BROMIUM.
Great depression of mind; pain deep in the crown of the head. Protruding eyes. A gray point before the right eye, moving up and down with movement of the eye. Particularly in blondes.
BRYONIA.
Objective-Puffiness of the right upper lid. The conjunctiva is dark-red and swollen, with some discharge of pus. Morning agglutination and frequent lachrymation.
Subjective-Pressive pain above the left eye. Pressure from within outward over the left orbit into the brain, which changes every object seems covered with these colors.
Clinical.- It is found that Bryonia is rarely indicated in diseases affecting to a pressure on the eyeball from above downward. Pain deep in the right orbit, aggravated by pressure upon the eyeball. Drawing together of the left upper lid, with a sensation of heaviness therein; aching pains in the eyes. Severe burning and lachrymation of the right eye. Eye very sore, and worse on moving. Headache in morning on opening eyes. Photophobia. Very sensitive pressive pain (coming and going) in the left eyeball, especially violent on moving the ball, with a feeling as if the eye become smaller and retracted in the orbit.
Vision-Dim vision on reading, the letters seem to run together; appearance of all colors of the rainbow; every object seems covered with these colors.
Clinical.- It is found that Bryonia is rarely indicated in diseases affecting the external tissues of the eye, although in one case of acute inflammation of both the ocular and palbebral conjunctiva, worse in the left eye and toward the outer canthus, with marked soreness to touch or upon any motion of the eyes and with a sticking sensation as of hairs in the eyes, a speedy cure resulted under Bryonia.
Its great sphere of usefulness is, however, in diseases of the uveal tract, especially when of a rheumatic origin.
Favorable results frequently follow its use in iritis causes by a cold, especially in rheumatic subjects, in which there is sharp, shooting pain through the eye into the head, aggravated by motion and relieved by pressure, or if the pain is a steady aching in the posterior portion of the eye, extending through to the occiput, worse at night and on motion.
It is also often indicated if the inflammation has extended to the choroid, as was shown in a case of acute irido-choroiditis of the left eye in which there were present opacities in the vitreous, tremulous iris, great ciliary injection, pus in the anterior chamber, soreness in eyeball on moving it and darting pains from the eye through the head, with heaviness of the head afternoons. Bryonia speedily relieved.
In the serous variety of choroiditis it is an important remedy, as one would be led to suppose from its relation to serous inflammation in general. experience has also verified its usefulness in this disease.
Glaucoma appears to have been checked in its progress by Bryonia when the eyeball has seemed too full, as if pressed out, with sharp, shooting pains in the eye and head, worse at night, also, in a case in the prodromal stage, in which the symptoms were as follows. The vision of the left eye had been failing three months, and especially for one week; there was heavy pain over the eye, worse at night; halo around the light for one day; cupping of the optic disc, and T plus. the patient was rheumatic and nervous. Under Bryonia 30 all the symptoms were relieved with the exception of the excavation of the nerve.
A case of hyperaemia of the optic nerve and retina was immediately relieved by this drug; a bluish haze appeared before the vision (vision 20/50); with severe pain over the eye as from a needle going through the eye and head (compelling her to go to bed): with heat through the whole head, aggravated by stooping.
Ciliary neuralgia often requires Bryonia, especially if the pains are sharp and severe, even making the patient scream out; the pains are aggravated by opening the eye and by any motion of the eyeball; the eyes must be kept closed and at rest. The pains, when this remedy is indicated, are usually sharp in character, passing through the eye into the head, or from the eye downward into the head, of from the eye downward into the malar region and thence backward to the occiput; the seat of pain becomes as sore as a boil, and the least exertion, talking, moving, or using the eyes, aggravates the trouble. The following symptoms have been reported as cured by this drug, though not found in any proving; some have been repeatedly verified, and seem to direct the choice of the remedy; they are mostly variations of sensation in different persons, dependent upon the great characteristics of the remedy-aggravation on motion, and amelioration on pressure: Pressing, crushing pain in the eyes, worse on motion; soreness and aching of the eyes on moving them; scalding in the corners of the eyes, aggravated at night; dull pain and soreness, especially in the left eye, worse in the morning and relieved by pressure.
CACTUS GRAND.
Clinical-From its action in the heart, cases of exophthalmic goitre have been improved. Angell advises its use in hyperaemia of the eye, especially of the fundus.
CALCAREA CARBONICA.
Objective-Swelling and redness of the lids, with nightly agglutination; during the day the eyes are full of mucus, with a hot sensation, smarting pain and acrid lachrymation. Redness of the conjunctiva with photophobia. Lachrymation on writing, lids hard and swollen, with induration and dry scales.
Subjective-Painful sensation as if a foreign body were in the eye. Pressure and itching in the eyes, worse in the evening. Itching, burning and stitches, especially on the margins of the lids and in the inner canthi. Tearing headache over the eyes, with nausea. Sticking pains in the eyes.
Vision-Only one side of objects visible, with dilated pupils. Dimness of the eyes after getting the head cold. Halo around the light. Flickering, sparks and black spots before the eyes.
Clinical-The clinical record of this drug, in superficial inflammations of the eye, is very full.
It has been found especially curative in various forms of blepharitis occurring in unhealthy, “pot-bellied” children inclined to grow fat and who sweat profusely about the head; lids red, swollen and indurated; inflammation of the margins of the lids causing loss of the eye-lashes, with thick, purulent, excoriating discharge and burning, sticking pains; blepharitis with great itching in the lids.
Induration remaining after styes and tarsal tumors have disappeared under its use.
Simple inflammation of the conjunctiva may call for this remedy, as in the following instance of acute conjunctivitis caused by bathing; There was moderate redness and lachrymation; eyes felt hot and feverish, with a sensation as of sand in them. Acon 3 failed to relieve; Calc 30 cured quickly.
The discharges from the eye are often profuse and, therefore, this drug has been used with advantage in purulent ophthalmia, especially in that form found in new-born children, characterized by profuse yellowish-white discharges, great swelling of the lids and ulceration of the cornea.
Conjunctivitis trachomatosa, with pannus, much redness and lachrymation, caused from working in the wet, has been speedily relieved.
A marked illustration of the curative action of the drug in affections caused by working in water is shown by the following case: A boatman suffered for years from repeated attacks of sore eyes, caused by getting wet and cold. Pterygium developed and grew rapidly. Calcareac. speedily checked the progress of the disease, and when last seen the cornea had cleared and but little thickness remained in the internal canthus.-T.F.A.
Favorable results have followed the use of this preparation of lime in various forms of inflammation of the cornea caused from getting wet or aggravated in damp weather (Rhus). It is, however, particularly in scrofulous inflammation of the cornea and conjunctivas, characterized by pustules and ulcers, that Calcareac. proves so beneficial. The following cases afford a good illustration of the prominent features of this drug. A man was attacked with phlyctenules on the conjunctiva, after a severe cold, caused by working at night washing carriages. There were severe, sharp, shooting pains from the eye up into the head, worse from two to three in the morning and ameliorated on closing the eyes. Sulph failed to benefit, but Calcareac. 30 gave immediate relief-Keratitis phlyctenularis, with much redness and photophobia; pain at night which wakes the child from sleep, with cold perspiration; was cured under Calcareac. 30 -Keratitis pustulosa, with profuse lachrymation, excessive photophobia and sticking pains, lids closed, red and swollen, with painful itching in them; agglutination mornings; head scurfy;cervical glands swollen, also the upper lip; acrid discharge from the nose; eruptions that burn and itch; abdomen distended and hard; skin pale and flabby. After the administration of Calcarea the above symptoms were promptly relieved and the eye restored. It will be observed that the photophobia and lachrymation are usually excessive, but cases sometimes occur in which they are absent or present only a moderate degree, though the general indications lead us to prescribe this remedy. The pains are more commonly sharp or sticking in character (Sulphur), though they may very greatly. Another form of ulceration of the cornea in which Calcarea is frequently indicated is when an ulcer or pustule appears in the centre of the cornea with more or less haziness of the cornea tissue around it, no vascularity of the cornea, very little or not ciliary injection, and a variable amount of photophobia and lachrymation. (Compare Pulsatilla and Silicea)
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.