CONJUNCTIVITIS, PINK EYE

CONJUNCTIVITIS, OR PINK EYE, is a common infection. You know you have it when your eye becomes pink and feels itchy and gritty and when you wake up in tile morning with crusted eyelids caused by a discharge. (Some people mistake the red eyes of an allergy with conjunctivitis: If you don’t have a discharge, you don’t have conjunctivitis. Conjunctivitis, an inflammation of the conjunctira, the membrane that lines the eye, is contagious, so if you do have the symptoms, avoid sharing washcloths or towels, and wash the ones you’re using regularly in hot water.

If you get conjunctivitis routinely, you probably have allergic conjunctivitis. In my experience, people with this condition are almost always allergic to certain foods. Once they learn which food is the culprit and they eliminate it from their diet, the conjunctivitis clears up permanently. for more information on how to identify the cause of your allergic conjunctivitis, see Food Allergy. The other natural steps recommended in this section will help relieve discomfort until the allergen is eliminated.

When children get conjunctivitis they are commonly given antibiotic ointment or drops arid, to avoid contagion, they must stay home from school until the redness clears up. Many adults, who are more careful with personal hygiene, find that they can treat conjunctivitis themselves. But if you have a case that isn’t better in a few days or one in which the redness has been caused by something other than an infection (for example, an injury or trauma to the eye), you should consult a doctor.

The best approach in treating pink eye is to keep the eye as clean as possible and try to “wash” the infection away. You can use a warmwater solution (boil one quart of water with one tablespoon of boric acid) on a soft cloth or cotton ball. Let the moistened cloth rest on the eyes a few minutes to loosen any crusty discharge. Then rinse your eyes thoroughly but gently and pat dry with a clean towel.

If the discharge creates heavy crusts on your eyelids, you may need something more than a simple water wash. Try an over-the-counter preparation called I Scrub, a mild soap available at pharmacies that’s safe for the eyes.

NATURAL PRESCRIPTION FOR CONJUNCTIVITIS:

• Wash your eyes with a solution of one quart boiled water with one tablespoon boric acid (which you have allowed to cool) to clean your eyes. Put the solution on a clean washcloth or cotton bail three or four times a day, rinsing carefully and gently.
• Use I Scrub to wash your eyes In the morning and before bed to get rid of the crusts on eyelids and eyelashes.
• Don’t share washcloths and towels. Change your bed linens, especially your pillowcase, frequently,
• If your conjunctivitis does not seem to be getting better in a few days, if the redness is due to an eye injury, if the discharge is becoming worse, or if there is pain or any change in your vision, see a doctor.
• If you experience chronic conjunctivitis, you might have allergic conjunctivitis. See the food alergy section of this website for more information on how to identify and eliminate food allergens from your diet.