Pink Eye
Natural Remedies

Pink Eye - Editor's Choice

| Modified on Mar 31, 2025
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Pink Eye Natural Remedies

Pink eye, also known as viral conjunctivitis, is a common and often irritating eye condition. Fortunately, natural remedies are readily available, cost-effective, and quick to bring relief. These home treatments, ranging from black tea to honey, are simple to use and can alleviate viral and bacterial conjunctivitis symptoms.

Top 10 Natural Remedies for Pink Eye

1. Black Tea

When applied to closed eyes, black tea bags can soothe and treat infected eyes. Steep two tea bags in a small amount of hot water, cool them to body temperature and apply to each eye for 2-5 minutes, several times a day.

2. Chamomile Tea

Chamomile's soothing properties make it ideal for eye infections. Use chamomile tea bags or moistened chamomile flowers wrapped in a paper towel as a compress on the eyes.

3. Green Tea

Like black and chamomile tea, green tea bags can be used as a compress for pink eye relief. Avoid flavored green teas as they may not be suitable for the eyes.

4. Coffee

Fresh, warm black coffee can be an effective remedy. Dip cotton balls in warm coffee and apply to each closed eye.

5. Apple Cider Vinegar

 Mix ¼ teaspoon of raw ACV with ½ cup distilled water and apply the solution to the closed eyes with a cotton ball. This may sting initially but is effective for treating pink eye.

6. Honey

Combine raw honey with warm distilled water and apply a few drops to the eyes. Honey's natural antiviral and antibiotic properties make it an effective remedy.

7. Colloidal Silver

Apply 1 drop of 10 ppm colloidal silver to each eye twice daily for two days, then once daily for the next two days.

8. Coconut Oil

Apply a small amount of cold-pressed coconut oil to each closed eye twice daily for soothing relief.

 9. Castor Oil

Use hexane-free, cold-pressed castor oil. Apply one drop in each eye twice a day. Castor oil can also help thicken eyelashes.

10. Activated Charcoal

Mix activated charcoal powder with distilled water, filter through a coffee filter, and apply a drop to each eye several times daily.

Important Precautions and Additional Tips

  • Always treat both eyes, even if only one shows symptoms.
  • Pink eye is highly contagious, so maintain good hygiene, wash hands frequently, and change pillowcases daily.
  • If discharge accumulates overnight, use a warm washcloth to gently clean the eyes.
  • Continue treatment for at least 24 hours after symptoms subside to prevent relapse.
  • Seek medical advice if symptoms persist or are accompanied by unusual symptoms like fever or visual disturbances.

Natural remedies for pink eye offer a practical alternative to antibiotics, especially for viral conjunctivitis where antibiotics are ineffective. These home treatments not only target the infection but also provide soothing relief. Share your experiences with natural pink eye remedies and continue reading to learn about other effective solutions from our readers.


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.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Cupoflove (Silver City Nm) on 07/08/2020
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I had horrible eye infection going on for almost 2 months, lost my job in and out of hospital. High doses of multiple antibiotic ECT. Pain swelling redness constant puss running out. finally thanks to God I looked on earthclinic. The only vinger I had was the big cheap. Bottle of distilled Apple Cider Vinegar. I put a tablespoon in a cup of warm water. clean both eye eyelashes got out all gunk and the dropped about six drops in both eyes ..augh the burn was something else and my eye just oozed out puss and gunk ..

I clean them again and repeat until gunk slow down and then oh my gosh sweet relief and eyesight return.. first time in over a month with no eye pain. I repeated this every hour until bed time I woke a couple times during night and would repeat clean drops clean drops until eyes were clean and fresh. I woke this morning swelling gone. Eyelashes not stuck. Redness almost gone ...gunk gone ...I'm in shock . thank you so much . blessed be earth clinic forever


Colloidal Silver

Posted by Sophie (Leicestershire) on 03/09/2018
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I had really bad conjunctivitis for over a month resulting in time off work, doctor prescribed me three different antibiotics and although they seemed to start working at first they never cleared it. Then I read about colloidal silver and decided to try it. A drop in each eye once in morning and once at night for first two days, then once at night only for a further two days and voila! It was basically clear after two days but still getting slightly sticky eyes in the morning so continued for two more days and I was cured!


Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Cupotea (Los Angeles) on 01/04/2018
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Apologies in advance. This is a bit long, but I just have enjoyed the benefits of this remedy and am thrilled to have this in my self-care medicine cabinet!

I just thought I'd add my two cents because it's been a life-saver for me. It's my go-to whenever I have gritty or dry-eyes or the occasional pink eye from wearing contacts too long (admittedly sometimes falling asleep in them too often). I first found this remedy here because I was desperate. Back in the days of living with no health insurance, too many all-nighters and being a dry eye having, contact lens wearing, cosmetic lover. While working one of my most stressful jobs, I came down with a combination head cold and eye infection that forced me to go to the doctor. I was put on a course of about 10 days of antibiotic eye drops ($60 for a tiny bottle not including doctor visit). I tossed my eye makeup, contacts, cleaned all my brushes and followed the prescribed cleansing with warm water/cotton balls and eye drops and saw it improve. Then the next week it came back—I think it hadn't completely gone away. I went back for a second bottle of eye drops. It didn't work because it seemed I needed to use something stronger or use it longer. In any case, I could see this being a recurring issue due to my lifestyle.

I luckily found this site, ACV remedy and it's happy users. I tried the method of lightly tinting about 1/4 cup of water with ACV, gently wiping with one soaked cotton ball per eye, discarding and saturating each eye with fresh soaked cotton balls (letting a few drops get into each eye). It stung slightly and caused my eyes to tear. By the end of the day (3 applications later), I saw less redness, swelling and gunk. By the third day, there were no more symptoms. I continued a couple more days, but only 2x a day to be sure it was gone and no contacts or makeup for a whole week. I'm so grateful this was shared on here—best ever remedy for me! I even occasionally use it for maintenance to flush out my tear ducts when they're irritated or have been feeling drier lately. I haven't had to use artificial tears anymore.

Please be sure to dilute! As other users have noted, you can injure yourself if you're not careful (it's an acid). If in doubt, it's better to err on the side of caution. I tested it with a very diluted solution at first and got a feeling for what I could tolerate. But, I noticed for me, 1/4 tsp ACV to 1 cup water is tolerable and resolved pink eye nicely over 4 days or so.


When to See A Doctor

Posted by Dianec (Southern California) on 01/27/2017

Editor's Choice

Pink eye can be dangerous!

Years ago in the late 1980's my 12 year old daughter woke up with pink eye. I tried tea bags on her pink eye problem but she could find no relief. So I took her to Urgent Care and the doctor there took a test and told me nothing was wrong and it would clear up on it's own. Well the pink eye continued and I ended up taking her to the hospital and an appointment was made with an Ophthalmologist. Turned out my daughter didn't have regular pink eye, what was going on was her body was attacking itself and was damaging her pupils! She had autoimmune disorder! If your pink eye problem doesn't clear up don't delay in going to a specialist! The doctors saved her eyesight but we went though hell thinking she could go blind!

Just wanted to share our story of pink eye.


Castor Oil

Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee) on 07/16/2016
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

My 12 year old daughter woke up with her eyes very bloodshot yesterday. They had been crusty when she woke up. I put one drop of castor oil into each eye in the evening. She was 95% better by morning, after just one treatment! She said she didn't wake up with crusty eyes. I put another drop in each eye tonight, just for good measure. I have used chamomile, eyebright, and activated charcoal for pinkeye before in my children. All have worked, usually quite quickly. If you keep chamomile tea bags on hand, this is a pretty easy treatment and using moist, cool chamomile tea bags on irritated eyes (from pinkeye or anything else) brings immediate relief.

I will say that castor oil was the easiest of all of these because there was nothing to prepare.

I do use cold pressed, hexane free castor oil when I am using it for medical purposes, especially in the eyes.

~Mama to Many~


Black Tea Bag

Posted by Uvstarbaby (New Jersey) on 04/13/2015
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I woke up a couple of days ago with a case of pink eye that had come on board during another infection, involving sore throat, dry cough, raspy voice, body aches. It mainly affected my right eye, but some in the left, too. Really red, with profuse slimy discharge. I let it go a day to see if it would clear up, but it was just getting worse.

Suddenly, a light bulb came on to check EarthClinic for some remedies. At first I tried ACV mixed with water, which burned and seemed worse after a few hours. Then I tried colloidal silver, which gave no improvement after several hours. Then I tried organic peony white tea (because it's a type of green tea - young leaves), with no effect and it seemed even worse again. FINALLY, I tried black tea, the round tea bags, and there was almost instant relief and some clearing of redness over a few hours.

After the second application last night before bed, today it's gone in my left eye and practically gone in my right eye. I just did another application on both eyes and will likely do a couple more, to ensure it stays gone. It was easy and painless. Just like making a cup of tea, only I put the cooled teabag on my right eye, after squeezing some drops from it into my left. For subsequent applications, I used the cold tea in the cup, with clean cotton balls, squeezing drops in each eye, and cleaning my eyelashes and surrounding eye area with the tea soaked cotton balls. I'm grateful and my vision is still good--maybe a touch better. :) Thank you EarthClinic and everyone who has posted their experience here in order to help others. It worked!


Black Tea Bag
Posted by Deborah (Denison, TX) on 07/21/2007
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I have suffered for many years with painfull pink eye or conjunctvitis and have taken so many prescriptions to just have another reoccurance. I went on the web and found a cure that is so simple and cheap. Take just a cheap black tea bag and steep in lukewarm water. Then take the tea bag and place it on the infected eye for 15-30 minutes. I did this for 2 days and I have been pain free and red eye free for over a year. I was diagnosed with Sjorn's Disease and my eyes were so red & inflamed that I was embarrassed to be seen in public. This is truly a natural cure.



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