Effectiveness of Individualized Homoeopathy in Treatment of Acute Bacterial Conjunctivitis in Children Aged 6 to 13 Years: A Case Series

Abstract

Conjunctivitis is inflammation of the conjunctiva presenting with redness, pain, gritty sensation, itching, burning, and eye discharge, occurring due to bacterial, viral, and allergic causes. An ocular history and penlight examination are done to clinically diagnose the condition. In conventional methods, antiallergic and antibiotic treatment are available. A case series of 10 children suffering from conjunctivitis and treated with individualized homoeopathy is reported here. Assessment was done using the severity of allergic ocular disease (SAOD) scale and numerical rating scale (NRS). The modified Naranjo criteria for homoeopathy (MONARCH) inventory for causal relationship between homoeopathic intervention and clinical outcome was used.

The results of this case series demonstrate a mean reduction in the SAOD score from 10.5 ± 1.50 at baseline to 5.5 ± 2.05 on the third day (95% confidence interval [CI]; p ≤ 0.001) and a mean reduction in the NRS pain score from 7.9 ± 0.56 at baseline to 4.4 + 1.5 on the third day (95% CI; p =0.0001). No symptoms were reported on the 7th and 21st days. The present case series highlights the potential role of homoeopathy in managing conjunctivitis in children. Further research with larger sample size, are needed to validate these results.

Keywords

conjunctivitis - individualized homoeopathy - MONARCH - SAOD - NRS

Publication History

Article published online:
13 May 2025

• References

• 1 Yeu E, Hauswirth S. A review of the differential diagnosis of acute infectious conjunctivitis: implications for treatment and management. Clin Ophthalmol 2020; 14: 805-813
• 2 Azari AA, Barney NP. Conjunctivitis: a systematic review of diagnosis and treatment. JAMA 2013; 310 (16) 1721-1729
• 3 Kahol P, Thakur M, Gupta A. et al. Prevalence, morbidity and treatment seeking behavior for allergic conjunctivitis in children in a North Indian community. Clin Epidemiol Glob Health 2019; 7 (02) 239-245
• 4 Kelkar J, Kelkar A, Thakur PS. et al The epidemiology and disease pattern of pediatric ocular morbidities in Western India: The National Institute of Ophthalmology Amblyopia Study in Indian Paediatric EyeS (NIMBUS) study report 1. Indian J Ophthalmol 2023; 71 (03) 941-945
• 5 Mahoney MJ, Bekibele R, Notermann SL, Reuter TG, Borman-Shoap EC. Pediatric conjunctivitis: a review of clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and management. Children (Basel) 2023; 10 (05) 808
• 6 Hahnemann S. Organon of Medicine. 5th and 6th ed.. New Delhi: B. Jain Publishers; 2005
• 7 Mokkapatti R. An experimental double-blind study to evaluate the use of Euphrasia in preventing conjunctivitis. Br Homeopath J 1992; 81 (01) 22-24
• 8 Chand K. Review of CCRH quarterly bulletin (1983). Indian J Res Homoeopathy 2013; 7: 31-32
• 9 Verma DK, Verma SK, Atray JP, Atray M. Homoeopathy and epidemic viral conjunctivitis: A single blind study. Homoeopathic Links 2013; 26 (01) 58-62
• 10 Stoss M, Michels C, Peter E, Beutke R, Gorter RW. Prospective cohort trial of Euphrasia single-dose eye drops in conjunctivitis. J Altern Complement Med 2000; 6 (06) 499-508
• 11 van Haselen RA. Homoeopathic clinical case reports: development of a supplement (HOM-CASE) to the CARE clinical case reporting guideline. Complement Ther Med 2016; 25: 78-85
• 12 Schroyens F. Synthesis. RADAR Software (Version 3.2.17). Isnes, Belgium: Archibel; 2009
• 13 Kent JT. Lectures on Homoeopathic Philosophy. Reprint 4th ed.. New Delhi: B Jain Publishers (P) Ltd; 1997: 253
• 14 Haefeli M, Elfering A. Pain assessment. Eur Spine J 2006; 15 (Suppl. 01) S17-S24
• 15 Contreras AR, Santacruz C, Ayala J. et al. Allergic conjunctivitis: an immunological point of view. In: Conjunctivitis: A Complex and Multifaceted Disorder. London: IntechOpen; 2011
• 16 Lamba CD, Gupta VK, van Haselen R. et al. Evaluation of the modified naranjo criteria for assessing causal attribution of clinical outcome to homoeopathic intervention as presented in case reports. Homoeopathy 2020; 109 (04) 191-197