Clinical.- Has proved efficacious in inflammations of the eye caused by burns as in the case of a young man who had a hot iron thrust into the eye, burning conjunctiva and thus producing quite severe conjunctivitis, with burning pain in the eye, Cantharis quickly relieved the pain and cured. In another case, in which the cornea was inflamed as a result of a burn from fire- works with some ciliary injection, great photophobia and moderate pain, a speedy cure was effected under Cantharis 30, after Aconite and Atropine.
CARBO VEGETABILIS
Subjective.- A heavy weight seemed to lie upon the eyes so that he make a great exertion when reading or writing in order to distinguish letters. The muscles of the eye pain when looking up. Itching in the margin of the lids and about the eyes. Eyes become weak and ache from over work. Burning in eyes.
Vision.- He became short-sighted after exerting the eyes for some time. Black floating spots flickering and rings before the eyes.
Clinical.- This drug has been too little employed in eye diseases and its clinical history is extremely scant.
From its symptomatology we are led to recommend its use in cases of myopia accompanied by posterior staphyloma, in which it ought to relieve the unpleasant symptoms and prevent the increase of the staphyloma, though I do no imagine that it would in any degree diminish the amount of myopia.
In asthenopia, as the verified symptoms indicate it has proved beneficial.
CARBOLIC ACID.
Very severe orbital neuralgia over the right eye. Slight pain over the right eyebrow; the same kind of pain but in a milder degree, under the right patella, both of short duration. Piercing pain in a spot in left supra-orbital ridge. Swimming before the eyes.
Clinical.- In conjunctivitis trachomatosa with or without pannus, remarkable success has often followed the use of Carbolic acid and glycerine as a local application. I have use it in the proportion of six drops to the ounce and in many cases it has acted much better than tannic acid or other astringents.
CAUSTICUM
Objective.- Inflammation of the eyes with burning and pressure in them and agglutination in the morning. Visible twitching of the lids and in the left eyebrow. Lachrymation even in a warm room but worse in the open air. Pupils dilated.
Subjective.- Burning and stinging as with needles in the eyes, with dryness and photophobia, especially in the evening. Pressure in the eyes as if sand were in them. Pressive pain in the eye increased by touch. Biting and pressure in the eyes which seem heavy with redness of the lid. Itching of the eyes, especially in the lids. disappears on rubbing. Inclination to close the eyes; they close involuntarily. Sensation of heaviness in the upper lid as if he could not raise it easily or as if it were agglutinated to the lower lid and could not easily loosened. Opening of the lids is difficult. Itching on the lower lid on its inner surface with burning as soon as he touches the eye or moves it.
Vision.- Photophobia; constantly obliged to wink. Flickering before the eyes, as from swarms of insects. If he winks he sees sparks of fire before the eyes, even on a bright day. The eyes become dim and the vision indistinct; it seems as though a thick cloud were before the eyes. Obscuration of the vision as if a veil were drawn before them; transient obscuration on blowing the nose. Diplopia from paralysis of the muscles worse on turning the eyes to the right.
Clinical.- It has been employed with benefit in some cases of blepharitis (especially if ameliorated in the fresh air- Liebold) and in certain forms of tumors of the lids particularly warts on the lids and brow.
Simple acute conjunctivitis with a sensation of sand in the eye and dull pain in the eyeball as if sore, has been relieved under caust 200. It is not however, often the remedy for external inflammations of the eye, though as intercurrent in scrofulous inflammations and trachoma with pannus, it has been of decided service if called for according to indications in the above symptomatology.
The action of Caust upon the lens is probably as pronounced as that of any remedy in our materia medica, and many cases of cataract have been arrested in their progress and even the sight improved where before its administration they were rapidly going on to complete blindness.
The following case will illustrate its action. A man appeared for treatment with well marked hard cataract, which was rapidly increasing. (Had been told by celebrated oculists of the old school that he would soon be blind and that he then could be operated upon). He complained of the following symptoms: A sensation as if there was a substances in the eye too large, causing a kind of heaviness and distension, only in the evening; also a feeling as if there was something moving in the eyes in the evening; could not retain his urine and could not feel the urine passing through the urethra. Under the influence of Caust the progress of the cataract was immediately checked, and one year afterward the vision was found somewhat improved though the white striae in the lens underwent no appreciable change. After seven years his vision remained fully as good as when he began treatment.- T.F.A. That this remedy has checked the progress of cataract and improved the vision has often been demonstrated to my satisfaction. It must not be supposed, however, that I believe cataract can be cured by internal medication, for I have never seen any change in the opaque striae found in the lens, but only a clearing of the diffuse haziness which often accompanies this condition.
But its principal sphere of action is in paralysis of the muscles and here it is the remedy “par excellence.” It has been used more often with advantage in paralysis of the ciliary muscle external rectus, levator palpebrae superioris, or orbicularis, though indicated in paralysis of any of the muscles particularly if caused from exposure to cold. In cases of paralysis following diphtheria it has also been of service. Selected from a number of cures are the following which will serve to illustrate its action. A girl eleven years of age, had complained of her vision gradually failing for near object for a week; supposed to be due to a cold. V. 20/30 improved by plus 24 to 20/20 Could only read 3 1/2 snellen, at the distance of two or three feet, or with plus 24 glasses. The eyes were perfectly normal pupils, not dilated and the action of the other muscles good. The diagnosis was prescribed. Three days later when next seen, she had fully recovered the power of accommodation, and reported that two hours after first taking the medicine the vision began to improve and on the next day she could read as well as ever.
For paralysis of the muscles brought on by getting wet, Rhus is more often called for than caust, as the latter is especially indicated in those cases resulting from exposure to cold.
CEANOTHUS AMERICANUS
Dr. French reports in the Trans. Amer. Inst. Of Homoeo., 1884, a case of glioma retinae, in which he found curative action of the extract of red clover. After enucleation the microscope revealed the characteristic gliomatous. For four days after enucleation the stump discharged an ichorous, excoriating and sanguinolent fluid with the appearance of unhealthy granulation in the centre of the stump. The Ceanothus was applied locally and the fluid extract given internally. The character of the discharge was changed within twenty-four hours to healthy pus and so remained until the stump was healed. On the sixth day the child was profusely salivated, which disappeared upon stopping the drug. Two years had elapsed with no sign of recurrence of the disease and the child was in perfect physical health. Another case reported by G.S.N. will be found under Glioma Retinae.
CEDRON
Pain across the eyes from temple to temple severe shooting pain over the left eye. Severe pain in the eyeball, radiating pains all around the eye, shooting into nose, scalding lachrymation.
Clinical.- The sphere of usefulness for cedron so far as experience has taught us is confined to neuralgic affections of the eye particularly when involving the supra-orbital nerve; and in supra-orbital neuralgia so often found in iritis choroiditis etc., it is among the first remedies to be thought of. The pains are usually severe sharp and shooting starting from one point over the eye (more often over the left) and then extending along the branches of the supra-orbital nerve up some cases the pains would come and go suddenly and would be worse in the evening or upon lying down though these may not be characteristic.
CHAMOMILLA
Objective.- The eyelids are swollen in the morning and agglutinated with purulent mucus. Conjunctiva swollen and dark red. Lachrymation. Intense photophobia. Inflammation from exposure to cold damp atmosphere, worse by every cold change of weather. Profuse acrid discharge.
Subjective.- Burning and sensation of heat in the eyes pressure in the eyes, which are inflamed and full of mucus in the morning. violent pressure in the orbital region; sensation in the eyeball as if it were compressed from all sides with momentary obscuration of vision. Stitches in the orbital region and soreness in the canthi.
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.