NSAIDs.
Home remedies for pink eye caused by bacteria
Bacterial conjunctivitis is also contagious so basic hygiene is very important. You can use the above steps for viral pink eye but you have to know that bacterial conjunctivitis should be treated with antibiotics under the supervision of your doctor. Untreated bacterial pink eye can cause many ocular and systemic complications.
Home remedies for pink eye caused by allergic Conjunctivitis
Allergic pink eye is caused by allergens so identifying the nature of the allergens and reducing the exposure to them are very important to ease the symptoms.
• Allergic conjunctivitis is not contagious.
• Use lubricant eye drops frequently to washout any irritants from your eyes and also it helps to ease allergic pink eye symptoms such as foreign body sensation and itching.
• Use cold compress on closed eye for few minutes. It can help to ease eyelid swelling, itching and eye conjunctival inflammation.
• Use antihistamine and mast cells stabilizer eye drops. Some of these eye drops need eye drop prescription such as patanol.
• Always clean your eyelid from any discharge and crusts.
• wash or replace your pillows frequently and wash your sheets each week in hot water, at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Encase your pillows and mattress in an allergen cover to provide a barrier between you and the allergens that may be found inside them. These have a tight fabric weave that will keep even the smallest dust mites contained.
• If you are working around dust or doing anything likely to expose you to small particles or allergens, wear a face mask and eye protection. Vacuuming, woodworking, gardening, and many other common activities can release large quantities of dust and other small particles into the air, where they may come into contact with your eyes. Such irritants are a common cause of allergic pink eye.
• Replace your carpets with hard floors if you have trouble with allergies. Carpets can trap a surprising volume of dust, dust mites, pet dander, and mold. In fact, in many homes this is the biggest collector of such allergens.
• If you do have carpet, vacuum frequently to remove dust, dust mites, and other particles trapped in the carpet fibers. You may want to hire a cleaning service to take care of tasks such as vacuuming and dusting, if the act of cleaning exacerbates your allergies.
• Your furry friends may also be contributing to your eye irritation. Although cat dander is the best-known pet allergen, other pets with hair or fur, including dogs, rabbits, and horses, can also cause allergy issues. Make one room an 'allergen-free zone' where pets are not allowed.
• The bedroom makes the most sense, since that is likely the area of the home where you spend the most time. That room also holds many surfaces for pet dander to settle, including your sheets and pillows.
• Oral antihistamine won’t be helpful in allergic conjunctivitis unless it is associated with systemic conditions such as eczema or urticaria.
• If you smoke, stop, and enforce a smoking ban in your home. This is a very important step in home remedies for pink eye. Tobacco smoke is a significant eye irritant, and can also make the symptoms of seasonal allergic conjunctivitis worse. Not only will you breathe easier in a smoke-free zone, but you'll also escape frequent eye irritation.
