Eye infections, caused by bacteria or infections can be treated naturally at home. Find out how to use essential oils for eye infection, blepharitis or eye termites in a safe and reliable manner.
What is an Eye Infection?
Eye infections are the most typical kind of eye disease; they might be contagious and are normally curable. Eye infections are characterized by inflammation of the surface of the eye and eye lid, itchiness, irritation and redness.
Some types of eye infection include pink eye/conjunctivitis and blepharitis.
Eye infections are caused by a variety of elements including:
- Viral infections
- Bacterial infections
- Clogging of the oil glands under the eye lashes
- Allergies, such as dust allergic reaction, animal dander and pollen
- Irritants such as eye drops, hair shampoo entering the eye
A few of the signs of eye infection include:
- Inflammation
- Redness
- Watering eyes or sticky discharge
- Inflammation
- Crusting at the base of the eye covers
- Eye covers sticking together, specifically in after sleep
Eye infections might be brief term and get solved in 3-7 days such as pink eye, or they may be long term or chronic taking up to 2-4 weeks to heal, such as blepharitis. In the case of blepharitis, additional symptoms might consist of loss of eye eyelashes, flaking skin on the eye eyelashes and infection of the follicles at the base of each eyelash.
Why Use Essential Oils for Eye Infection?
Essential oils, when used properly, can considerably help to relieve eye infections naturally. Essential oils are particularly helpful in the case of blepharitis where long term use of conventional medicines such as anti-bacterial eye cream may not be feasible.
Research on making use of Essential Oils for Eye Infection
A current research study performed in China looked into the result of essential oil treatment on patients struggling with eye infection due to blepharitis or eye eyelash mite infection (Demodex folliculorum). These eye eyelash termites exist naturally in everybody’s eyes, however when they rapidly breed and infect the hair follicles at the base of every eye, they can cause inflammation, swelling, itching and more.
In the research study, a lotion including 5% tea tree oil was used to the eyelashes of the patients. The patients were informed to use the ointment after washing their faces, as soon as a day for 4 weeks.
It was found that there was significantly less itching and less termites. It deserves keeping in mind that 2 out of the 24 patients experienced irritation from the ointment.
How to Use Essential Oils for Eye Infection
Here are the 4 best methods to use essential oils for eye infection treatment:
1. Tea tree lotion
This tea tree lotion is particularly valuable for infections on the eye cover and eye lashes such as in bletharitis. To make a tea tree ointment similar to the one in the Chinese study above, here’s how to do it:
What you require:
- Double boiler
- 2 oz glass container
- 1/4 cup of shea butter
- 1 tablespoon of beeswax pastilles
- 10 drops of tea tree oil
Technique:
- In a double boiler, melt both the shea butter and the beeswax pastilles together up until completely melted.
- Remove heat and add in 10 drops of tea tree oil.
- Now mix thoroughly using a popsicle stick, or glass rod.
- Put into your glass container (choose not to use plastic as it can harbor bacteria that can contaminate the eyes).
- Place in the fridge for 2 hours to solidify.
- To use, use this ointment on top of your eye lids while your eyes are closed. Use once daily till the eye infection subsides.
Caution: Do not place essential oils into your eye. If you get essential oil in your eye, it can cause irritation and damage of the delicate membranes of the eye.
Earlier we wrote about coconut oil benefits for eye infections.
2. Facial Steaming
By far, the safest yet most reliable way to heal eye infections with essential oils is by facial steaming. This is my preferred method and it can be a great preventative tool as well.
What you need:
- A large bowl.
- Hot water with steam coming out.
- A big towel.
- 2 drops of tea tree oil
Method:
- First bring about 1 liter of water to a boil and after that move this water into a large bowl.
- Include the essential oils.
- Put your head over the steam and allow the steam to reach your face, including your eyes/eye covers.
- You can throw a large towel over your head and the bowl to avoid the steam from getting away.
- The heat melts the essential oils such that small molecules are brought with the steam and can reach your eyes. These essential oils can soothe your eyes and fight transmittable bacteria and viruses.
3. Cooling Compress for Eye Infections
It’s easy to make a cooling compress for red, hot and itchy eyes with properly watered down essential oils. Here’s how to do it:
What you need:
- Circular cotton pads
- A bowl.
- A clean glass jar for storing the pads
- 1/2 cup of aloe vera gel
- 4 tablespoons of rose water
- 2 drops of frankincense oil
- 2 drops of helichrysum oil
- 2 drops of lavender oil
Technique:
- In a bowl, mix together the aloe vera and increased water until they are thoroughly integrated.
- Now drop in the essential oils and blend again.
- Place your cotton pads (about 24 of them) into a glass container, one on top of the other.
- Now gather your aloe vera/hydrosol mixture.
- Screw on the cover of the container and shake to obtain all the cotton pads soaked with the liquid mix. You may include a bit more rose water or pure water and shake once again.
- Once or twice a day, wring out and location two circular pads over your closed eye covers for relaxing, relaxing remedy for the heat, itching and swelling.
4. Neem Oil
Neem oil alleviates irritated skin with its soothing and mild properties. It likewise has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial parts that can alleviate the symptoms of conjunctivitis. Clean neem oil around the eye and eyelid prior to going bed for pink eye relief.