📖 Euphrasia (HMT) Introduction

Euphrasia is a specific kind of plant called Eyebright. The Homoeopathic medicine is prepared out of it. As the name implies, it is used in the treatment of cold affecting the eyes, which become extraordinarily red. The effect of Euphrasia is rather short-lived and certainly neither does it work for a long time nor does it have any deep effects. Hence, Euphrasia is useful in the kind of cold which, though severe, is but of a fleeting nature, especially with th e effect being mostly on the eyes. Any kind of cold, which attacks the eyes at the outset with excessive watering, burning and redness, will respond to Euphrasia. During the daytime, while the eyes are watering and red, the patient does not have any cough. There is no burning or irritation in the throat either. As soon as the pa tient retires to bed, the excessive secretions of the eye divert toward s the throat and injure the windpipe leading to coughing. At the outset, the cough is only at night, but after some time, due to persistent burning and irritation, sores develop in the throat and the cough lingers. It can remain during the day also. Along with the cold, there is an attack of severe headache. The eyes feel heavy as if somebody has put a heavy bandage over them. Ulcers form over the cornea. The secretion of the eye being acidic in nature shows its ill effects for a long time and can cause blurring of the vision. A peculiar symptom of Euphrasia is the pain experienced over the nerves supplying the eyes . Although Euphrasia is an acute i.e. short acting remedy, however, the resulting eye condition may become chronic. It mostly afflicts the third cranial nerve (oculomotor). Euphrasia has a distinct benefici al effect in the treatment of German measles. Measles are treated with Puls atilla, but in German measles Euphrasia is a must. In this condit ion, the disease process starts at the eyes, which become extremely red. As such, German measles is not a dangerous disease but in pregnant women, it can produce severe bad effects on the foetus. If German measles attack women in the first trimester, the development of the fo etus stops there and then, and the foetus does not grow. Pregnant women have to be extra careful during an epidemic of this disease b ecause it is really very dreadful. In the first three months, the eyes may not form at all or there can be a serious maldevelopment of the heart. Similarly, the hearing can also be seriously affected. Sometimes, the child is born completely blind or completely deaf. Most of these children die in the first few months after birth. It may be taken as a blessing for the parents otherwise, if they survive, they become a cause of constant worry and anxiety. If a woman contracts German measles in the first three months of her pregnancy, she should be admitted in to a well-equipped clinic and it should be ensured that the foetus ha s not been afflicted with German measles. If so afflicted, the doctors would certainly advise abortion for the benefit of the mother and the child. In Euphrasia, there is extreme hypersensitivity to light. A similar kind of photophobia is seen in measles al so. The ailments of Euphrasia become worse in the evening, in hot weather and in bright light. Antidotes: Camphor, Pulsatilla, Causticum Potency: 30