An eye infection is a widespread disease caused by viruses, bacteria, allergens or some other impacts from the environment. It can happen in one or both eyes and be divided into several types such as:
Common eye infections will not cause any serious side effects to your eyes, but it will make you uncomfortable and painful. To ensure your condition, you should see your doctor for the exact diagnosis. And once you're sure of your eye infection, try the home remedies we've introduced below to take care of your eyes at home instead of using the drug.
1. Warm Compresses
This method is applied to take care of conjunctivitis or stye as it helps promote blood circulation due to the high temperature. Also, warm compresses can also reduce pain and swelling for sufferers.
Directions:
• Dip a gentle and clean towel in warm water
• Wring out all the excess water to keep the towel moist
• Close your infected eye and then hold the towel on your infected eye for 5 minuties
• Repeat this actions few times a day to help reduce your discomfort
Remember to clean all the scales collected or oily debris on your eyelashes or eyelids daily. If you get infections in both of your eyes, you need to use the separate towel to perform warm compresses for each eye.
2. Saline Solution
Using the saline solution to clean your eyes is a very effective method for eye infections because it helps to clean up the debris collected as well as to destroy the bacteria causing the infection. Your eyes will be kept clean with saline solution. Also, this tip also contributes to controlling infection effectively. This is a widely recommended method by doctors for eye infections.
Directions:
• Add 1 teaspoon of salt to a cup of distilled water and mix them well
• Boil this water and let it cool completely
• Rinse your infected eyes with this saline solution thoroughly
• Repeat this home treatment several times a day
You should not use tap water because it consists of some impurities and chemicals which may affect your eyes. In case you don’t want to make the saline solution yourself, you can buy it at the drug stores. However, you need to ask the doctor for a suitable one for washing your eyes.
3. Honey
Honey has antibacterial properties so it will be very helpful to care for infected eyes. Many studies have shown the effective abilities of honey in reducing the swelling, pus discharge, and killing bacteria for eye infection suffers. Honey is often used for conjunctivitis. You should choose organically raised honey or a trusted source of honey to treat your eye infections.
Recipe 1:
Directions:
• Add 2 teaspoons of honey and the same amount of distilled water to a clean bowl and mix them well
• Dip a gentle towel to this bowl them apply it your infected eye
• Leave it for 5 minutes then take it out
• Repeat the treatment thrice a day until your condition improves
Recipe 2:
Directions:
• Open your infected eye widely and drip a drop of honey in the eye directly
• Repeat this tip 3 times daily until you feel your eye better
4. Green Tea
Green tea is well-known for its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, so it not only helps prevent eye infections but also is beneficial for the overall health of the eyes. Tannin acid in green tea is a key ingredient in preventing infections, reducing swelling and redness of infected eyes. By applying this method, you can not only allow green tea to eradicate the infection but also remove dirt or scales collected in the eyes.
Directions:
• Put 2 green tea bags in a cup of boiling water
• Leave it for 1 minute then remove the bags
• Squeeze the bags to get all excess water
• Let the cup and the bags cool down completely
• Rinse your infected eyes with green tea solution
• Close your eyes then cover the tea bag on your infected eyes for 15 minutes
• Apply this method 3 times a day until your condition improves
5. Chamomile
Chamomile has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, so it has been used as the ingredients to make home treatment for eye infections for a long period. The calmative and soothing effects of chamomile will keep your eyes away from irritation, and redness quickly. You can use chamomile tea as the clean solution to rinse your infected eyes. Not only will you get rid of eye infections, chamomile tea but also can help to eliminate under-eye puffiness effectively.
Recipe 1:
Directions:
• Add some dry chamomile to a cup of boiling filtered water
• Cover this cup and leave it for 5 minutes
• Strain this tea and let it cool completely
• Use the chamomile tea to rinse your infected eyes
• Repeat this treatment every 3 hours until you get rid of eye infection
Recipe 2:
Directions:
• Add a chamomile tea bag to a cup of boiling filtered water
• Leave it for 1 minute then take the bag out of the cup
• Let the chamomile solution and the chamomile tea bag cool down completely
• Use the chamomile solution to wash your affected eyes
• Close your eyes and then apply the chamomile tea bag to your infected eye
• Leave it for 10 minutes
• Apply this method 3 times a day
6. Boric Acid
Some people often think that acid is a very dangerous solution, so they worry about whether using boric acid for eye infections will be safe or not. Boric acid is a weak acid. It is often used as a disinfectant or treatment for some allergies, so you can use boric acid to treat your infected eyes. It solves the problem of eye infections such as irritation, redness or reddening due to its anti-fungal and antibacterial properties. Boric acid is also used to wash the eyes and help restore the retina.
Directions:
• Add 1/8 teaspoon of medicinal grade boric acid to a cup of distilled water and mix them well
• Boil this solution then let it cool completely
• Strain this mixture
• Use the strained solution to wash your infected eyes
• Apply this treatment 3 times per day until you feel better
Note: Don’t keep the rest solution for the next use. Don’t worry about some burning or stinging when applying this tip as they will go away immediately.
7. Turmeric
Turmeric is an herb with high anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. Many people only know the benefits of treating allergies and skin infections of turmeric without knowing that it can also be used as a cure for eye infections at home. It will help to remove infections in your infected eyes quickly. Turmeric is also known as a prominent type in Ayurvedic treatment.
Directions:
• Add 2 teaspoons of turmeric powder to a cup of boiling distilled water
• Mix them well then let the mixture cool down completely
• Dip a clean and gentle towel to this cup and then cover it on the affected eyes
• Leave it for 5 minutes
• Repeat this treatment 3 times per day until your condition improves
8. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is very effective in treating eye infections caused by bacteria and fungi. Malic acid included in unpasteurized apple cider vinegar acts as an antibacterial agent and helps your infected eyes improve quickly. Also, using unpasteurized apple cider vinegar to wash your infected eyes helps not only prevent bacteria but also remove dirt and debris from your infected eyes, making your eyes cleaner.
Directions:
• Add 1 teaspoon of unfilled and raw apple cider vinegar to a cup of distilled water
• Mix them well
• Soak a cotton ball into the solution
• Gently wash the outside of your affected eyes
• Apply this way every 4 hours until you feel better
9. Euphrasia (Eyebright)
Euphrasia, as known eyebright, is an herb which has been believed to treat eye infections for a long time, especially pink eyes and conjunctivitis. The euphrasia's anti-inflammatory fluid-drying ability will help you prevent infection as well as treat the disease quickly. Not only is it used to treat some eye diseases at home, but Euphrasia is also used in the production of eye drops.
Directions:
• Add some dried Euphrasia and a cup of filtered water to a pot and boil it for 10 minutes
• Let it cool down then strain it using cheesecloth
• Wash your infected eyes with this solution 3 times a day
10. Ginkgo Biloba
Ginkgo biloba is used to treat a variety of conditions related to eye infections, especially conjunctivitis. A study of the effects of ginkgo biloba in treating allergic conjunctivitis has shown that this herb has a remarkable effect in the treatment of this disease.
Directions:
• Add some ginkgo biloba leaves and a cup of filtered water to a pot
• Boil this pot for 5 minutes then let it cool down completely
• Strain the pot to take the solution
• Use the solution to wash your infected eyes with a clean and gentle cloth
• Apply this method 2-3 times a day
11. Charcoal Dust
Charcoal dust is considered to be one of the best cleansers until now. You can see that it is used in many water purifiers. The charcoal dust can capture harmful bacteria and chemicals in your infected eyes, thereby helping you get rid of eye infections easily.
Directions:
• Add 1 teaspoon of charcoal dust, ¼ teaspoon of salt and a cup of filtered water to a clean pot
• Boil this pot for 1 minutes then let it cool
• Use this liquid as eye drops daily
12. Baking Soda
You can use baking soda to clean your infected eyes to reduce swelling, redness, and discomfort. It helps to remove the dirt and excess residue in your eyes to ensure your eyes are clean.
Directions
• Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda in a cup of distilled water then mix them well
• Use a gentle and clean cloth to wash your eyes twice a day until your condition improves
Here are the tips to take care of your infected eyes at home with natural ingredients. They are very safe and effective. Try them to get rid of eye infections. All contents provided are for informational and educational purposes. We recommend you consult a healthcare professional to determine which method is appropriate for you.
Author bio:
This guest post is by Emily Pham, a blogger with many years of experience in searching the best natural home remedies for beauty and health issues.
- Keratitis: resulted in by viruses, bacteria, parasites or fungi and causes damage to the corneal.
- Hordeolum or Stye: resulted in by staphylococcal bacteria and causes pain and itching to sufferers at the red lumps at the base of an eyelash or on the eyelids.
- Conjunctivitis: caused by bacteria, viruses or allergies and leads to the red eyes.
- Blepharitis: caused by the obturation of the tiny oil glands near the base of your eyelashes leading to the infected eyelids. It leads sufferers to discomfort, itching, and pain.
- Dacryocystitis: an infection in the tear duct.
- Orbital Cellulitis: caused by bacteria and leads to infection of tissues around the eyes.
Common eye infections will not cause any serious side effects to your eyes, but it will make you uncomfortable and painful. To ensure your condition, you should see your doctor for the exact diagnosis. And once you're sure of your eye infection, try the home remedies we've introduced below to take care of your eyes at home instead of using the drug.
1. Warm Compresses
This method is applied to take care of conjunctivitis or stye as it helps promote blood circulation due to the high temperature. Also, warm compresses can also reduce pain and swelling for sufferers.
Directions:
• Dip a gentle and clean towel in warm water
• Wring out all the excess water to keep the towel moist
• Close your infected eye and then hold the towel on your infected eye for 5 minuties
• Repeat this actions few times a day to help reduce your discomfort
Remember to clean all the scales collected or oily debris on your eyelashes or eyelids daily. If you get infections in both of your eyes, you need to use the separate towel to perform warm compresses for each eye.
2. Saline Solution
Using the saline solution to clean your eyes is a very effective method for eye infections because it helps to clean up the debris collected as well as to destroy the bacteria causing the infection. Your eyes will be kept clean with saline solution. Also, this tip also contributes to controlling infection effectively. This is a widely recommended method by doctors for eye infections.
Directions:
• Add 1 teaspoon of salt to a cup of distilled water and mix them well
• Boil this water and let it cool completely
• Rinse your infected eyes with this saline solution thoroughly
• Repeat this home treatment several times a day
You should not use tap water because it consists of some impurities and chemicals which may affect your eyes. In case you don’t want to make the saline solution yourself, you can buy it at the drug stores. However, you need to ask the doctor for a suitable one for washing your eyes.
3. Honey
Honey has antibacterial properties so it will be very helpful to care for infected eyes. Many studies have shown the effective abilities of honey in reducing the swelling, pus discharge, and killing bacteria for eye infection suffers. Honey is often used for conjunctivitis. You should choose organically raised honey or a trusted source of honey to treat your eye infections.
Recipe 1:
Directions:
• Add 2 teaspoons of honey and the same amount of distilled water to a clean bowl and mix them well
• Dip a gentle towel to this bowl them apply it your infected eye
• Leave it for 5 minutes then take it out
• Repeat the treatment thrice a day until your condition improves
Recipe 2:
Directions:
• Open your infected eye widely and drip a drop of honey in the eye directly
• Repeat this tip 3 times daily until you feel your eye better
4. Green Tea
Green tea is well-known for its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, so it not only helps prevent eye infections but also is beneficial for the overall health of the eyes. Tannin acid in green tea is a key ingredient in preventing infections, reducing swelling and redness of infected eyes. By applying this method, you can not only allow green tea to eradicate the infection but also remove dirt or scales collected in the eyes.
Directions:
• Put 2 green tea bags in a cup of boiling water
• Leave it for 1 minute then remove the bags
• Squeeze the bags to get all excess water
• Let the cup and the bags cool down completely
• Rinse your infected eyes with green tea solution
• Close your eyes then cover the tea bag on your infected eyes for 15 minutes
• Apply this method 3 times a day until your condition improves
5. Chamomile
Chamomile has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, so it has been used as the ingredients to make home treatment for eye infections for a long period. The calmative and soothing effects of chamomile will keep your eyes away from irritation, and redness quickly. You can use chamomile tea as the clean solution to rinse your infected eyes. Not only will you get rid of eye infections, chamomile tea but also can help to eliminate under-eye puffiness effectively.
Recipe 1:
Directions:
• Add some dry chamomile to a cup of boiling filtered water
• Cover this cup and leave it for 5 minutes
• Strain this tea and let it cool completely
• Use the chamomile tea to rinse your infected eyes
• Repeat this treatment every 3 hours until you get rid of eye infection
Recipe 2:
Directions:
• Add a chamomile tea bag to a cup of boiling filtered water
• Leave it for 1 minute then take the bag out of the cup
• Let the chamomile solution and the chamomile tea bag cool down completely
• Use the chamomile solution to wash your affected eyes
• Close your eyes and then apply the chamomile tea bag to your infected eye
• Leave it for 10 minutes
• Apply this method 3 times a day
6. Boric Acid
Some people often think that acid is a very dangerous solution, so they worry about whether using boric acid for eye infections will be safe or not. Boric acid is a weak acid. It is often used as a disinfectant or treatment for some allergies, so you can use boric acid to treat your infected eyes. It solves the problem of eye infections such as irritation, redness or reddening due to its anti-fungal and antibacterial properties. Boric acid is also used to wash the eyes and help restore the retina.
Directions:
• Add 1/8 teaspoon of medicinal grade boric acid to a cup of distilled water and mix them well
• Boil this solution then let it cool completely
• Strain this mixture
• Use the strained solution to wash your infected eyes
• Apply this treatment 3 times per day until you feel better
Note: Don’t keep the rest solution for the next use. Don’t worry about some burning or stinging when applying this tip as they will go away immediately.
7. Turmeric
Turmeric is an herb with high anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. Many people only know the benefits of treating allergies and skin infections of turmeric without knowing that it can also be used as a cure for eye infections at home. It will help to remove infections in your infected eyes quickly. Turmeric is also known as a prominent type in Ayurvedic treatment.
Directions:
• Add 2 teaspoons of turmeric powder to a cup of boiling distilled water
• Mix them well then let the mixture cool down completely
• Dip a clean and gentle towel to this cup and then cover it on the affected eyes
• Leave it for 5 minutes
• Repeat this treatment 3 times per day until your condition improves
8. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is very effective in treating eye infections caused by bacteria and fungi. Malic acid included in unpasteurized apple cider vinegar acts as an antibacterial agent and helps your infected eyes improve quickly. Also, using unpasteurized apple cider vinegar to wash your infected eyes helps not only prevent bacteria but also remove dirt and debris from your infected eyes, making your eyes cleaner.
Directions:
• Add 1 teaspoon of unfilled and raw apple cider vinegar to a cup of distilled water
• Mix them well
• Soak a cotton ball into the solution
• Gently wash the outside of your affected eyes
• Apply this way every 4 hours until you feel better
9. Euphrasia (Eyebright)
Euphrasia, as known eyebright, is an herb which has been believed to treat eye infections for a long time, especially pink eyes and conjunctivitis. The euphrasia's anti-inflammatory fluid-drying ability will help you prevent infection as well as treat the disease quickly. Not only is it used to treat some eye diseases at home, but Euphrasia is also used in the production of eye drops.
Directions:
• Add some dried Euphrasia and a cup of filtered water to a pot and boil it for 10 minutes
• Let it cool down then strain it using cheesecloth
• Wash your infected eyes with this solution 3 times a day
10. Ginkgo Biloba
Ginkgo biloba is used to treat a variety of conditions related to eye infections, especially conjunctivitis. A study of the effects of ginkgo biloba in treating allergic conjunctivitis has shown that this herb has a remarkable effect in the treatment of this disease.
Directions:
• Add some ginkgo biloba leaves and a cup of filtered water to a pot
• Boil this pot for 5 minutes then let it cool down completely
• Strain the pot to take the solution
• Use the solution to wash your infected eyes with a clean and gentle cloth
• Apply this method 2-3 times a day
11. Charcoal Dust
Charcoal dust is considered to be one of the best cleansers until now. You can see that it is used in many water purifiers. The charcoal dust can capture harmful bacteria and chemicals in your infected eyes, thereby helping you get rid of eye infections easily.
Directions:
• Add 1 teaspoon of charcoal dust, ¼ teaspoon of salt and a cup of filtered water to a clean pot
• Boil this pot for 1 minutes then let it cool
• Use this liquid as eye drops daily
12. Baking Soda
You can use baking soda to clean your infected eyes to reduce swelling, redness, and discomfort. It helps to remove the dirt and excess residue in your eyes to ensure your eyes are clean.
Directions
• Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda in a cup of distilled water then mix them well
• Use a gentle and clean cloth to wash your eyes twice a day until your condition improves
Here are the tips to take care of your infected eyes at home with natural ingredients. They are very safe and effective. Try them to get rid of eye infections. All contents provided are for informational and educational purposes. We recommend you consult a healthcare professional to determine which method is appropriate for you.
Author bio:
This guest post is by Emily Pham, a blogger with many years of experience in searching the best natural home remedies for beauty and health issues.