Home Remedies for Eye Infections: Do they work?

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Common eye issues

Eye infections can be uncomfortable and even painful. Certain conditions, if left untreated, can become serious.

There are a number of ways your eyes can become infected or irritated. Some common eye conditions include:

pink eye, also known as conjunctivitis

dry eye, which occurs when your tear ducts can’t lubricate the eye properly

blepharitis, a condition that involves the eyelid becoming inflamed and crusted.

styes

keratitis, an infection of the cornea

Fortunately, there are several effective home remedies for eye infections that can help you soothe the symptoms. While these home remedies can help treat eye infections, it’s always best to call your doctor before trying any at-home treatments.

A note of caution

Before using home remedies to treat your eyes, it’s best to consult a healthcare professional. Some eye infections can be serious.

Talk to your doctor if you think you have an eye infection. If you think your child has an eye infection, take them to a doctor instead of trying these home remedies.

1. Salt water

Salt water, or saline, is one of the most effective home remedies for eye infections. Saline is similar to teardrops, which is your eye’s way of naturally cleansing itself. Salt also has antimicrobial properties. Because of this, it only stands to reason that saline can treat eye infections effectively.

Sterile saline solution can be bought online or from a pharmacy.

2. Tea bags

Placing cooled tea bags on your eyes while they’re closed can be a way to relax and unwind. Some say that it can be an effective home treatment for eye infections.

Some types of tea have anti-inflammatory, soothing properties. For example, studies have suggested that green tea Trusted Source, chamomile, rooibos, and black tea all have anti-inflammatory properties. Because of this, using tea bags on your eyes could be an effective way to reduce swelling.

So far, there aren’t any studies that show how tea bags affect the eyes, or whether they can be used to treat eye infections.

Bear in mind that while anti-inflammatory treatments can soothe the symptoms, an eye infection should be treated at the cause.

3. Warm compress

If your eyes are sore, infected, or irritated, a warm compress can help. A 2014 study on 22 participants suggested that warm compresses can improve eye health in those with healthy eyes.

A 2012 review of studies showed that warm compresses can help those with blepharitis, a condition that involves the eyelid becoming inflamed and crusted.

In addition, the American Academy of Ophthalmology suggests using a warm compress to soothe the symptoms of pink eye.

Warm compresses might be able to soothe styes because they reduce the blockages that caused the stye. They can also help soothe the symptoms of dry eye.

It’s important to note that, while warm compresses might provide relief, they can’t actually cure the condition.

Here are some tips for making a warm compress:

soak a cloth in warm water and apply it gently to your eye

use hot, but not too hot, water so you don’t burn yourself

make sure the cloth you use is clean, so you don’t expose your eye to more germs

4. Cold compress

Like warm compresses, cold compresses don’t exactly cure eye infections. They can, however, ease the discomfort associated with certain eye diseases. Cold compresses can reduce swelling in the case of eye injuries and infections.

Here are tips for making a cold compress:

soak a cloth in cool water and gently apply it on your eye or eyes

you can also freeze a wet cloth in a sealable plastic bag for a few minutes before using it on your eyes

don’t press down hard on your eye or put ice directly on your eye or eyelid

5. Wash linens

Wash your towels and pillow cases daily when you have an eye infection, like conjunctivitis. Since these items come in contact with the infected eye, they can spread the infection to the other eye, or cause someone else in your family to develop an infection. Use hot water and detergent to kill any remaining bacteria.

6. Discard makeup

We all know not to share eye makeup, such as mascara, eye shadow, and eye liner, to avoid things like eye infections. But you should also discard your own eye and face makeup, and makeup brushes, if you used it while you had an infected eye. This ensures that you won’t re-infect yourself.

Source: www.healthline.com