| How to Treat an Eye Infection Naturally Posted: 20 Jun 2020 01:00 AM PDT If you have an eye infection, you may be experiencing irritation, pain, redness, inflammation, or excess tearing in one or both of your eyes. Since eye infections can be caused by many different things, it's important to figure out what kind you have so you can use home remedies to treat your symptoms and alleviate your discomfort. See your doctor right away if you have any extreme pain or experience reduced vision, and talk to your doctor if your infection doesn't clear up within 2 to 3 days. [Edit]Treating Pink Eye - Look for redness, grittiness, or discharge to see if you have pink eye. Pink eye, or conjunctivitis, is usually caused by an infection in the membrane that lines your eyeballs. If you have crusting around your eyelids when you wake up or your eyes look red or pink, you most likely have pink eye.[1]
- Pink eye is one of the most common eye infections.
- Wash your hands before touching your eyes. Touching your eyes with dirty hands can make your infection worse or carry germs to your uninfected eye. Try to avoid touching your eyes without washing your hands first.[2]
- Pink eye is contagious, so you need to wash your hands after touching your eyes to avoid spreading it to others.
- Apply a warm compress to your closed eyes. Dampen a washcloth with warm water from your sink and wring out the excess. Place the washcloth over your eyes to soothe them and reduce inflammation. Keep the washcloth on until it gets cold, then take it off. Wash each cloth between use to avoid spreading the infection.[3]
- You can apply a warm compress to your eyes as often as you'd like to throughout the day.
- Use lubricating eye drops to reduce irritation. Lay down on your back and open up 1 eye. Apply 1 to 2 drops of the eye drops into your affected eye and blink until your vision clears up. Although eye drops won't cure your infection, they can help reduce itching and tearing in your affected eye.[4]
- You can find lubricating eye drops at most drug stores.
- Eye drops can also wash out any irritants that may be causing your pink eye.
- Avoid wearing contact lenses until your infection clears up. If you were wearing your contacts before you got the infection, they could be infected with conjunctivitis. Stop wearing your contacts until your eye feels better, and then ask your healthcare provider if you should get rid of your current contacts.[5]
- You could reinfect your eyes by putting your contact lenses back in.
- Take an allergy medication if you have allergic conjunctivitis. Pink eye can also be caused by allergens like dust, mold, pollen, and pet dander. If you know you have allergies, try taking an over the counter allergy medication to alleviate your symptoms and get rid of your pink eye.[6]
- Try using an air filter in your home to avoid getting allergens in your eyes in the future.
[Edit]Caring for a Sty - Look for a tender red bump at the base of your eyelashes. If you notice a small bump that causes pain, redness, and itchiness around your eyelid, you probably have a sty. Styes are caused by an impacted oil gland in your eyelid and usually show up near your lash line.[7]
- You can also get a sty on the inside of your eyelid underneath your lash line.
- Wash your eyelid with soap and water. Apply warm water and a gentle face cleanser to a washcloth, then rub your eyelids with it to clean the area. Rinse your eyes with warm water to keep them free of dirt so your sty heals faster.[8]
- Put a warm washcloth over your eyes. Run a washcloth under warm water from your sink and wring out the excess. Fold the washcloth over itself and then put it over your closed eyes. The warmth of the water can encourage the sty to drain on its own and go away faster.[9]
- Put a warm compress on your eyes 2 to 3 times a day until your sty heals.
- Avoid wearing contact lenses. If your sty was caused by bacteria, your contact lenses could be contaminated with it. Wear glasses instead of contacts until your sty heals up, and then ask your healthcare provider if you should replace your contacts.[10]
- Leave the sty alone until it heals. Although it can be tempting to pop or drain a sty with your fingers, this can make it much worse or even cause an infection. Do your best to leave the sty alone until it goes away on its own.[11]
[Edit]Dealing with Blepharitis - Look for watery, red eyes that are more sensitive to light. Blepharitis is the inflammation of the eyelids on one or both eyes. This inflammation can cause watery, red, itchy, swollen eyes, accompanied by crusted eyelashes when you wake up, sensitivity to light, and more frequent blinking.[12]
- Wash your eyelids every day. Apply a warm washcloth over your eyes for about 5 minutes to loosen the crust in your eyelashes. Then, use a warm washcloth and mild cleanser to gently wipe away any oil and debris from your eyelids.[13]
- Use lubricating eye drops. Lay down on your back with your eyes open. Apply 1 to 2 drops of eye drops in each eye, and then blink your eyes until your vision clears. You can use the eye drops to reduce the amount of itchiness and irritation in your eyes.[14]
- Look for lubricating eye drops at any drug store.
- Control your dandruff with anti-dandruff shampoo. If you deal with dandruff, it may be contributing to your blepharitis. Pick up an anti-dandruff shampoo to use on your hair to make your blepharitis go away quickly.[15]
- Dandruff is linked to blepharitis because dandruff on your scalp can lead to dandruff on your eyebrows, which can clog the glands in your eyelids.
- Increase your intake of omega-3 to prevent blepharitis in the future. Try taking fish oil supplements or eating more salmon, tuna, flaxseed, and walnuts in your daily diet. Omega-3s may help to decrease the symptoms that surround blepharitis, especially if you have rosacea.[16]
[Edit]Treating Bacterial Keratitis - Look for redness, blurred vision, and sensitivity to light. Bacterial keratitis is an infection of the cornea. It can cause redness, pain, tearing, blurred vision, decreased vision, and sensitivity to light. If you wear contact lenses, you are more prone to bacterial keratitis.[17]
- Use lubricating eye drops to reduce irritation. Lay down on your back with your eyes open. Apply 1 to 2 drops of eye drops into the affected eye, and then blink until your vision clears up. Use these eye drops as often as you want to throughout the day to reduce itchiness and grittiness.[18]
- Apply a warm compress to reduce itchiness. Run a washcloth under warm water and wring out the excess. Put your head back and place the washcloth over your eyes for 5 to 10 minutes. Although this won't cure keratitis, it will help reduce the pain and irritation that comes with it.[19]
- You can use a warm compress as often as you'd like to throughout the day.
- Avoid wearing contact lenses until your eyes clear up. Keratitis is sometimes caused by wearing your contacts for too long. Until your keratitis is better, wear your glasses instead of contacts.[20]
- Follow the directions on your package of contact lenses to find out how long you should be wearing them.
[Edit]When to Seek Medical Treatment - Get your eyes checked out if you have any eye infection symptoms. If you suspect you have any kind of eye infection, make an appointment with your primary care doctor or your eye doctor. Leaving an eye infection untreated or trying to treat it yourself without knowing what it is can lead to more serious complications. Common symptoms of infection include:[21]
- Redness that doesn't go away within a week, even with eye drops or other home remedies
- Yellow, green, or brown discharge
- Pain, itching, or tenderness in or around your eyes
- Light sensitivity
- Changes in vision
- Fever or general feelings of sickness, especially in combination with eye symptoms
- See your doctor if you have severe or persistent pain in your eyes. Unexplained eye pain or discomfort that doesn't go away with home treatment in 2 or 3 days can be a symptom of an infection or another serious eye problem. It's especially important to visit your doctor if you have eye pain and you wear contact lenses, have recently had eye surgery, or have a weakened immune system. Call emergency services if:[22]
- Your eye pain is extremely severe
- You experience eye pain along with a headache, a fever, or extreme light sensitivity
- You have eye pain with nausea or vomiting
- Your eye pain is accompanied by a sudden change in your vision, such as blurriness or halos around lights
- The eye pain is caused by a chemical splash or a foreign object in your eye
- You can't move your eye or keep it open
- The pain is accompanied by swelling around the eye
- The pain is accompanied by blood or pus
- Get immediate medical attention for any changes in your vision. Any time your vision suddenly changes, you should go to the emergency department or an urgent care clinic immediately. These could be symptoms of a serious problem with your eye or optic nerve. Look out for symptoms such as:[23]
- Flashes of light in your field of vision, especially when you move your head. These may look like streaks, flickers, or sparks.
- New floaters (dark spots or shadows that appear to float around in your field of vision).
- A dark curtain or "veil" across some or all of your vision.
- Partial or total loss of vision in one or both eyes.
- Sudden, unusual light sensitivity.
- Sudden blurring of your vision or double vision.[24]
- Go to the doctor if you have an infection and a weak immune system. If you have a medical condition or are taking a medication that might weaken your immune system, it's important to see your doctor as soon as possible for any symptoms of an eye infection. They can identify the infection quickly and prescribe a treatment to prevent more serious complications from developing.[25]
- Common causes of a weakened immune system include conditions like HIV/AIDs, cancer, or genetic immune deficiency disorders. Your immune system may also be weakened by certain medications, such as steroids or chemotherapy drugs.[26]
- Seek treatment if you have an infection with a pre-existing eye condition. Some eye conditions or injuries can put you at greater risk of developing harmful infections. If you have one of these conditions and develop symptoms of an eye infection, see your doctor right away.[27] Examples of conditions that might put you at risk include:[28]
- Trauma to the eye
- Abrasion of your cornea
- Recent eye surgery
- Health conditions such as diabetes or diseases that suppress your immune system
- Certain medications, such as topical steroids
- Wearing contact lenses
- Take your baby to the doctor if they have symptoms of an eye infection. Infants with eye infections always need a medical evaluation and treatment, especially newborns. These infections can cause serious complications if they aren't treated right away. Call your baby's pediatrician right away if you see symptoms such as redness, swelling, or discharge from the eye.[29]
- Pink eye symptoms in newborns can have a variety of causes, including blockages in the tear ducts, irritation in the eye, a bacterial or viral infection, or sexually transmitted infections passed on from the mother to the baby at birth (including gonorrhea or chlamydia).
- Visit the doctor if your symptoms don't get better with treatment. If you're treating your eye infection appropriately and you don't see any improvement within 1-3 days, it's time to call your doctor. They can re-evaluate your condition and recommend another treatment approach if necessary.[30]
- Ask your doctor how soon you should follow up if your infection isn't responding to prescribed treatments. Some recommend waiting up to 3 days, while others advise following up if you don't see an improvement in 24 hours.
- You should also call your doctor right away if your symptoms get worse, new symptoms appear, or your symptoms go away and then return.
[Edit]Warnings - See your primary care physician or an optometrist if you think you have an eye infection to get a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.[31]
- Any loss of vision or blurriness should be treated immediately in a hospital. Some eye infections may cause permanent blindness.[32]
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Make Hummingbird Food Posted: 19 Jun 2020 05:00 PM PDT We can all admit it--hummingbirds are magical creatures. They seemingly dance on the air, zipping around like tiny cheetahs with wings. Attract these beauties by hanging your own feeder filled with homemade hummingbird food. Follow these steps to tempt those little birds to stay awhile in your backyard. [Edit]Making Hummingbird Nectar - Make a rich sugar solution to attract hummingbirds to your yard. The sugary sweet mixture will encourage visiting hummingbirds to stay in the area. High-energy food is also important for hummingbirds in the spring because it helps to replenish the energy reserves that hummingbirds use up during migration.
- Avoid buying nutrient-enhanced hummingbird nectar. It will cost you money that you don't need to spend, and the hummingbirds won't really benefit either. Hummingbirds get all of the nutrients they need from natural flower nectar and the insects that they eat--the sugar mixture you are providing is a quick pick-me-up for them (similar to a cup of coffee for us) when they are flying around and feeling tired.[1]
- Mix a solution of 1 part white, granulated sugar, and 4 parts warm water. Stir the mixture until the sugar is completely dissolved. Cane sugar is a sucrose that falls into the carbohydrate family. Carbs are easily digested and give the hummingbirds the immediate energy they need to keep those little wings flapping.
- Boil the sugar water for 1 to 2 minutes. Boiling the mixture will slow down any bacterial growth that may occur. Boiling the water will also get rid of any extra chlorine that might be in your tap water (which in turn could harm the little hummers.)[2] It is not necessary to boil the solution if you are only making a small amount of food for immediate use.
- If you do not boil the mixture, you will need to change the food every 1 to 2 days or else bacteria may grow in the mixture that could harm the hummingbirds.
- Do not add any dye to the food. Though hummingbirds are attracted to the color red, red dyes have been known to harm hummingbirds. Natural hummingbird food (nectar) is odorless and clear--there is no need to add dye to your homemade hummer food.[3]
- Store the hummingbird food until you are ready to use it. Keep the food in the refrigerator. If you make a large batch of the food, you can keep the extra amount in the fridge until your feeder is empty. This will save you time when refilling your feeder.
- Pick the right feeder. Red feeders are the best because the color red attracts hummingbirds. You should hang your feeder in a shady spot if possible because the nectar will stay fresh longer when it is in the shade. Hang your feeder in your garden if you have one. Hang your feeder near a window (but far out of the reach of cats) to be able to enjoy these beautiful little birds.
- Some hummingbird enthusiasts say that you should only hang a feeder near a window if you have cut-outs of birds on the glass so as to keep the hummingbirds from flying into the glass and potentially injuring themselves.[4]
[Edit]Preventing Mold and Fermentation - Know that your food can cause harm if left to ferment or mold. When your sugar mixture turns cloudy, it needs to be replaced. Yeasts eat sugar, causing fermentation that could potentially harm a hummingbird. A warm, sugary mixture is also a great place for mold and bacteria to grow.
- Check your feeder for black mold as often as you can. If possible, check your feeder every other day. Keeping an eye on your feeder will keep any harm from coming to the hummingbirds. If you find mold, mix ¼ cup of bleach in a gallon of water. Soak the feeder for an hour in this bleach mixture. Scrub any mold off and then rinse the feeder thoroughly before refilling it.[5]
- Clean your feeder before your refill it. Flush the feeder with hot tap water. Do not use soap--hummingbirds do not like the taste that soap leaves behind and will avoid your feeder if it has soap residue.
- Change the food in the feeders regularly. Be aware that the amount of time you can leave hummingbird food outside depends on the temperature in which the feeder is hung in.
- If temperatures are 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (21 to 26 C), change the food every 5 to 6 days.
- When temperatures are 81 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit (27 to 30 C), change the food every 2 to 4 days.
- If the thermometer tops 91 degrees Fahrenheit (32 C), change the food daily.
[Edit]Giving Your Nectar a Boost - Decide on the potency of the food. Decrease the amount of sugar concentration in the food after a couple of weeks. Doing this will increase the activity at your feeder. One part sugar to five parts water or one part sugar to four parts water will dilute the mixture. When the mixture is more diluted, the hummingbirds have to come back more often. [6]
- Do not make the mixture any weaker than 1 part sugar to 5 parts water. If the food has less sugar than this, the hummingbirds will expend more energy flying to and from the feeder than they will be able to replenish by eating the food.
- You want to make the food strong enough that you do not constantly have to fill the feeders, but not so strong that the birds visit infrequently and you don't get to see them. Making food that is incredibly high in sugar will give the hummingbirds a high amount of energy, allowing them to go longer before eating again (so they won't be visiting your feeder as much.)
- Plant flowers that hummingbirds like. If you have tried different mixtures but there are still no hummingbirds using your feeder, plant flowers that will attract hummingbirds.
- Here are plants that hummingbirds like[7]: Bee Balm, Phlox, Lupine, Hollyhock, Red-Hot Poker, Columbine, Coral Bells, Foxglove, Cardinal Flower, Lantana, Salvia, Butterfly Bush, Rose of Sharon, Trumpet Vine, Trumpet Honeysuckle, Crossvine, Carolina Jessamine, Indian Pink (Spigelia).
- If the hummingbirds are not eating all of the food before it goes bad, only fill the feeder part way to avoid having to keep throwing the food out.
- Do not use honey, powered sugar, brown sugar, artificial sweeteners or any other type of sweetener or sugar substitute. The chemical makeup of other sweeteners is not the same and does not meet the nutritional needs of hummingbirds. Some of these sweeteners could cause hummingbirds to sicken or die.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Dye Crocs Shoes Posted: 19 Jun 2020 09:00 AM PDT Crocs are a convenient and comfortable brand of foam rubber shoes, but painting and customizing them can be a little tricky. Fabric dye won't stick to the foam rubber material very well and spray paint will crack and break over a short period of time. The best way to dye your Crocs a different color is to use a process known as hydro-dipping, or water transfer painting. To do this, you need a large plastic bucket and 1-4 colors of acrylic or latex spray paint. It won't take you more than 15-30 minutes of work to create a beautiful pair of custom Crocs. [Edit]Prepping Your Crocs - Use a pair of white Crocs for the best results. You can dye any pair of Crocs, but the colors are going to pop out more if they're applied to a pair of white Crocs. In addition, this process may leave small areas unpainted and the white foam rubber will provide a more neutral background color for your design.
- Tape off any areas you don't want to paint with masking tape. You don't have to dye every part of your shoe if you don't want to. Many people leave the soles of the shoes unpainted or cover up the portion of rubber around the heel. Use strips of masking tape to cover any areas that you want to keep clean.[1]
- If you want to protect the buttons on the strap where they attach to your shoe, put a piece of masking tape over them. Then, use a utility knife to cut around each button. Pull off the excess tape to leave the 2 smaller pieces behind.
- Clean the areas that you're going to paint with a moist paper towel. Grab a baby wipe or run a paper towel under a stream of water for 1 second. Then, scrub every surface that isn't covered in masking tape. Rub the foam rubber back-and-forth for 30-45 seconds to remove any surface dirt or dust.[2]
- Let your shoes air dry or rub them dry with a clean towel.
[Edit]Filling the Bin with Your Paints - Go outside and fill a plastic bin with water. Get a plastic bin that is at least twice as big as your Crocs and deep enough to submerge them completely. You can't realistically do this inside without getting paint and water all over the place, so take your bin out outside. Fill your plastic container 4/5 of the way with lukewarm water.[3]
- You need a little room at the top of the bin. When you submerge your shoe, it will displace some of your water. If the bucket is too full, some of the water and paint will spill over.
- Plastic storage bins are usually perfect for this since they're easy to clean when you're done and can usually hold a lot of water.
- Apply spray paint to the surface of the water. You must use standard acrylic or latex spray paint to do this. Grab your first can of paint and shake it for 5-10 seconds until you hear the ball rattling inside. Then, hold the can at 45-degree angle and hold the nozzle away from the water. Spray the middle of the water for 5-10 seconds to cover the upper layer of water in paint.[4]
- You don't need a dust mask or respirator since you're doing this outside, but you can wear one if the paint fumes tend to bother you.
- You can use a single color to dye your Crocs a different shade or use multiple cans of paint to create a unique pattern. If you want to dye your Crocs a solid color, spray your paint into the water for 30-40 seconds until the paint covers the entire surface of the water.
- Spray additional colors in the middle of the water if you want multiple colors. You can stick with a single color, but adding multiple shades of paint to the water will create a cool pattern on your shoes. You can use anywhere from 2-3 additional colors for this. Spray each color in the middle of your previous color for 5-10 seconds. Allow the paint to spread around in the water after you spray each layer.[5]
- The surface of the water should be completely covered with paint by the time you're done adding your paints.
- If you use more than 4 colors, the paint may begin to mix together in the water. The paints will stay separated if you use 4 or fewer, though.
- For a tie-dye look, use blue, red, yellow, and green. You can spray these colors in a circular pattern away from the center of the water to mix them together like a classic tie-dye shirt!
- Any color combination can work for this since the paint won't mix unless you use more than 4 colors. For a brighter combination, use a mixture of red, yellow, pink, and orange. For a cooler color combination, stick with darker colors like blue, purple, black, and green.
[Edit]Hydro-Dipping Your Shoes - Put gloves on and carefully lower your first Croc into water. Throw on some thick rubber gloves to keep the paint off of your hands. Then, grab your first Croc and hold it upside down at a 45-degree angle. Hold it by the edges of the sole. If you added masking tape to the shoe, hold it over the taped-off section. Slowly lower your shoe without changing the angle that you're holding it at. Continue to lower the shoe into the water until it is completely submerged.[6]
- If you don't want your fingers to block paint from getting on the shoe, tape a string to the sole of your shoe and lower it that way. The overall paint job may be a little inconsistent though if the shoe wobbles in the air as you lower it into the water.
- Brush the paint on top of the water away from the shoe and lift it out. Hold the shoe under the water for 5-10 seconds. The paint on the surface will catch on your shoe and there will be some open water surrounding your forearm. Use your free hand to keep this water clear as you slowly raise the shoe out of the water the same way you lowered it.[7]
- Repeat this process using the same colors with your second shoe. Set your dyed shoe aside. Grab your spray paint again and repeat the process by applying multiple colors to the water. You can use the same set of colors you used on the first shoe or mix it up a bit to create a truly unique pair. Dip this shoe into the water and pull it out the same way you covered the first shoe in paint.[8]
- Clean your bin with water and dish soap if you want to reuse it in the future. If some of the spray paint won't come off, use paint thinner to weaken it before scrubbing it off with a thick cloth.
- Let your shoes air dry for 24 hours. The wet spray paint will take quite some time to dry. If it's warm out and it isn't supposed to rain, leave your shoes outside. If it might rain or it's kind of cold out, set your shoes on top of a towel or plastic lid and take them inside. Wait at least 24 hours before touching your shoes.[9]
- Spray your shoes with a clear acrylic fixative to protect the paint from fading. Get a can of clear-coat aerosol fixative designed for acrylic paint. Take your shoes back outside it you were drying them indoors. Shake the can of fixative until you hear the ball rattling inside. Then, hold the nozzle away from the shoes and spray both of your Crocs in a thick layer of fixative. Wait 2-3 hours for the shoes to dry.[10]
- The fixative will keep the paint from chipping and fading over time.
- Read the label on a can of fixative to see if it will protect acrylic paints. Most clear-coat fixatives will work with acrylic.
- If you don't like the way your Crocs look when you pull them up form the water, you can simply brush the paint off by hand and try again. The paint won't harden until you let it air dry for a few hours.
- You can use acrylic paint to brush your name or add additional designs to the Crocs after you paint them.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Crocs
- Plastic bin
- Water
- Rubber gloves
- Spray paint
- Fixative
- Paint thinner (optional)
- Masking tape (optional)
- Utility knife (optional)
[Edit]References |
Nenhum comentário:
Postar um comentário