I have a case of pink-eye in my left eye. It has been there for about five days now. I finally went to the pharmacy at the prodding of Chen Yaling and bought some medicine. The lady at the counter gave me a choice: 西药 or 中药, western medicine or Chinese medicine. The box of western medicine had an English name and description below the Chinese. It had some chemical name, and was meant to treat a certain specific set of conditions of the eye. The Chinese medicine was completely in Chinese. Its main ingredient is some sort of plant extract, as far as I understand. The counter lady said that the Chinese medicine would take a little longer to heal my eye. It was also a little cheaper, about RMB 16 compared to RMB 27 or so.

I went with the Chinese medicine. Chen Yaling approved. I don't really trust medicine anyways.