Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Pink Eye Remedy Review

This morning I awoke with my left eye very irritated and slowly but constantly filling up with tears. I thought maybe I had something in it, and used tissue to wipe at it gently. As I sat here catching up on blogs, it continued. I began to wonder if it was pink eye.

I recalled reading something about pinkeye remedies that didn't involve an expensive prescription for a tiny bottle of antibiotic drops. I googled it, of course, and read through dozens of home remedies involving russet potatoes, colloidal silver, or chammomile tea. None of those rang a bell, and I didn't have any of them on hand.

There was a couple places recommending wiping the eye with a soggy diaper or cloth dipped in (child's) urine. I didn't think THAT could be what I was looking for. Though it was intriguing.

Then, I found it: breastmilk! Aha! THAT's what I'd read.

I just happened to have a lactating female on hand, so I gave it a try. Wouldn't you know, the irritation and watering stopped immediately! Fantastic. I will reapply throughout the day.

To recap:

Breastmilk vs. Prescription Eyedrops

Required no call or visit to the doctor (and possible fee).
Did not have to wait to hear from/see doctor.
Did not have to wake children or pile them into the car for a trip to the doctor's and/or pharmacy.
Did not have to keep three children under control in cute shop while waiting for pharmacist.
Did not have to spend $35 for prescription.
Can take remedy with me without refrigeration.

I think I'll go with the breastmilk.

3 comments:

MamaJ said...

WOW, had no idea! I bought some stuff from Wal-Mart, Similisan Pink Eye relief. Have to try that next time, well, if it's available, ha.

EllaJac said...

Andi Without A Password said...

Breastmilk is the most amazing substance on earth! It's a great cure for a LOT of stuff -- anything peeling, cracked, bleeding, etc. (lips, hands, etc.). It has such amazing antibiotic properties that a glass of breastmilk left at room temperature for 8 hours actually has fewer bacteria than a glass of freshly pumped breastmilk -- there are no bacteria in the breastmilk itself, so the bacteria present in the fresh milk came from whatever it was pumped into (the glass, for example) -- but within 8 hours, the antibodies in the milk had destroyed them all! AMAZING!

EllaJac said...

Andi,

Hey, now I can wash my 'garden hands' and be healed? Awesome!

Mark McAfee, of Organic Pastures Raw dairy in CA notes the same phenomenon; he introduced nasty bacteria into some milk from his herd, and in the morning it was clean. Healthy cows, obviously!