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Ugh, the dreaded itchy, crusty Pink Eye! Pink Eye, or conjunctivitis, is one of the most common ailments in young children, especially those in daycare or preschool as its incredibly contagious. Adults are also susceptible to getting pink eye from their kids or others with the illness. Pink eye has a tale tell sign of burning, itching, watery, crusty, and very red eyes where it normally should be white. All you can think about is how to get rid of pink eye fast and safely!
What is Pink Eye?
Pink Eye is the inflammation of the thin covering of the eye which causes blood vessels to dilate and turn red. There are a few different types of conjunctivitis; bacterial, viral, chemical and allergic. Both bacterial and viral conjunctivitis are extremely contagious.
Chemical conjunctivitis is just that- caused by chemicals coming into contact with the eye and irritating it. Bacterial conjunctivitis often requires prescription drops but using the pink eye home remedies below are also a good option to try.
Allergic pinkeye symptoms should improve once the allergen source is removed and the allergy is treated. However, if you feel your eyes inflamed and itchy- try one of the treatment options below for some relief.
How to Get Rid of Pink Eye Fast
If you have you ever felt inflammation, burning and itching in your eye and wondered how you could alleviate the problem with a home remedy, below are 5 great ideas to give a try. These are some of the more common home remedies which can make the annoying problem of pink eye a thing of the past. Many even can help get rid of the inflammation in pink eye in just a day or so.
If your symptoms last longer than a day or two or show no signs of improvement we recommend you call your optometrist or ophthalmologist immediately and schedule an eye exam. So what gets rid of pink eye fast?
1. Warm Compress
Quite possibly the easiest way to help clear up pink eye would be to apply a warm water compress on the eye. This can soothe the irritation slightly which, in turn, would aid in reducing the amount of redness inherent with such a condition.
This may be a relatively simple treatment method but that does not automatically mean it will be the most effective. As such, it would be wise to look at a few special natural treatments which could end up delivering enhanced results.
2. Saline Solution
One simple home remedy method would be to mix a pint of natural salt in with boiling water and allowing it to cool down to room temperature. Once the solution is safely cooled down, you can then apply drops to your eye. Repeating this about four or five times per day could prove to be just enough to help eliminate the problem of pink eye. This can prove to be a much cheaper alternative to the common plan of using store bought over the counter eye drops for a number of eye ailments.
3. Tea Bags
One of the lesser known ways to help reduce the problem of pink eye would be to put a slightly moist tea bag of chamomile over your eyes and allow them to remain there for about 10 minutes. In doing so, you will slowly reduce the redness inherent with your eyes. Every two hours or so, you will need to repeat the process and this might turn out to be a very simple strategy for those hoping to eliminate pink eye in the easiest manner possible.
4. Marigold Compress
In a similar vein as the chamomile herb, you could employ an herbal marigold compress as a means of toning down the issues with redness and pink eye. This may prove even more impartial for some as a means of eliminating problematic pink eye than the previous chamomile method. Ultimately, the treatment that is best will depend upon your eyes sensitivity to such treatment.
5. ionic Sovereign Silver
As natures antibiotic, ionic silver has been shown to offer healing properties for a number of ailments. This particular type of ionic silver comes in droplets which you can place in your mouth or directly in your eye for fast healing.
Within a few hours your pink eye should show tremendous improvement. Silver is a natural element that can be found in whole grains, mushrooms, mammalian milk, and water. It has been used medicinally for more than 2,000 years. Even Hippocrates wrote of silver’s healing and anti-disease properties in his medical texts of natural antibiotics.
And when in doubt- flush it! Try flushing your eye with warm water every hour for about 6 hours and you should see some signs of improvement along with relieve. You can use a specialty eye wash bottle or just use your hands, make sure they are clean each time. Keep your eyes open while splashing the water in and around the eye.
There are many different natural treatment plans for red and pink eye that can be employed to clear up the redness and irritation present with such a problem. Exploring the various different treatment plans is advised as this could prove to be a much better plan than using traditional harsh methods and always be sure to never touch your eyes.
Methods of Pink Eye Prevention:
Boy with allergy, conjunctivitis and black rings round his eyes
If you find yourself with a sick child or family member with conjunctivitis, the best methods to protect yourself from getting the illness is to be careful what you touch and keep your hands clean at all times. See tips below:
Never reuse the same washcloth, cold compress or item that came into contact with the infected eye. Never ever share personal items such as washcloths and always place items in a special area as to not be used or touched by other family members.
Cover your nose and mouth when sneezing and coughing, and avoid rubbing or touching your eyes at all costs.
Wash your hands frequently, especially when around sick family members or when spending time at school or in other public places.
Use a hand disinfectant frequently.
Keep surfaces such as countertops, bathroom vanities, faucet handles and shared phones clean with an appropriate antiseptic cleaner to avoid sharing the germs.
If you wear contacts, be sure to follow your eye doctor’s instructions for lens care and replacement, and use contact lens solutions properly or consider switching to daily disposable contacts.
When swimming in a public pool, wear goggles to protect yourself from bacteria and other microorganisms in the water that can cause conjunctivitis.
Use tissue to wipe and clean your eyes and throw them away in a protected trash can away from contact.
This home remedies should show you how get rid of pink eye fast and keep it away for good.
Resources:
- http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/ss/slideshow-pinkeye
- http://www.cdc.gov/features/conjunctivitis/http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pink-eye/basics/definition/con-20022732