Dr. Woodyatt has reported a cure of specific interstitial Keratitis of both eyes, in which vision had decreased so that fingers could not be counted at more than four feet, complicated with enlargement of the cervical glands which were hard and painful on pressure. Since then I have verified its usefulness in one case of parenchymatous keratitis.
BELLADONNA.
OBJECTIVE- The eyes are protruding, staring and brilliant. The eyes become distorted, with redness and swelling of the face; spasms of the eyes; the eyes are in constant motion. Lids puffy, red and congested; inflammatory swelling of the lower lid near the inner canthus, with throbbing pains, etc. conjunctiva red, tumefied. Lachrymation, with great photophobia. Total absence of lachrymation; motion of the eyes attended with a sense of dryness and stiffness; the conjunctival vessels fully injected. Pupils (at first, or from large doses) dilated; (afterward, or from minute doses) contracted. The optic disc greatly deepened in tint, and the retinal arteries and veins much enlarged, the veins most markedly so.
Subjective-Eye dry, motion attended with a sense of dryness and stiffness. Pain and burning in the eyes. Feeling of heat in the eyes, it seems as if they were surrounded by a hot vapor. Burning heat in the eyes. the surface of the ball became quite dry, which caused a very disagreeable and uncomfortable sensation, which could not be relieved by winking or continued closing of the eyes. Pressive pain deep in the ball when she closed the eyes; feeling as if the eyes protruded. Severe throbbing pain in the eye and head, worse at night.
Vision-Dimness of sight or actual blindness. Every object in the room, both real and spectral, had a double or act least a dim outline, owing to the extreme dilatation of the pupils. Every thing he looks at seems red. A large halo appears round the flame of the handle, partly colored, the red predominating; at times the light seems as if broken up into rays. Occasional flashes of light before the eyes; sparks of electricity before the eyes, especially on moving them; large, bright sparks before the eyes. Photophobia. Diplopia. Flickering before the eyes. When walking in open air, black spots and stripes before the eyes, rapidly appearing and disappearing. Objects passing before the eyes have an undulating motion.
Clinical-the use of this drug in inflammatory diseases of the eye is much more limited than is generally supposed.
Erythema and erysipelatous inflammation of the lids often require the administration of Belladonna.
It may be of service in some forms of conjunctivitis (especially catarrhal in the early stages) with dryness of the eyes, thickened, red lids and burning pains in the eyes, though not as frequently called for as Aconite. It use may be necessary in acute aggravations of various chronic disease, as in granular lids, when, after taking cold, the eyes become sensitive to air and light, with dryness and a gritty feeling in them; or in chronic forms of keratitis in which the eye suddenly becomes intensely congested. with excessive photophobia, heat and pains which may be throbbing or sharp, shooting through the eyeball to the back of the head.
Idiopathic iritis has been cured in the early stages by this remedy, but it is not often indicated. Two cases, however, of simple plastic iritis, resulting from a cold on the eighth day after a cataract extraction, in which the pains are severe and of a throbbing character in and above the eye, worse at night, were promptly relieved under Belladonna30, after Atropine, cold and warmth externally, and Rhus, Mercurius and Bryonia internally had been given a faithful trial for several days.
Mydriasis resulting from nervous headache has been relieved.
In diseases of the fundus, Belladonna has been a most valuable remedy. It has been employed with great advantage in hyperaemia of the choroid and also in inflammation, especially the disseminate form of choroiditis. There will usually be found accompanying these case much headache, congestion of the head and considerable photophobia.
Bell, has relieved temporarily the severe pains of glaucoma, though I have never seen any permanent benefit from its use. (Glaucomatous eyes are exceedingly sensitive to the action of this drug, and atropine should never be used in this disease).
It is often the remedy for hyperaesthesia of the retina dependent upon some anomaly in refraction, or due to reflex irritation.
In hyperaemia of the optic nerve and retina this remedy has been especially efficacious, particularly if dependent upon cerebral congestion and accompanied by aching pain in the eye, aggravated by any light;also, in chronic forms of hyperaemia, if a red conjunctival line is very marked along the line of fissure of the lids. In some of these cases, as well as in some acute inflammatory affections, retinal photopsies are present,. such as red sparks, flames, bright spots, lights, etc.
Its usefulness is not, however, confined to simple congestion of the optic nerve and retina, as it is one of our chief remedies in inflammation of these tissues. The following cases will show the sphere of action in inflammation of the optic nerve and retina: Optic neuritis in which the papilla was very much swollen, veins large, flashes of light before the eye and pains in the head. Bell, cured speedily. Retinitis, occurring in a young lady who was subject to congestive headaches, always worse in the afternoon. The retina was very hazy and oedematous, appearing as if covered with a bluish-gray film; outlines of disc ill-defined; vessels large and tortuous. Under Belladonna30 a rapid disappearance of the above symptoms took place. Neuro-retinitis. Edith G., aet.5, had suffered from “chills and fever,” which had been relieved without quinine. Six weeks previous to my seeing her and immediately after the chills had been stopped, it was first noticed that her sight was poor, but variable; sometimes she seemed to be nearly blind, while again would distinguish medium-sized objects with comparative ease; complained very often of headache, especially every afternoon, when the head would be quite hot and the face flushed. She was more irritable and cross than formerly. The condition at the time was reported as follows: “Child has a full face, light complexion and red hair; is bright and smart. Her vision is very poor; does not seem to be able to count fingers, though, owing to her age, her statements are unreliable; sight is markedly better in right than left eye; nothing abnormal is to be seen externally, with the exception if a slight convergent strabismus in left eye. Ophthalmoscopic examination after dilatation of both pupils with Atropine. Right eye: Optic disc very much swollen and outlines ill-defined; its-defined that it is only by tracing the retinal vessels that the optic nerve entrance is discovered. the arteries are about normal in size, but they, as well as the veins, which are large and tortuous, are veiled here and there by the infiltration. In the macula lutea bright white patches are seen, of a triangular shape and extending more toward the nerve than outward from the macula lutea bright white patches are seen, of a triangular shape and extending more toward the nerve than outward from the macula (are somewhat similar to the stellated arrangement usually found in retinitis albuminurica). Left eye: The same swollen condition of the optic nerve and surrounding retina is perceived as in the right eye, though mingled with the infiltration into the retina are spots of exudation of an opaque character. The retinal vessels are enlarged, especially the veins, which are full and tortuous; they are hidden at points by the exudation into the retina; while along their course, especially on the nerve entrance and immediately around, small points of extravasation of blood are noticed. The changes in the macula lutea are similar to those in the right eye, though the white patches are more marked and divided into many by fine lines or inter-spaces. A careful examination of the urine shows not the slightest trace of albumin.” Belladonna 3 was given. In three days vision was better. In two weeks to haemorrhages were to be found in the retina, the swelling of optic papilla and retina were decidedly less and the headache was relieved. In one month the vision was very good, both nerves somewhat atrophic and the points of exudation in the retina could scarcely be distinguished, though no perceptible change could be seen in the white patches in the macula lutea.
Convulsive movements of the eyeball in the light, with terrible pressive pain extending through the whole head, ameliorated in a dark room, have been cured by Bell; hence its use has been recommended in strabismus due to spasmodic action of the muscles, or when resulting from brain affections. In orbital neuralgia, especially of the infra-orbital nerve, with red face and hot hands, it is a valuable remedy.
Some cases of amaurosis and amblyopia will require this drug, especially if they are congestive in form and accompanied by the headache and other characteristic symptoms.
Professor of Ophthalmology in the College of the New York Ophthalmic Hospital; Surgeon to the New York Ophthalmic Hospital. Visiting Oculist to the Laura Franklin Free Hospital for Children; Ex-President American Homoeopathic Ophthalmological, Otological and Laryngological Society. First Vice-President American Institute of Homoeopathy : President Homoeopathic Medical Society of the State of New York ; Editor Homoeopathic Eye. Ear and Throat Journal : Associate Editor. Department of Ophthalmology, North American Journal of Homoeopathy, etc.