pink eye relief

[hummingbird]

I've recently heard that tea can be a wonderful relief for "pink eye" or conjunctivitis. What I'm not so clear on though is how to apply it (i.e. teabags, eyecup, hot/cold, etc.) or if one type of tea is preferable over another (i.e. black, chamomile, etc.).

Any advice?

Thanks

[rabbit]

I have no clue, but I wouldn't use an eyecup, I'd just put lipton bags on my eyes or something, they don't seem good for much else.

[teamuse]

The folks that I know that have done this just used lipton bags that have been in warm (not hot or boiling...if so allowed to cool to tolerable temps) water. They did squeeze the excess water out and placed one bag on each eye or the effected eye and just relaxed for a bit. The goal with this is to get it on the lid part of the eye, not the eye itself.

I know, for them, it made a big difference. I think it's worth a try. Especially with conjunctivitis as it will help loosen the crusties and relieve some of the itching/swelling.

I think any bagged black tea would be ok. Chamomile might be too...but I'd probably just drink the chamomile while relaxing with the lipton on my eyes.

[jano]

teabags or soak a small towel in a bowl. The remedy I think is supposed to be with chamomile. Concept is reduction in inflammation. Also, the moistness helps soothe the itch/pain. You don't really want to put it *in* the eye, that could be bad. Careful with this, though, some people may get a reaction on their eyelids from the tea (not common, but can happen).

[klemptor]

Cold teabags would reduce swelling - I'm not sure that I'd put warm teabags on my eyelids. But in any case, eyedrops are the way to go (said the girl who has had pinkeye three times in the past five months).

I still maintain it's the child psych area of my department that keeps infecting me.

[daughteroftheKing]

Tanins, especially in black tea, help with the infection and swelling. Yes, please use cold wet teabags. Just get comfortable, close your eyes, and let them do their work.
Used teabags are ok. This is why it's good to keep a box of cheap generic teabags in the back of the cupboard.
If all you have is good tea, use a paper Teasack to make your own teabag, enjoy a nice cup then chill the homemade bag for an hour or so before placing on eyelid.

Once you've used a teabag on your infected eye, throw it away so that you don't re-infect the eye with a subsequent application.

The pinkeye cure my family used was salt water: dissolve a teaspoon of table salt in a glass of warm (not hot) water, and let it cool to lukewarm. Fill a large spoon with this homemade saline solution, lean your head forward (like you're looking down at your feet), and hold the salt water on your open eye for several seconds. Get a clean spoon and do it again.
Can be repeated every couple of hours.

I know it sounds gross (and to some impossible) but salt was given to us as an amazing curative, and these old-timey cures have been used for generations.

[hummingbird]

Thanks all. We've given it a try with the Lipton bags and it is very sooooooothing. Used them warm and they cool very quickly anyway. I like your idea of chilling them too, daughteroftheking. May have to find some chamomile bags and try that too.

Great idea to use the Lipton bags on the eyes while and drink the chamomile, teamuse! I might even have to try that when relaxing anyway.

[Darth Jeeling]

I would think it's mainly the moistness that helps, but there's something pleasant about using tea instead of water. Pity I already threw my Lipton at stray cats.

[rabbit]

Pity I already threw my Lipton at stray cats.

rofl... those poor cats! *making fun of lipton*

[hummingbird]

Since originally asking this question, I've been digging around for more information and enjoying putting teabags on my eyes, even without the pink eye. Between staring at the computer all day and not enough sleep, the teabags on the eyes have been a real treat.

There are sites out there with tea "eyebags" available to provide relief to your eyes, but the regular bags work nicely too. Here are just a few:

http://www.vickerey.com/sja200.html
http://www.localharvest.org/store/item.jsp?id=4525
http://www.drugstore.com/qxp73993_33318 ... es_tea.htm

It is almost as nice as going to the spa!