In November 2010 I wrote about my severe eyestrain problem. My initial "solution" to the problem did not work. Many other readings and consultations occurred over the past eight months – to no avail. All the horses and all the kings's men couldn't get my eyes back to normal again. I won't go into detailed case history here (if you are interested, there's more info here)
But finally, in desperation I resorted to trying things I would otherwise never have. What I did – as an experiment on my own body – is described here (if you are interested).
The candidate solution to this problem is now the following:
I have made use of Manuka honey but I guess this will solution work with almost any honey: Wet your finger. Take a TINY dab of honey on the finger. Apply the finger on the eyelashes with eyes slightly open, allowing some of the honey to get into the eyes. This will SLIGHTLY sting for a few minutes. Within minutes you'll start experiencing relief. Do this as many times as needed (twice a day should be sufficient).
(Note: I've also used aloe vera in these two days but think that honey is the critical ingredient).
Immediately upon announcing this on Facebook a FB friend claimed that this was apparently well known in Ayurveda. I'm not sure. I'm afraid NOT one mention of this solution exists in the 1000s of websites I've scoured (btw, I have set up three google alerts that tell me every day about ANY development reported in this area anywhere in the world) – or in the many nature cure books I've read, or in the tens of medical and other journal articles I've downloaded and read from electronic databases. Nor was this mentioned by any of the specialists (one in Melbourne, one in India) or the two other doctors I've consulted.
If it is indeed an Ayurvedic treatment, it is surely kept as a tight secret from the rest of the world. All I'd say to those who beat the drum about Ayurveda is that please don't hide your "treatments" in secret chambers in the bottom of a cave. Let the world know.
There are millions suffering today – very badly. Let their pain and burning sensations be relieved if you know anything about a remedy to this (or other) problem. Share your knowledge.
I'm now getting close to normal (eyes are still sore and tender, but almost no itching, burning, or tiredness, nor strong headache). This is just the third day of my self-discovered remedy. I hope this will work out and actually cure my problem. I have good reasons to believe it will, since the relief experienced was from day one. Good medicine starts working instantly.
I've only used this remedy five times so far, and within a few days or weeks should be able to report whether it did indeed work. Currently it is only a candidate solution. But since this is a very debilitating problem, I'm putting this initial information out there in the open, to help anyone who is suffering. Even candidate solutions are hard to come by for this chronic problem.
Let me add that the following things DO NOT WORK: (a) artificial tears (b) anti-inflammatories. I suspect that Restasis also wouldn't work (although I haven't tried it). There are reports on the internet that it doesn't work. Given all this, the only strong candidate to remedy this chronic and debilitating problem is HONEY. Please let me know if you have tried or heard of a better remedy.
Addendum
Now I've just found that there is indeed some info on honey as an Ayurvedic cure for this problem on the internet (here).
Of the three, honey has the most conventional research supporting its use. In a study published in the October 2006 issue of Cornea, researchers found that honey can help relieve the symptoms of dry eye due to a number of conditions.
22 May 2011: I guess given I've discovered the cure (or at least a palliative: only time will tell) for one of mankind's most chronic and debilitating problems, I ought to perhaps provide a hypothesis for why this remedy works.
Note that honey has not just anti-inflammatory properties but anti-bacterial properties. I hypothesise that it is possible that there are bacterial causes to this problem. This sounds radical but given the ultimate cause of peptic ulcers being a bacterial, this is not as far-fetched as it may appear to be. Further I would suggest that there are chemicals within honey that reduce inflammation and provide instant relief.
More later when I think of some more plausible reasons. Basically these are SCIENTIFIC reasons. Let them be tested.
23 May 2011. Fifth day. Went well. Very mild sensation that eye is not 100% well. Applied a very tiny amount of honey before going to work. At work applied Thera tears twice. Came back from work and applied honey and aloe vera. At night I'm going to apply pure ghee mixed with triphla powder/solution (I've bought these from an Indian shop today). This will be in place of castor oil that I usually use.
On a normal day like this before I discovered this cure, I'd apply 3 strong anti-inflammatory drops at least 8 times a day in all, followed by a number of ordinary artificial tears, and then castor oil at night. I'd also apply hot towel. None of that now. I've NOT wasting time on applying heat or any such thing. Just a few seconds spent in applying honey. Very simple. And instantaneous results.
I've suddenly realised today how dramatically (and in a fluid manner) one's eyes can move, and how badly I had constricted them over the past few months. I'm now seeing the world again as it is meant to be seen: with wide open, relaxed eyes, that are not fussed about rapid movement from side to side, to see things.
I was also estimating the cost of treatment so far. With the tens of eye drops, lid-cleaner, a range of vitamins, astaxanthin, homeo "medicine", you name it, an e-book from the internet, and two expensive visits to the eye specialist (other visits were subsidised by the tax payer) – ALL TO NO AVAIL – I spent at least $500 so far on my eye treatment. ALL TO NO AVAIL (that's worth repeating!). Actually, I also bought myself a new computer monitor because I thought the monitor was giving me trouble (it wasn't). So that's nearly $700. PLUS THE PAIN.
And what's the cost of the solution? ZERO. Some honey that I had at home, some aloe vera from my backyard, and some pure ghee that I could well have used in place of castor oil (that's very cheap, though, so it doesn't really count). And HOURS spent in reading this and reading that.