The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Activated Charcoal
Posted by Ky Mama (Clinton, Ky) on 11/24/2012
★★★★★
We have used charcoal for conjunctivits (pink-eye) many times. I have used this on myself and on my children, including little ones. I mix 1 T. of activated charcoal powder in 1 cup of boiled, cooled water. Then I strain it through a coffee filter. The resulting gray water should be kept in a clean jar. 2-4x a day, (definitely right before bed) drop one drop of the gray water into each eye (even if only one eye is infected... It is highly contagious. ) Even after infection has visibly healed, continue one drop a day for a few more days once a day to make sure. Even with one drop, lots of the water will come out of the eye... That is okay as long as at least some got into the eye. I use a drinking straw to get out some water from my jar if I do not have a clean eye dropper on hand. This week my four year old woke up with his eyes crusted shut. I cleaned them gently with a warm washcloth until he could open his eyes. All day his eyes were bloodshot and he had yellowish greenish discharge. 24 hours later, there was no sign of infection! Many years ago when my children had this I would have to pay for an office visit and an antibiotic; so grateful for this cheap, safe, easy alternative.
Replied by Teresa
(Lutz, FL)
08/14/2014
Replied by Michele
(Richmond, VA)
09/16/2014
Replied by Mama To Many
(Tennessee)
09/16/2014
Replied by Lindsey
(Sherwood, Ar)
09/14/2016
★★★★★
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Mamma Mia (Cincinnati, Ohio) on 02/11/2013
★★★★★
This is the third time I have used ACV for curing pink eye in my kids. Wonderful! All redness and goop gone in 48 hours. I add just enough ACV to discolor the water, about 6 drops in 3 ounces. Then just one drop in each eye. Makes your eyes sting a little, but just briefly. The first time anyone in the family got pink eye (I have 5 kids), we went to the doctor, paid the $20 copay and the $25 copay for Vigamox for 3 kids and 2 adults. Multiply $45 by 5 and that's a pretty fancy night out. That was 5 years ago.
When my 4th child got it 3 years ago, I used ACV and it cleared up in 48 hours. Yes, his eyes were all goopy and red. I just kept soaking a cotton ball in the stuff and rubbing it on his eyes every 2-3 hours. Then when me and three of the other kids got it, I used ACV for myself and got rid of it in 2 days. I used colloidal silver for the kids because they were complaining of the stinging with the ACV. The colloidal silver worked great too.
Now my oldest just got it in one eye, red and goopy and I started with black tea. I didn't see a big improvement through the day and I noticed his other eye starting to get red, so I switched to ACV. Twenty-four hours of starting ACV, the redness was almost gone. Next morning no redness. I'll continue to use it 3 times a day for the next 4-5 days just to make sure it's gone for good. Just one drop in each eye.
Now my 4th child has it (super-duper goopy and red within several hours)and I can't get him to do the ACV because of the stinging. So I'm wiping his eye with baby shampoo and flushing it out with black tea every hour. I'm also treating my 2nd and 3rd child with ACV 2x/day just to make sure they don't get pink eye. My 5th child is on antibiotics for an ear infection, so hopefully she won't get it.
Always works. Love it. I have used both Organic Unfiltered ACV and regular ACV. Both have worked the same for me.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Secratan (Austin, Tx) on 01/02/2010
★★★★★
I tried this method yesterday to stop a, possible, pink eye infection. I was pretty skeptical, but today I woke up with 2 happy eye balls :)
I used about 1/2 a teaspoon of ACV in 3 oz of water. I used a q-tip to get a drop or two in at a time and reapplied about every hour. It burns a bit, but the sting goes away in about 5 seconds. If it hurts too much, just dilute your solution some more.
good luck.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Amy (Sevierville, TN) on 03/10/2007
★★★★★
Hello everyone! My daughter is in 2nd grade, and we have become experts on pink eye! After many doctor, and eye doctor visits, including seven boxes of contacts, and countless bottles of Vigamox (an antibiotic $65 a bottle, and the bottle is tiny)we have found a much cheaper cure. My husband uses apple cider vinegar for his colds. I woke up one day, and didn't even have to look in the mirror. I was so mad, pink eye again! Having run out of the antibiotic, I started to panic, and looked up and there was some apple cider vinegar. Saving you lots of time that was about 7 months ago, and we have had it a couple of more times, ending it pretty fast. First, shower, wash your face and hands well. Dress and get yourself a dry washcloth. I only use bottled water for this treatment, since I have a well. If you have city water thats up to you. I then take about 16 oz of water and add enough apple cider vinegar to give it a slight tint. About a teaspoon. I have varied the amounts. Don't use too much vinegar. You are only going to burn your eyes. If you have to work, call in, this is an all day alternative to spending money, and takes all day to cure. I heat the mixture slightly in the microwave (about 30 seconds) to make it warm. Sit down, pop in your favorite movie, and get ready with your washcloth. Begin douching your eye, pouring in small amounts, you can get a dropper if you have one. I just hold the wash cloth to catch the extra, and pour in a good amount. It does burn a little. Make sure you hold your eye lid down, and even roll your eye around. It feels better warm, by now, your wash cloth should be getting wet. Stop and hold over your eye. Rest, and repeat all day. I have done this several times now, and it does take about a full day and night to be completely white again. Clean the house while your waiting too, as it is sooo contagious! Good luck
Baby Shampoo
Posted by Stephanie (Napa, Ca) on 02/01/2021
★★★★★
Baby Shampoo contains an agent that kills the pink eye after just one or two washes, and contains an agent that will not sting the eyes. Just rub a few drops with a little water in the palm of your hand and mix it before rubbing it into the eyes and letting it sit for a few moments before rinsing. Repeat once or twice every few hours or so until gone.
Black Tea Bag
Posted by Leah (Friendswood, Tx) on 09/07/2009
★★★★★
Yes, tea bags work for pink eye and work very well on infants. My son had pink eye when he was 8 months old or less, and I put tea drops from black tea bags in his eye, and it worked the same day. I kept on it a few days after to make sure.
Borax
Posted by Joyce (South Carolina) on 01/18/2016
★★★★★
I have 4 children, two are adults now.
We have always used a weak solution of Sodium tetraborate (mule team borax) for eye infections. It would usually be cured after first application. I just mixe 1/8teaspoon (mule team borax) in 1 cup warm distilled water.
Then I would put a couple drops of this mixture in their eyes and wipe the area around the eye with a solution soaked cotton ball.
Others should always do their own research, but I have done mine and trust it's safety when used responsibly and I always test new things by tiny amount first to make sure there is not a allergic type reaction.
The ingredients on my borax box today is only Sodium tetraborate.
Opticalm and is an eye wash that has Sodium Tetraborate Decahydrate in it's ingredients.
Chloramphenicol Eye Drops has borax as one of it's ingredients and it is for bacterial conjunctivitis
Otrivine Antistin Eye Drops have sodium tetraborate in it's ingredients.
Replied by Lea
(Pahoa hawaii)
03/08/2021
Boric Acid
Posted by Krzymomma (Arizona) on 08/17/2016
★★★★★
My 8 year old busted out with bilateral pinkeye. Now I have been a nurse for 12 years and over the years have come to the understanding that pharmaceuticals are not always the best choice. I mixed 1 tsp of pharmaceutical grade boric acid (its an otc) and and 8 ounces of boiled filtered water. cooled, poured in a sterilized blue glass dropper bottle and instilled 2 drops to each eye, four times a day for 7 to 10 days. Eyes all cleared up after 3 days, however continued treatment for 4 more days.
Boric Acid
Posted by Vanessa (Newark, Oh) on 08/23/2013
★★★★★
I would use Boric Acid for my kids when they were little and had pink eye. It was a remedy my Mother In Law told me about that she would use on her kids. It always worked. I would get it from the Pharmacist behind the counter. I don't know if you can still buy it or not.
Boric Acid
Posted by Bombshell (Stanwood, Wa., Usa) on 09/30/2010
★★★★★
I've used Boric Acid for all kinds of eye infections. It works faster than any other remedies. When my son was a baby and began to show signs of Pink Eye, I would immediately get out the Boric Acid. I would use about half a cup of warm water and one teaspoon of Boric Acid. Mix really well until the BA is dissolved, then dip a cotton ball squeezing only some of the mixture out (so it doesn't drip all over the place), then dab the infected eye at each corner. Do this two or three times using a clean cotton ball each time. My father is a doctor of Chinese medicine, Homeopathy, and acupuncture. This is a remedy he told me about when I was a teen almost a hundred years ago : ) Don't be afraid to do this to yourself or anyone else. It does not hurt, sting or burn the eyes what-so-ever. And trust me, this works better and faster than any anti-biotic your doctor can prescribe.
Breast Milk
Posted by Jacquelyn (San Francisco) on 01/10/2022 4 posts
★★★★★
Breastmilk cured my baby's pink eye in a matter of hours. I just expressed a little breastmilk and put a drop or two in each of her eyes every hour (aimed toward the inner corners of the eyes). I tried it in my own eye as well first just to see if it felt alright and it was soothing and not irritating at all. Her eyes completely stopped the oozing and redness after about 6 hours.
Breast Milk
Posted by Vonda (Miamisburg Ohio) on 05/21/2014
Breast milk...dropped every hour in each eye....for pets and humans alike. Also cures diaper rash.
Breast Milk
Posted by Caroline (Nashville, Tennessee) on 12/02/2010
★★★★★
I use breast milk for everyone in my house for eye infections and ear infections. Antibiotic drops were not clearing up eye infections because they were viral. Now, I just use an eye dropper with expressed breast milk several times a day, and the symptoms disappear!
Breast Milk
Posted by Piper (Toronto, On) on 09/12/2010
★★★★★
My daughter had mucous in the eyes as an infant. Doctor prescribed drops and massage, but the problem persisted. Someone suggested breastmilk and I applied to her eyes and it cleared up never to reoccur.
Breast Milk
Posted by Suzanne (Middlesbrough, , Uk) on 09/12/2010
★★★★★
My midwife recommended I try breast milk when my newborn had gloopy eyes. It worked! The problem cleared up within a couple of days and did not return.
