I've gone through two bottles of prescription drops and my neighbor just had me put black coffee in my eyes. 
Any other home remedies I can try? I'm DESPERATE!
Full Version: Does anybody have a home remedy for
I keep re-infecting myself. I've gone through two bottles of prescription drops and my neighbor just had me put black coffee in my eyes. Any other home remedies I can try? I'm DESPERATE!
I've gone through two bottles of prescription drops and my neighbor just had me put black coffee in my eyes. Any other home remedies I can try? I'm DESPERATE!
Hiya melissa173 - I just had a look thru all my aromatherapy books, but couldn't find anything. I did find the following article on the net, but it looks like you'll have to take a trip to the local health food store to find the ingredients. The most important thing is to stop wearing make-up (if you do) until it's all cleared up and make sure all your make-up applicators and brushes are washed and sterilised. Here's what I found;
Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis or "pink eye" is an inflammation of the conjunctiva the membrane that covers the whole eyeball and the inside of the eyelids. The symptoms of conjunctivitis are redness, eye pain, burning, blur vision, feeling of dryness and discharge of a sticky fluid.
Conjunctivitis is very contagious wash your hands and do not touch the affected area.
We recommend
Mix 2 tsp. chamomile flowers.
1 tsp. Oregon grape root.
2 cups of boiling water.
Let it sit for 20 minutes, cool, strain and use an eyewash.
Use calendula in bacterial or viral conjunctivitis to reduce itching and inflammation, heal and soothe. It's an antiseptic perfect for irritation due to pollutants and allergies. Use it as a local compress and eyewash. It is available in eye drops as well.
Use a lotion made out of Vitamin A and apply it directly.
If the eye is swollen, peel a potato and cut it in thin slices place them on eyes affected by conjunctivitis.
Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis or "pink eye" is an inflammation of the conjunctiva the membrane that covers the whole eyeball and the inside of the eyelids. The symptoms of conjunctivitis are redness, eye pain, burning, blur vision, feeling of dryness and discharge of a sticky fluid.
Conjunctivitis is very contagious wash your hands and do not touch the affected area.
We recommend
Mix 2 tsp. chamomile flowers.
1 tsp. Oregon grape root.
2 cups of boiling water.
Let it sit for 20 minutes, cool, strain and use an eyewash.
Use calendula in bacterial or viral conjunctivitis to reduce itching and inflammation, heal and soothe. It's an antiseptic perfect for irritation due to pollutants and allergies. Use it as a local compress and eyewash. It is available in eye drops as well.
Use a lotion made out of Vitamin A and apply it directly.
If the eye is swollen, peel a potato and cut it in thin slices place them on eyes affected by conjunctivitis.
Melissa, when you went to a doctor did s/he tell you what infection you have (conjunctivitis, scleritis, Chorioiditis....) sorry I don't know them in english :-(
It doesn't really really matter but some of them might need a longer treatment etc
Only thing I can say which will definitely stop you from self infecting again, don't touch your eyes at any cost!!!
Also, you wouldn't happen to wear contacts?
Hope you get rid of it soon!!!! ((((((( hugs )))))))
It doesn't really really matter but some of them might need a longer treatment etc
Only thing I can say which will definitely stop you from self infecting again, don't touch your eyes at any cost!!!
Also, you wouldn't happen to wear contacts?
Hope you get rid of it soon!!!! ((((((( hugs )))))))
queenamidala, good thought with those make-ups! I rarely use any myself so I didn't even think about it 
grate an apple or raw potato and make a poultice..apply to [closed] eyes and rest for 30 min
or bathe with chamomile tea
from grandmothers home remedies by dr myles bader
or bathe with chamomile tea
from grandmothers home remedies by dr myles bader
The Dr. didn't say what kind of infection it is, just said pinkeye. I was kinda floored since I thought that only kids get it. Guess I was wrong. 
No, I don't wear contacts. And I have to admit, keeping my fingers out of my eyes is proving to be extremely difficult.
There's some great suggestions there Queen. Thanks for researching it for me. Not sure I'm able to drive to the store for those ingredients though, this eye is pretty much swollen shut.
I've already replaced my makeup three times so far. Since it's a weekend, I'm going without.
I'm definately going to try the apple or raw potato tonight, but what's a poultice?
Thank you all for the suggestions.
No, I don't wear contacts. And I have to admit, keeping my fingers out of my eyes is proving to be extremely difficult.
There's some great suggestions there Queen. Thanks for researching it for me. Not sure I'm able to drive to the store for those ingredients though, this eye is pretty much swollen shut.
I've already replaced my makeup three times so far. Since it's a weekend, I'm going without.
I'm definately going to try the apple or raw potato tonight, but what's a poultice?
Thank you all for the suggestions.
Anytime I've ever gotten it, I just took a clean face cloth and ran it under hot water, rung it out and put it on my eye...that's what a doctor told me to do years ago and it works every time. When it cools off, do it again then leave it alone, don't rub it and every 3 or 4 hours, use a clean cloth and repeat. Don't reuse the same one or you might infect your other eye.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
I do have a home remedy, but only applies to nursing moms I thought it very strange, but it works!
I thought it very strange, but it works!
| QUOTE (karlee @ May 29 2004, 09:37 PM) |
| I do have a home remedy, but only applies to nursing moms I thought it very strange, but it works! |
Uhhhhh, that counts me out!
Starfire, you're very right about not reusing the same cloth. For the first several days, I kept using the same one. I figured I was only using it for that so why keep taking a clean one? Well, It dawned on me that I was re-infecting myself that way, so now I use a paper towel instead. The hot water does seem to help, so I think I'm going to do that a bit more often.
The potato last night seemed to help some. The swelling is down and I was able to pry the eye open. Unfortunately, now I have it in the other eye.
well saturated teabags applied to the eyes for 10 minutes at a time.
if you are not allergic and don't have any other contraindicating conditions, 100mg Benadryl (should be 4 caps 25mg is standard dosing) taken before bedtime should help quickly. don't worry, you will sleep like a log, also dry mouth, but will wear off quickly.
and also, you cannot sterilize your eye products well enough. you MUST dispose of them and do not use until at least a week after you think your infection has cleared up.
Try also some allergen eye drops, make sure you apply them so that they drain outwards, away from your other eye, otherwise you are just flushing bacteria back and forth.
last solution, a little warm salt water eye wash, uncomfortable but should do the trick if all else fails.
if you are not allergic and don't have any other contraindicating conditions, 100mg Benadryl (should be 4 caps 25mg is standard dosing) taken before bedtime should help quickly. don't worry, you will sleep like a log, also dry mouth, but will wear off quickly.
and also, you cannot sterilize your eye products well enough. you MUST dispose of them and do not use until at least a week after you think your infection has cleared up.
Try also some allergen eye drops, make sure you apply them so that they drain outwards, away from your other eye, otherwise you are just flushing bacteria back and forth.
last solution, a little warm salt water eye wash, uncomfortable but should do the trick if all else fails.
| QUOTE (tiblackwell @ May 30 2004, 02:27 PM) |
| well saturated teabags applied to the eyes for 10 minutes at a time. if you are not allergic and don't have any other contraindicating conditions, 100mg Benadryl (should be 4 caps 25mg is standard dosing) taken before bedtime should help quickly. don't worry, you will sleep like a log, also dry mouth, but will wear off quickly. and also, you cannot sterilize your eye products well enough. you MUST dispose of them and do not use until at least a week after you think your infection has cleared up. Try also some allergen eye drops, make sure you apply them so that they drain outwards, away from your other eye, otherwise you are just flushing bacteria back and forth. last solution, a little warm salt water eye wash, uncomfortable but should do the trick if all else fails. |
Salt water eye wash?
I think I might pass on that one! LOL But the tea bags and Benedryl I'll try. If nothing else, at least I'll sleep. Thanks all!
| QUOTE (melissa173 @ May 30 2004, 12:02 PM) | ||
Uhhhhh, that counts me out! Starfire, you're very right about not reusing the same cloth. For the first several days, I kept using the same one. I figured I was only using it for that so why keep taking a clean one? Well, It dawned on me that I was re-infecting myself that way, so now I use a paper towel instead. The hot water does seem to help, so I think I'm going to do that a bit more often. The potato last night seemed to help some. The swelling is down and I was able to pry the eye open. Unfortunately, now I have it in the other eye. |
Good, glad it's helping...I forgot to say also that it's important not to let your hair hang in your eyes...if your bangs are too long, they can infect the eyes. Keep the warm/hot compresses on it...wash your face morning and night and make sure hair is away from eyes...you should see an improvement soon.
| QUOTE (butterscotch2002crf @ May 30 2004, 02:34 AM) |
| grate an apple or raw potato and make a poultice..apply to [closed] eyes and rest for 30 min or bathe with chamomile tea from grandmothers home remedies by dr myles bader |
Edgar Cayce readings also often recommended potato poultices (a pack consisting of grated raw old Irish potato covered with gauze) for eye problems.
Here's a report from 2/22/49:
| QUOTE |
| [ 4012 ]'s letter: "I am an Associate Member of the Association and I have turned to you for help, if it is available without going through mountains of documents. "In all his years of Readings, Mr. Cayce must have at some time given the cure for conjunctivitis, commonly known as Pink Eye. I have suffered with this ailment for six years and have reached the point where in desperation I turned to you, for I know this is irregular for you couldn't grant every request which comes in. "I have been to five specialists, with no results. The last one took my tonsils out; I still have the Pink Eye. "I will gladly pay for the information if you have it at hand." |
and a follow-up report:
| QUOTE |
| 7/10/49 [4012]'s letter: "In reply to your letter of July 6th concerning benefits derived from Potato Poultices for inflamed eyes, I will try to tell you as briefly as possible and to the point: "I have suffered for five years with an ailment which was pronounced Pink Eye - Conjunctivitis - an allergy, etc., by our very famous specialists here in Baltimore. Two of them even had the nerve to tell me there was nothing wrong with my eyes; I only needed glasses. "After following your instructions I have been able to continue work and have not suffered the intense pain caused by the itching and burning - neither have they been red and inflamed. "However, right now I am having difficulty getting old Irish potatoes - doesn't seem to be even one 'old' potato in Baltimore - and I am afraid my trouble is coming back; and I am sure I had it under control and would have eventually cleared up. "So I could heartily recommend it for anyone with inflamed, sore eyes - it was a Godsend to me. I don't think I could have endured the agony much longer." |
The 6/01/49 Issue of THE SEARCHLIGHT, p. 118 under HELP FOR YOUR EYES carried the extract from Case 1963-1 re potato poultices.
"At least twice a day, for an hour, apply to the eyes the scraped Irish Potato, - not the new or this year's crop, but the old Irish potato. This would be put right on the eyelid, (with the eye closed, of course), and then bound on for about half an hour to an hour. Afterwards the eyes would be cleansed with a weak cleansing solution for the eyes, that is antiseptic; this about the proportions used for washing a baby's eyes, see?"
| QUOTE |
| 1/22/50 Report by Mrs. S. W. McComb: "I have used the Irish potato poultice for my eyes with most pleasing results as it gave me the only relief from conjunctivitis I had. Had before this had the best of medical care with no relief. The condition of my eyes was most extreme and no permanent relief from treatments. With the Irish potato poultice I was much improved in three weeks. I kept the poultice on my eyes practically all night. (I also washed my eyes out with the solution of salt and soda according to your directions in Case 243-11). About twice a year I use the potato poultice as a precaution. My eyes are now much better in every way." 2/15/50 Report by Miss [4012]: "I used grated old Irish potatoes [as in Case 1963-1] over my eyes several times daily and at night - it kept the condition cleared up enough that I could continue work all summer. I have since taken allergy tests which showed up positive and am now taking injections. However, the potatoes gave me the only relief in five years, but couldn't clear up the allergy - I hope the injections are the answer. I can understand how potatoes could permanently clear up some forms of conjunctivitis - but since my particular kind was an allergy - it had to be removed - but I thank God for the potatoes until I found the cause." 9/12/50 Report from Dr. Weiss [Naturopath]: "The Irish potato packs on one of my conjunctivitis cases as a home treatment worked out quite successfully." 3/21/51 Report by Mrs. Phillips: "The potato poultice seemed to help at times, but not consistently, and very little the past year. I neglected answering the questionnaire sent me so am most humble in asking for this new information [on allergies]. May I now add that the eye condition was due to allergy, becoming worse in the last two years. However, the potato did ease and clear this in the earlier stages." 10/03/68 Mr. Robt. M. Corey's ltr. [See full Reports on other ailments under [3559]] "For my long standing 'Blepharitis' I used the raw potato poultices on the eyes, followed by Glyco-Thymoline rinses. This proved to be of great help and the only tr. to bring relief in over two yrs... The Blepharitis returns from time to time, whereupon I return to the Glyco-Thymoline eye baths and, if necessary, the raw potato poultices." |
And here's a report from 11/19/73:
| QUOTE |
| Letter from Bette Nelson, R.N.: "I was reading Health Hints sent to me by the Cooperating Nurses Unit. The article on Irish Potato poultice was especially intriguing, as my mother, who was 1/2 Irish, raised five children on a farm and used no other treatment for anything except Irish potato poultices. We were never sick, and I never met a doctor till I was 19 years old. "Last year my friend's new born baby contacted Staph in the nursery, along with several others. I kiddingly told her to use the Potato Poultice. It cleared it up in 3 days. The infection was a severe one and not responding to any other medicine. Another girl friend used it on conjunctivitis and it cleared up beautifully." |
Alex Risa, Edgar Cayce fan
| QUOTE (karlee @ May 29 2004, 10:37 PM) |
| I do have a home remedy, but only applies to nursing moms I thought it very strange, but it works! |
Breast milk is full on anti bodies. When ever my babies got that junk in there I eyes I would squirt some in their eyes and It would clear it right up..
Ugh......I have bangs, and they could stand to be cut. I NEVER thought of that! I guess I'm off to trim them, and put more potatoes on my eyes. DH thought I was nuts last night. 
Edited to ad: What is an Irish Potato?
Edited to ad: What is an Irish Potato?
| QUOTE (jcs0527 @ May 30 2004, 08:45 PM) | ||
Breast milk is full on anti bodies. When ever my babies got that junk in there I eyes I would squirt some in their eyes and It would clear it right up.. |
I guess that's not any more strange then putting black coffee in my eyes! LOL
| QUOTE (melissa173 @ May 31 2004, 02:48 AM) |
| Ugh......I have bangs, and they could stand to be cut. I NEVER thought of that! I guess I'm off to trim them, and put more potatoes on my eyes. DH thought I was nuts last night. Edited to ad: What is an Irish Potato? |
A regular potato (spud, tater; like they use to make French fries & potato chips);
not a sweet potato (so it should not be orange on the inside).
btw. the skin is the healthiest part to eat (and very good for your hair),
yet ironically most people take the effort to peel that off..
| QUOTE (melissa173 @ May 31 2004, 02:15 AM) | ||
Salt water eye wash? I think I might pass on that one! LOL But the tea bags and Benedryl I'll try. If nothing else, at least I'll sleep. Thanks all! |
Actually (sea) salt is soothing (anti-inflammatory),
and antiseptic.
I don't think it would be uncomfortable. (LOL, unless you don't dissolve it!)
(And make sure it's warm water, not hot.)
edited: I tested it for ya (my mother thought I was insane), it doesn't sting.
And hey, tears are salty! The salt in tears acts as an antiseptic and prevents eye infections.
i knew it wouldn't. i AM a clinical nurse practitioner, and instead of just writing a script for an abt i usually suggest a holistic remedy first.
try it Melissa, it will work;)
try it Melissa, it will work;)
And if you need yet another kitchen remedy,
another nightshade vegetable may also be of help:
another nightshade vegetable may also be of help:
| QUOTE |
| Several lectins have been shown to possess agglutination properties against bacterial strains. Staphylococcus aureas and mutans has been extensively studied, These have been shown to be agglutinated by several commonly available lectins- including tomato, cantaloupe and wheat. The author has employed tomato lectin in clinical practice by way of topical applications of raw tomatoes to the eyes in staphylococcal conjunctivitis with very satisfactory results. |
(The mentioned author is Peter D'Adamo, of the blood type diet series.)
| QUOTE (jcs0527 @ May 30 2004, 08:45 PM) | ||
Breast milk is full on anti bodies. When ever my babies got that junk in there I eyes I would squirt some in their eyes and It would clear it right up.. |
Yup, thats what I did, used breast milk on my kids, and using cotton balls on myself. In a day or two all cleared up. Also can be used on scrapes and mild burns. But not everyone has this "abilty," and I no longer do, as my kids are passed that stage.
| QUOTE (AlexRisa @ May 30 2004, 09:07 PM) |
edited: I tested it for ya (my mother thought I was insane), it doesn't sting. And hey, tears are salty! The salt in tears acts as an antiseptic and prevents eye infections. |
You're too funny! I can't believe you actually put yourself through that just to test it for me.
Ok, you and Ti have convinced me. I'll give it a try. I think I'll try the tomato too. Took some Benedryl last night and slept very well. Also used the slice of potato. My eyes are much better, but I still have a touch of it. I managed to keep my fingers out of my eyes for most of yesterday. Today Is going to be my last day withouth makeup (work tomorrow), so I'll boil my eyelash curler and for the 4th time, buy new mascara, foundation, powder and makeup sponges. Oh, and I trimmed my bangs last night.
Thanks for the explanation of the Irish potato. I had no idea. Glad to find out it was a regular potato, since that's what I was using.
You all have been great with the tips and suggestions! I sure wish I had come here to ask much sooner! Thank you!
If all else fails you may just have to get a new head.
| QUOTE (melissa173 @ May 31 2004, 08:54 AM) | ||
You're too funny! I can't believe you actually put yourself through that just to test it for me. Ok, you and Ti have convinced me. I'll give it a try. I think I'll try the tomato too. Took some Benedryl last night and slept very well. Also used the slice of potato. My eyes are much better, but I still have a touch of it. I managed to keep my fingers out of my eyes for most of yesterday. Today Is going to be my last day withouth makeup (work tomorrow), so I'll boil my eyelash curler and for the 4th time, buy new mascara, foundation, powder and makeup sponges. Oh, and I trimmed my bangs last night. Thanks for the explanation of the Irish potato. I had no idea. Glad to find out it was a regular potato, since that's what I was using. You all have been great with the tips and suggestions! I sure wish I had come here to ask much sooner! Thank you! |
you'll need to keep the benadryl up for 2 more nights. it's simply suppressing your body's allergic response. you should be good as new by Wednesday - stay out of your eyes til then.
mind that you use a paper towel or something on your mouse til you're clear and wipe that keyboard with a mild cleanser to keep the germs from lingering.
glad you're doing better
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