Home Remedies For Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis is derived from the term Conjunctiva. Conjunctiva is the tissue lining the inside of the eyelids that covers the exposed portion of the eye ball. When this tissue becomes inflamed due to some reason, generally infection, then this medical condition is termed as Conjunctivitis.

It is also called ‘pink eye’ because the white portion of the eye becomes pinkish or reddish in this medical condition, especially when it is caused by virus.

Conjunctivitis can be infectious or non infectious. Infectious Conjunctivitis occurs because of bacterial or viral infectious whereas non infectious Conjunctivitis occurs because of allergies, chemicals or some underlying medical conditions. Generally, in case of bacterial Conjunctivitis, antibiotic eye drops are administered but such eye drops are not useful in the treatment of viral Conjunctivitis. On the other hand, natural home remedies for Conjunctivitis are highly beneficial in healing the problem as naturally as possible.

Causes of Conjunctivitis

The most common cause of Conjunctivitis is viral infection. A cold or sore throat may trigger this type of Conjunctivitis. Viral and bacterial Conjunctivitis are highly contagious in nature. Chemicals present in industrial pollutants, sprays, smoke, household cleaners (like bleach, furniture polish), and smog may cause irritation in the eye thereby resulting in Conjunctivitis.

Allergens such as dust, pollen or grass may also contribute to the same. Besides, certain diseases like Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Kawasaki’s Disease (in young children) and certain Inflammatory Bowel Diseases are also known to cause Conjunctivitis.

Symptoms of Conjunctivitis

Generally, Conjunctivitis is characterized by symptoms like redness, tearing (watery discharge due to infection), irritation, itchiness, swelling of the eye. Plus, in case of infectious Conjunctivitis, the infection may spread from one eye to the other.

Bacterial Conjunctivitis is typically characterized by a thick, yellow secretion which causes the eyelids to stick together when the eyes are closed for a long time, like at the time of sleeping. In case of allergic Conjunctivitis, generally both the eyes are affected and may be accompanied by symptoms like sneezing or runny nose.

Natural Home Remedies for Conjunctivitis

• Take some warm water and add a few drops of honey in it. Using this mixture as an eye drop is one of the simplest but painful natural home remedies for Conjunctivitis.
• The therapeutic properties of Marigold are successful in healing Conjunctivitis. Just apply marigold compresses on the eyes to reduce the symptoms.
• Prepare natural homemade eye drops by mixing jasmine flowers in distilled water (over night). Putting this in the eyes is one of the most effective natural home remedies for Conjunctivitis, especially the one caused by bacterial infection.
• Prepare a decoction by adding a handful of dried coriander in approximately 60 ml of water. This decoction is a valuable natural home remedy used to cure the disease and provide relief from a variety of symptoms. This natural remedy is not advisable for patients suffering from bronchial asthma and chronic bronchitis.
• Mix about 200 ml of spinach juice and about 300 ml of carrot juice. Drinking this juice is a highly recommended natural home remdy to cure Conjunctivitis. Carrot juice can be replaced by an equal amount of parsley juice.
• Washing the eyes with chamomile tea flowers or putting moist chamomile tea bags on the eyes is a tried and tested home remedy used in the home treatment of Conjunctivitis.
• Add two teaspoons of turmeric in a cup of boiling water and use this as a warm compress to soothe the eyes and get rid of the infection.
• Washing the eyes with a rose water solution eases the pain and has a soothing effect on the eyes. The process can be repeated a number of times in a day.
• Soak some jaggery in water over night and strain by wrapping it in a cloth. Drinking this juice aids in the faster recovery of this disease.
• Boil some fennel seeds in water. After cooling this solution, the water in which fennel seeds have been steeped can be used for washing the eyes.
• Calendula and goldenseal are efficient natural home remedies for Conjunctivitis.
• Use the filtrate of fennel seeds boiled in water to wash the eyes to cure the problem of Conjunctivitis.
• If the eye is swollen, peel a potato, cut it in thin slices and place them on eyes affected by conjunctivitis. Eating raw fennel seeds is also beneficial in this regard.
• Add two teaspoons of honey in a cup of Indian gooseberry juice. Taking this mixture two times a day on a daily basis serves as one of the best natural home remedies for Conjunctivitis.
• Placing thin slices of a peeled potato on the eyes is the easiest possible natural remedy to reduce and finally cure the inflammation caused by Conjunctivitis.

Diet for Conjunctivitis

In order to cure Conjunctivitis, the diet should definitely include more raw fruits and vegetables and their juices. The ones rich in vitamin A and vitamin B12 are particularly useful in this regard. Carrots, mangoes, yogurt, whole milk, butter, tomatoes, pumpkins, spinach, parsley and papayas are all vitamin A rich foods. Green leafy vegetables, almonds, bananas and citrus fruits are good sources of vitamin B12.

Restrict the consumption of fatty and sugary foods like potatoes, meats, white breads, puddings, pies, jams, cakes and pastries because they can worsen the situation. Same is the case with strong tea, coffee, condiments and sauces.