ALTERNATIVE DOCTOR, LLC
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ALTERNATIVE DOCTOR, LLC
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Conjunctivitis Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the membrane covering the inside of your eyelids and the outer part of your eyeball. Commonly called "pink eye," conjunctivitis is generally not serious but can be highly contagious. Signs and Symptoms Conjunctivitis causes the following symptoms in one or both eyes.
What Causes It? Conjunctivitis is most often the result of viruses, like those that cause the common cold. Conjunctivitis can also be caused by bacterial infections, allergies, chemicals, irritation from contact lenses, or eye injury. Viral and bacterial conjunctivitis are very contagious. What to Expect at Your Provider's Office If both eyes are affected, with itching and a clear discharge, it's likely that allergies are the cause. Swollen glands usually indicate a virus, and a thick, crusty discharge is a sign of a bacterial infection. Your provider may use a lamp for closer examination, or gently swab a stain across the surface of your eye. He or she may test your vision or measure the pressure in your eye, to rule out glaucoma. Treatment Options Treatment Plan Conjunctivitis is usually not a serious problem. It often will go away by itself. It is still important to consult your health care provider. Chronic conjunctivitis, left untreated, can cause permanent eye damage. Bacterial conjunctivitis is treated with antibiotics. Cool compresses relieve symptoms of allergic and viral conjunctivitis. If contact lenses are the cause of your conjunctivitis, do not use them until your eyes are completely healthy. Drug Therapies Prescription
Over the Counter N/A Complementary and Alternative Therapies Alternative therapies can help relieve your symptoms. If you have a mild case of conjunctivitis, begin with compresses. For a moderate infection, use an eyewash as well. Nutrition Doses listed are for adults. Decrease by one-half to two-thirds for children, at the recommendation of a health care provider. Vitamin A (10,000 IU/day), vitamin C (1,000 mg three to four times per day), and zinc (30 to 50 mg/day) strengthen your immune system and help you heal faster. Herbs Herbs may be used as dried extracts (capsules, powders, teas), glycerites (glycerine extracts), or tinctures (alcohol extracts). Compresses and eye washes are external treatments. A compress is made with a clean cloth, gauze pads, or cotton balls soaked in a solution and then applied over the eyes. Eye washes may be administered with an eye cup or a sterile dropper. Compress: Use five drops of tincture in ¼ cup water or steep 1 tsp. herb in 1 cup hot water for 5 to 10 minutes and strain. Soak cloth or gauze in solution and apply to the eyes for 10 minutes, three to four times a day.
Use above herbs singly or in combination: Mix equal parts together then steep 1 tsp. herb in 1 cup of hot water to make a tea. Cool before administering to the eye. Eyewash: goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) and boric acid: 10 drops of goldenseal tincture with 1 tsp. of boric acid in 1 cup of water. Homeopathy Some of the most common remedies used for conjunctivitis are listed below. Usually, the dose is 12X to 30C every one to four hours until your symptoms get better.
Acupuncture Treatment may be administered for pain relief and relieving congestion. Following Up Viral and bacterial conjunctivitis are both very contagious. Family members should use separate towels. Wash your hands often. Children should generally be kept home from school and day care. Be sure to follow your health care provider's advice about using any medications, particularly if you have been given antibiotics or corticosteroids. If you wear contact lenses, keep them clean to avoid further irritation and future infections. Do not wear them until your eyes have healed. People with allergy-related conjunctivitis sometimes develop a severe form with a stringy discharge, swollen eyelids, scaly skin, and significant discomfort. This needs aggressive treatment to prevent scarring of the cornea. Special Considerations In most U.S. hospitals, medication such as silver nitrate is routinely administered to the eyes of newborns to prevent conjunctivitis from developing from bacteria in the birth canal. Supporting Research Abelson MB, Casey R. How to manage atopic keratoconjunctivitis. Rev Ophthalmol. May 1996. Abelson MB, McGarr, P. How to diagnose and treat inclusion conjunctivitis. Rev Ophthalmol. March 1997. Abelson MB, Richard KP. What we know and don't know about GPC. Rev Ophthalmol. August 1994. Abelson MB, Welch D. How to treat bacterial conjunctivitis. Rev Ophthalmol. December 1994. Acute conjunctivitis. Acupuncture.com. Accessed at www.acupuncture.com/Clinical/Conjunct.htm on January 29, 1999. Clinical imperatives of ocular infection. Primary Care Optometry News. Roundtable. March 1996. Available at www.slackinc.com/eye/pcon/199603/impera.htm. Friedlaender MH. Update on allergic conjunctivitis. Rev Ophthalmol. March 1997. Homeopathic drops for allergy: ready or not? Primary Care Optometry News. May 1996. Infectious Diseases and Immunization Committee. Canadian Pediatric Society. Recommendations for the prevention of neonatal ophthalmia. Can Med Assoc J. 1983; 129:554–555. Morrison R. Desktop Guide to Keynotes and Confirmatory Symptoms. Albany, Calif: Hahnemann Clinic Publishing; 1993:5, 28. Pascucci S, Shovlin J. How to beat giant papillary conjunctivitis. Rev Ophthalmol. June 1994. Rapoza PA, Francesconi CM. How to diagnose chronic red eye. Rev Ophthalmol. October 1997.
Copyright © 2000 Integrative Medicine Communications The publisher does not accept any responsibility for the accuracy of the information or the consequences arising from the application, use, or misuse of any of the information contained herein, including any injury and/or damage to any person or property as a matter of product liability, negligence, or otherwise. No warranty, expressed or implied, is made in regard to the contents of this material. No claims or endorsements are made for any drugs or compounds currently marketed or in investigative use. This material is not intended as a guide to self-medication. The reader is advised to discuss the information provided here with a doctor, pharmacist, nurse, or other authorized healthcare practitioner and to check product information (including package inserts) regarding dosage, precautions, warnings, interactions, and contraindications before administering any drug, herb, or supplement discussed herein |
