When conjunctivitis causes an inflammation of the mucous membrane surrounding the eyeball, a condition known as “pink eye” is the result. Redness attacks the whites of the eyes and crust usually forms in the corners. The eyelid may become inflamed, which is then called blepharitis. The cause of both conditions are associated with infection, but “pink eye” may also develop from the amount of dust in the air, as well as appear in older individuals who are experiencing a drying of the normal secretions of the eyes.
To treat pink eye and other inflammations of this vital body part, you may use eyebright, which is an herb that has traditional connections with fighting infection. Through this rather minute plant that grows in grassy meadows, it is a rare sight in the usually herbal garden. To eradicate the symptoms of pink eye, you may create eyewash made from eyebright and marigold. The ingredients included in this natural remedy are 15 grams of dried eyebright, 10 grams of dried pot marigold petal, as well as 500 ml of water.
To prepare the eyewash, you will mix the herbal ingredients with the water, and then place in a pan to be heated onto of the stove. The mixture should simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes, which will sterilize the herbs. Next, you will strain the combined herbs and then allow the blend to completely cool. The herbal remedy should then be stored in a sterilized bottle.
To apply the treatment, you will pour a small amount of the mixture into an eyecup that is sterilized. Infected eyes should be bathed, but if both are affected, the eyecup must be sterilized before treating the remaining infected eye. A fresh amount of mixture should also be poured into the eyecup before extra treatments. This will help stop the spread of further infection. When pink eye is acute, the process should be repeated often. Each day, a fresh batch of eyewash should be made.
As a caution, if the infection doesn’t seem to clear up or get better within a day or two, you may need to seek the assistance of a professional, who can prevent the loss of vision or pain that may arise in the eye/eyes.
To accompany the eyewash, there are supplementary treatments to consider. For starters, you may apply used teabags (cold) to the eyes as a poultice. The teabags that work the best are of the Indian, Chinese or fennel variety. When the poultices are set onto the eyes, they should set for at least 15 minutes while you relax. To fight infection, you should drink an infusion of eyebright for three times per day, accompanied by two 200 mg of Echinacea capsules that should be taken three times per day as long as the symptoms are still present.