15 Home Remedies for Pink Eye in Babies

All of us have endured the burning, swelling, and irritation of pink eye at one time or another. The very same burning and irritation occur when your baby contracts the condition known as conjunctivitis. Treatment for this condition needs to be quick and simple and our 15 home remedies for pink eye in babies can provide that.

What Causes Pink Eye in Babies?

There are many reasons why a baby might suffer from pink eye. Some of the most common reasons include an infection, a blocked tear duct, or general irritation of the eye. Often times, when babies have a runny nose, they can easily rub the mucus that comes out of their nose into their eye. When this happens, pink eye is likely to develop within 12 to 24 hours after the initial contacts. Not only that but with all the new germs that an infant is exposed to outside of the womb, it is rather easy and quite common for an infection to develop in their eye.

Additionally, many babies are born with clogged tear ducts. A clogged tear duct can easily be identified due to a red, swollen area in the eye and constant leaking from one eye. If a clogged tear duct is the problem, then this can quickly lead to pink eye as well.

The good news is that for the most part, pink eye is not too difficult to treat. Although it is contagious, it is fairly common and you can expect that almost every infant will suffer from pink eye at least once or twice in their first year of life. While it can be a nuisance, there are plenty of remedies that you can try right at home to help alleviate some of the pain and frustration associated with pink eye.

Be aware that these remedies are not all-inclusive cures. Chronic and serious forms of conjunctivitis need to be treated by a healthcare professional.

1. Raw Honey

Although feeding raw honey to babies is bad because it can cause botulism, it works well when it comes to eliminating pink eye. Because honey has natural broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties that work to eliminate bacteria, fungi or viruses, it is able to treat any of the possible causes of the condition.

What to do:

Dissolve ¼ tsp of raw honey in ¼ cup of distilled or reverse osmosis water.
With a sterile dropper, place 1 to 2 drops in each eye.
Repeat this every several hours as needed.

2. Herbal Tea Poultices

Herbal tea poultices also work to help soothe and cure pink eye in babies. Calendula, chamomile and eyebright teas have the necessary properties to soothe eye irritation, reduce inflammation, and also have antimicrobial properties to help eliminate the source of the infection.

What to do:

Brewing any of these teas using teabags makes it easier to handle as a compress.
Be sure to brew the tea in distilled or reverse osmosis water.
Allow the tea bags to cool to room temperature before placing one tea bag over each eye and leaving it in place for several minutes.
In place of using the tea bags as a compress, you can place 2 to 3 drops of the tea in each eye.
Repeat this remedy 3 times daily.

3. Breast Milk

One of the best home remedies for pink eye in babies comes from mother’s breast milk. Because of the antibodies in breast milk known as immunoglobulin A, the growth of the pink eye bacteria often present in the mucosal surface of the eye can be inhibited with the application of breast milk.

What to do:

Extract enough breast milk into a small spoon to allow you to place several drops over each eye
Gently massage the breast milk into your baby’s eyes.
Repeat this remedy every few hours until the infection is gone.

You will find that with this remedy, pink eye will generally clear up within a day or so after applying breast milk to the infected eye. If you can, try to make sure that the breast milk comes in contact with your baby’s eye and not just their skin around the eye. While it might be a little squirmy for you to do this at first, the results are absolutely wonderful as this is one of the most natural remedies to helping read your little one of pink eye.

4. Tulsi

Another remedy that works well for treating pink eye in babies is tulsi. Also known as holy basil, tulsi has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties to help eliminate any of the possible causes of the infection whether viral, bacterial or fungal in nature.

What to do:

Boil 1 cup of water and soak several fresh tulsi leaves in it for 10 minutes or until the tea is lukewarm.
Soak a clean cotton pad in the solution and use it as a warm compress over each eye.
In place of an eye compress, you can place 2 to 3 drops in each eye using a sterile dropper.
Repeat either remedy several times daily as needed.

5. Aloe Vera

Not only does aloe vera have plenty of soothing benefits, but it also contains antibacterial and antiviral properties to eliminate the source of the problem as well. In addition, aloe vera helps reduce inflammation and speeds up healing.

What to do:

Extract a small amount of aloe vera gel from an aloe vera shoot on a cotton swab.
Apply the aloe vera on the eyelids and in the corners of the eye.
Use a separate swab for each eye to avoid spreading infection.
Repeat this every 3 hours until the condition clears up.

As you spread the aloe vera around your baby’s eye, do not be too worried if some of it gets inside the eye. This will help slow down the infection.

6. Green Tea

Among the top home remedies for pink eye in babies comes from green tea. The flavonoids in green tea are able to relieve irritation and inflammation as well as provided bacterial and viral fighting action as well.

What to do:

Place 2 green tea bag in boiled water and allow it to sit for 10 minutes or until it is lukewarm.
Apply a tea bag to each eye and leave it there for 5 minutes or so.
In place of using the tea bags as compresses, you can use a sterile dropper to drop 2 to 3 drops in each eye.
Repeat this remedy every few hours until the condition clears.

7. Turmeric

Turmeric is a powerful herb when it comes to reducing inflammation, which is a major symptom of pink eye. The curcumin found in turmeric is a potent anti-inflammatory and antibacterial compound that can bring soothing relief to your baby’s pink eye.

What to do:

Stir 2 tsp of powdered turmeric into ¼ cup of boiled water and allow it to sit until the water is lukewarm.
Soak 2 clean cotton pads in the mixture and apply them using a separate pad for each eye.
You can repeat this remedy every 3 to 4 hours until the condition improves.

NOTE: Turmeric might create a temporary yellow stain on or around your baby’s eyelids.

8. Neem Oil

The soothing properties of neem oil make it another of the most effective home remedies for pink eye in babies. Not only does neem oil soothe irritation, but it also has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory components which will help to eliminate the source of the problem and bring healing.

What to do:

Use a sterile cotton pad to wipe neem oil around the eyelid and eye of your baby before laying them down for a nap or at night.

9. Colloidal Silver

Colloidal silver was the answer to pink eye before antibiotic eye drops came along and is still one of the best options for treating pink eye in babies. The source of the infection is irrelative because colloidal silver draws away the infected cells using a natural electromagnetic process. It is very quick and highly effective.

What to do:

Place 2 to 3 drops of colloidal silver in each eye.
Repeat this remedy 3 times daily for 2 days.

NOTE: Do not use colloidal silver for more than 2 days.

10. Raw Potato

You might be surprised to learn that a raw potato can also be among the best home remedies for pink eye in babies. The enzymes and starches in raw potatoes have natural astringent properties to draw the infection out of your baby’s eyes as well as reducing inflammation and soothing the irritation.

What to do:

Peel and thinly slice a small potato.
Place one slice over each eye and leave it in place for 5 minutes.
Repeat this every 3 hours until the condition clears.

11. Parsley

Parsley is another herbal remedy to consider when treating pink eye. The ascorbic acid in parsley helps to cleanse the blood, removing the bacterial, viral or fungal cause and also works as a mild anti-inflammatory.

What to do:

Soak several leaves of raw parsley in a cup of boiled water and allow it to sit for 10 minutes or until the water is lukewarm.
Apply the tea to each eye using 2 cotton pads saturated in the tea and leave it in place for 5 minutes.
As an alternative, you can use a sterile dropper to place 2 to 3 drops of the tea in each eye.
Repeat this remedy every 3 hours until the condition clears.

12. Cold and Warm Compress

One of the simplest of all home remedies for pink eye in babies utilizes cold and warm compresses. It is more likely that the cause of your baby’s condition is viral or bacterial, in which case, a warm compress will bring relief. In the event that your baby’s pink eye is allergy related, which tends to be rare, a cold compress is the best option.

What to do:

For a warm compress, saturate two cotton pads in distilled warm water and apply one to each eye for 5 minutes.
For a cold compress, soak two cotton pads in distilled water that has been refrigerated or place the two soaked pads in the refrigerator to cool them before placing one over each eye for several minutes.
You can make use of these remedies as often as necessary to help soothe irritation and reduce inflammation.

13. Apple Cider Vinegar

Another effective treatment for pink eye in babies involves apple cider vinegar. ACV is a well known and potent killer of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. ACV also has anti-inflammatory properties that can soothe the irritation.

What to do:

Place ½ tsp of apple cider vinegar in a ½ cup of warm distilled water.
Saturate 2 cotton pads in the solution and use them to wipe the solution along the eyelid and in the corners of the eyes, using a separate pad for each eye.
You can repeat this remedy every 4 hours until the condition clears.

14. Coconut Oil

Another great solution for treating pink eye comes from coconut oil. The fatty acids in coconut oil have strong anti-pathogenic properties which can eliminate all three of the potential causes of pink eye. It is also an excellent anti-inflammatory agent as well.

What to do:

Dip a clean cotton swab or cotton pad in coconut oil.
Wipe the oil over your baby’s eyelids, using a clean swab or pad for each eye.
Repeat this remedy every 3 hours until the condition clears.

15. Lavender Essential Oil

Also among the best home remedies for pink eye in babies is lavender essential oil. Not only does lavender oil kill the infection, but it can also bring soothing relief to inflammation and irritation.

What to do:

DO NOT use lavender essential oil directly in your baby’s eyes.
Place 1 drop of lavender oil in 1 tsp of coconut oil and mix it thoroughly.
Use a clean cotton swab to apply the oil mixture on the upper portion of the upper eyelid and the lower portion of the lower eyelid, using a clean swab for each eye.
You can repeat this remedy every 3 to 4 hours until the condition clears.

Conclusion

Just like you don’t want to endure the swelling and irritation of the pink eye, getting quick relief from the condition of your baby is also a major priority. Making use of one or more of our home remedies for pink eye in babies, you can get a quick relief your baby needs and allow yourself to relax as well. Make sure to add your home remedies, questions, and comments in the section below along with any success stories you might want to share.

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