Anyone ever treat pinkeye at home?

[athena1277]

My ds recently had pinkeye and we ended up having to get expensive antibiotic drops to treat it. Now i have it. :glare: I would really like to just treat it without having to go see a doctor. I don't have one currently and don't want the hassle of finding one. Is there a way to treat this myself?

[Hathersage]

The antibotics are just in case it is caused by a bacterial infection. If it is that is the only way to treat it. More than likely it is viral, and there is nothing you can do but wait.

[Tess in the Burbs]

I did the homeopathic drops last summer but it was so bad and it really HURT. It took a week to clear up but I kept getting it again in the fall so finally did the drops. Personally I would get the prescription and knock it out.

[SproutMamaK]

I tried this just last week. I used polysporin drops, which are antibiotic but not prescription strength. I used them for a week to keep it at bay - it kept getting slightly worse, but not enough for me to want to visit that doctor. This past Saturday I ended up in the ER because I woke up in the morning with one eye literally swollen shut (I looked like an orc from Mordor or something) and a cheek that looked as though it'd been attacked by bees. I got the drops and by that night the swelling was gone and my eye was (almost) white again, but the face was purple, and anyone would have thought that I was on the wrong end of a bar fight. Next time - I'm just going to a doctor for the script. ;) It was NOT worth it, especially since I had to get the meds anyways.

[Sophia]

We know what it looks like so when we see it just start to flare up, we start hot compress soaks every couple hours and do an eyewash before bedtime.

I think we just get a generic eyewash, brand doesn't matter.

 

We haven't had to take our dc in for pinkeye since our first two were toddlers due to using these preventive measures.

[Mommyof4ks]

My son's oncologist told us to wash his eyes with a warm, wet rag and then get a clean warm, wet rag to lay on his eyes and wash his hands frequently. For viral infections that worked great and he was better in a day or two, but the one time that it was bacterial he ended up on eye drops.

[shannatheshedevil]

My son's oncologist told us to wash his eyes with a warm, wet rag and then get a clean warm, wet rag to lay on his eyes and wash his hands frequently. For viral infections that worked great and he was better in a day or two, but the one time that it was bacterial he ended up on eye drops.

 

 

That. :iagree:That's what I did. You'd know within a day if it was bacterial and could proceed accordingly. If they know your son had it, though, you could prbably just get them to call you in a Rx.

[JenC3]

Yep, with breastmilk! We cure any eye infection that way and it's super fast.

[athena1277]

Ok, I'm convinced. I'm going to see the doctor. I have too much going on this week to be sick.

[Paige]

Yep, with breastmilk! We cure any eye infection that way and it's super fast.

 

I tried that with my DD about a year ago and she just got awful. It ended up being the worst pink eye I've ever seen and we see it a lot here. I thought I must have made it worse but maybe she just had a breastmilk resistant bacteria! After 2 doses of the drops she cleared up very quickly. I always use the drops right away now. Our Dr gives us enough to last a while and we can just call and ask for more if they know someone else in the family has had it. They get free samples too in our office, so it doesn't hurt to ask for a sample if you can't afford the prescription. It takes so little to do a full course that 1 sample should be enough.

[kewb]

I use the homeopathic drops and use warm compresses. I use black tea bags for the compress. If it doesn't start clearing up within a day I go for the antibiotic drops.

[Heather in OK]

Breastmilk is the only natural remedy I've ever known to completely cure it.

[Amy in KS]

When my son got it a year ago, my doc put refills on it in case anyone else in the family got it. It's highly contagious. It might be worth a phone call to the doc to save yourself the trip.

[MLT]

ditto on the breastmilk. Fastest cure out there (I used to get pink eye all the time).

 

if breastmilk isn't easily available, you can use contact lens solution. It's basically just boric acid. I used to get an rx for pink eye every time, but haven't had to in at least five years now because either one of those always works.

[Mrs Mungo]

Yep, with breastmilk! We cure any eye infection that way and it's super fast.

 

:iagree: I have only treated it myself when I was nursing. Otherwise, it's off to the doctor. It's way too infectious to ignore.

Edited June 21, 2010 by Mrs Mungo

[Sandy in Indy]

I've used WalMart brand triple-antibiotic ointment. It says not to put it in your eyes BUT one of their pharmacists told me long ago that it was safe to do so. I've used several times in our family and we've never had a problem AND it cleared up the infection.

 

In the meantime, I also do the hot compresses, etc.

[gaillardia]

Yep, with breastmilk! We cure any eye infection that way and it's super fast.

 

That worked for us too.

Otherwise, eyebright tea, either drops taken orally or drinking the tea and placing the bag over the eye, 3xday.

[PollyOR]

I like the idea of asking the doc for a refill.

 

As soon as I see the signs of an eye infection, I rinse the eye with water. Yes, I know it is irritating and certainly doesn't feel good. Usually that works.

 

Good luck!

[bearnpurple]

I've used WalMart brand triple-antibiotic ointment. It says not to put it in your eyes BUT one of their pharmacists told me long ago that it was safe to do so. I've used several times in our family and we've never had a problem AND it cleared up the infection.

 

In the meantime, I also do the hot compresses, etc.

 

:iagree: Our family does the same......we have some other families in our church that do the same and suggested we try it once. IT WORKED! We don't squirt in our eye, we use a q-tip doused in hot water.....usually if one of us gets it (usually around the time PS starts here which is Sept.), everyone just gets a dose of the ointment before bed to help head off any possibilities!