I picked my daughter up from daycare the other day and found myself studying the face of the lovely woman who makes her home a second home to my daughter and others. She looked different to me, in a way that I couldn’t identify but made me wonder why her features weren’t matching the image of her in my mind’s eye.  The next day I understood what I was seeing differently-- she had a red rash around her eyes and the area was puffy. “Tita Annie,” I asked “what’s going on with your eyes? Do they itch?” and she explained to me how she has eye rashes that come and go, that they are uncomfortable and last for a few days.  She was gesturing to them while she was explaining, and her husband, standing near-by, chided her not to touch them. Clearly they were both very familiar with this annoying rash. I told her I would be back shortly with some ju hua that would fix her problem.  

I dropped my daughter home and biked back with a mason jar of some ju hua, chrysanthemum flowers.  In the parts of America that have winters we know chrysanthemum morifolium as the multi-colored annuals that are put out around Halloween time.  In East Asian medicine, it is the yellow or white flowers that are used. I instructed her to boil a few for 10-15 minutes, drink the infusion, and put the steeped flowers, once cooled, on her eyes.  This was a Friday. I didn’t see her again until the following Monday, where she reported exactly what I was expecting: in about a day her eyes were fine. I have yet to see ju hua not work its magic.  In our medicine, it is known for being the number one choice for any type of eye irritation or discomfort. It also expels wind, which was indicated in this example because Tita Annie’s eyes itch and the condition comes and goes.  I used it when my daughter caught pink-eye at 9 months from her older cousins (in addition to breast milk; lactating mothers have the most superior treatment in this situation), and it worked like a charm. I was surprised that my daughter even ate the steamed and cooled flowers off of her high chair tray.  Though to be fair, she was also trying to eat rocks at that phase in her life.  

It is important to know that you should only get ju hua from the most reputable source. An executive of one of the most-trusted herbal companies shared with me that they reject many ju hua suppliers as this is an herb that tends to test positive for heavy metals.  Spring Wind is very rigorous with their testing and sourcing, as is Mountain Rose, who has not carried ju hua for some time now.

Here in Southern California, there is an alternative from the same family that can be picked up at the farmer’s market: chamomile.  One of my Mexican patients tipped me off to the traditional use of manzanilla in her home country.  It is also a member of the Astaracea family, family of origin to so many flower medicinals.  I have yet to use this clinically, so cannot report back. But maybe you have used chamomile for eye problems and can share your experience in the comments below?