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Please read our Golden Rules of self help before considering the information on this page.
Conjunctivitis
The EYES have it
Conjunctivitis can be caused by bacterial or viral infection, such as a cold. In the case of a viral infection when antibiotics drops would not only be superfluous but even more irritating, a natural treatment is very beneficial.
There are two teas that make very good eyebaths.
Chamomile tea is the most common and easier to get but some people's eyes react badly to it, or they respond positively but after a few days it stops working. In this case use Fennel tea.
You can use these teas to wash, wipe or use for compresses. This is how you do it:
- Use two teaspoons (or a tea bag) in only half of a cup of water, so as to make the tea strong.
- Make a fresh batch every time and throw the left over away.
- Use fresh cotton or tissues to apply to each eye to avoid cross infection.
- Wash the eye with a generous mop of cotton wool soaked in the tea, don't just use a little dribble or a couple of drops.
- If an infection is bad, use three or four times per day.
You can buy a herbal extract from your herbalist or some health-food shops called: Eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis)
You only need three drops for about fifty mls of boiled water. It does not seem much but this is definitely the working formula. Using more will not work better: it will just irritate the eye.
Use two to four times per day depending on the severity of the infection.
If your eyes are irritated because of staring at a computer screen all day, it is a good idea to have a soothing eyebath with any of the above remedies at night. There are also some wonderful exercises you can do to help rest your eyes.
Smokers often suffer from chronic conjunctivitis and we all know what the solution for this problem is!
CONJUNCTIVITIS AND OTHER PAINS IN THE EYE
Our poor eyes, honestly! We do so many bad things to them it's not
surprising, many people come to my clinic daily complaining of
something wrong with their eyes. They, sting, they burn, they hurt,
they have a discharge, they have a tremor, they see “things”. And what
do we do about it? Mostly not very much. But have no fear, Granny is
here to give you the wrap on all your eye problems.
Conjunctivitis
First of all, there is nothing such as plain old conjunctivitis. It can be caused by bacteria or viral infection, allergy or environmental factors.
In case of infection, there are a couple of herbal remedies you can use that are really helpful.
Golden Seal is the best natural antibiotic you can use to fight this problem: but BEWARE! Golden Seal is very strong and you only need two drops per eye bath. Use more and you will be sorry. You can either use an eye bath or you can simply wash the eye with cotton wool. You need to do this two or three times a day.
Eyebright : Also used in drop form, you only need two drops per eyebath. Eyebright is generally good for sore eyes and the combination of two drops of Golden Seal and two drops of Eyebright is definitely a relief for many sore eyes.
The Dreaded Sty
A sty is an infection affecting a sebaceous gland of the eyelid, the common culprit is often a staph infection. The best way to treat a sty naturally is to apply warm compresses of Chamomile tea in which you have put a couple of drops of Golden Seal. Sometimes, when the infection won't budge, an incision has to be made to clear the pus and pack the area with antibiotics, this is done under general anaesthetic. To recover from this operation, take vitamins A and C and some extra calcium and keep on using the Golden Seal eyebath.
Avoiding Re-infection
Sorry, but if you have infectious conjunctivitis or a sty, you should throw away all your eye make-up, and not apply any eye make-up until the infection is cleared. Storing your new mascara in the fridge actually prevents bacteria growth. And don't share your eye make-up or use other people's.
Non Infectious Conjunctivitis
There are many other ways for your eyes to get sore: polluted air, polluted water, allergens, and of course smoking. Smoking is one of the single most common causes of burning and sore eyes.
If you are subjected to a lot of environmental irritants, it's a good idea to wear goggles to avoid paint or other fumes and irritants. This includes riding a pushbike in the great outdoors because there are a lot of pollens (not to mention winged insects) flying around, ready to irritate your eyes. At night, it's a good idea to do the warm chamomile and Golden Seal compresses.
How About Allergies?
Pollen, animal hair and dust can cause your eyes to puff up and be sore. Herbs like Albizzia, Ribwort and Bilberry, taken internally, do relieve these sort of problems. Of course keep on using the Golden Seal and Eyebright wash, to reduce redness and inflammation.
What Are Those Floating Things?
Sometimes, it seems that you have bits of stuff floating in front of your eyes, it can be very irritating. These are called floaters and they are debris of tissue inside your eyes. Floaters are mostly benign, but an upsurge in their number may need attention.
- This could just be the case of having too much stress. In this case rest and a few good night sleeps usually help.
- If this does not work, it may simply be that your neck is out. I have treated dozens of people with acupuncture in their neck that saw the floaters disappear promptly. Some osteopathic colleagues of mine have the same success with manipulation of the neck.
- However, if the floaters persist, don't ignore it. It could be due to intraocular haemorrhage, diabetes, high blood pressure amongst other things and you should go to an ophthalmologist for a check up.
OUCH!
Every so often there will be mud (or other things) in your eye. What is the first aid? Simple: lots and lots of cold water from a running tap, keep on rinsing the eye until it stops stinging.
Some Balms For Sore Eyes
As you can see there is much that can ‘meet' the eye but fortunately there are natural ways to help. Besides the magical Golden Seal and Eyebright drops in eyebath there are several herbal teas that help.
We've already spoken about chamomile but if it does not do the job, you can try Borage, Fennel, Rosemary or even green tea (NOT the brown stuff). You simply make a light brew of any of these herbs, strain them well (use muslin, you don't want any ‘bits' in your eyes) and use them as compresses and/or eyewash. Always very nice after you have spent a whole day staring at a computer screen.
Still sore?
Sometimes after all the water flushing and herbal washes won't get rid of a very bad sting, for instance if sun block or eyelash die gets in your eye, or if an insect bit you or if cooking oil splattered, in this case (after having rinsed with water) use some fresh Aloe Vera. It will really soothe the eyelids and lashes. Make sure you only use the flesh of fresh Aloe Vera though, the gels you buy all have some alcohol in them and you don't want any in your eyes.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN MY EYELID TREMBLES?
Usually this indicates a vitamin B deficiency, or a Calcium deficiency, usually brought on by stress and/or being run down. The solution is to make sure you eat properly, have enough rest and hit the yeast and yoghurt!
For a personalised treatment please contact me here.
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