Care for the Eyes

You’ve probably heard the expression the eyes are the window of the soul. This is true not only in your children’s eyes but also those of your animal companions. The eyes reflect a lot about both the mental and physical condition, revealing telltale signs when something may be amiss. Paying close daily attention to an animal’s eyes can help avoid a serious complaint developing. Obvious physical expressions of unwellness include a glassy appearance, dullness, redness, swelling, tearing and other discharges, itching/irritation, small whitish marks or other irregularities on the surface of the eye, irregular pupil size, eye closing, aversion to touch, and light sensitivity.

When you have made an intimate connection with an animal you will experience changes in his emotional and/or mental wellbeing often preceding the physical signs of any impending imbalance. The animal may exhibit fear, anger, sadness, aversion to company where he used to desire it, over excitement, reluctance to exercise, pain or discomfort, inappetence, listlessness, new habits, etc, all of which can be noted by reading his eyes, facial expression, and body language.

Often the condition of the eyes are pointing to other physical ailments (tick bites, food poisoning etc.) that need to be addressed, but sometimes the ailments are with the eyes themselves. In this case if you have nothing to offer for first aid treatment other than a sterile saline solution for bathing eyes, use it. It will provide valuable moisture with a degree of lubrication and pain relief, while at the same time helping to cleanse out debris. For further prevention of irritation and to assist healing it is advisable to keep dust levels to a minimum, provide shelter from wind or draughts and bright light by keeping the animal indoors in a quiet, dark room.

Acute inflammations may respond to home treatment but if you don’t see a timely response you should seek expert assistance. Severe inflammations or damage to this fragile and delicate structure will demand early attention to avoid upsetting consequences. Repeated episodes of certain types of conditions may lead to increased residual damage leading ultimately to blindness.

Your homoeopath has experience and knowledge in: how to monitor a difficult case as it unfolds; working on inherited pre-dispositions; which remedies are complementary to each other and which are not; the lesser known remedies and those difficult to acquire; dosage guidelines; pointing out obstacles to cure, and how to choose the most appropriate remedy. Problems of a chronic nature require a constitutional approach and treatment from a classical homoeopath alongside veterinary recommendations. The range of homoeopathic remedies suitable for eye conditions is so extensive that I have decided to only offer the following absolute must-haves for the first-aid cabinet.

First aid help for those precious eyes

•• Aconite  — the arnica of the eye, and a complement after the use of arnica. Use in any acute inflammatory eye ailment especially in the early stages where symptoms arise suddenly, after cold, dry winds or snow glare, or after a shock or fearful episode. The eye is hot, dry, red and tearing profusely with the eyelids appearing tight. Give immediately following the removal of a foreign body. This remedy is frequently alternated with belladonna for acute stages and flare-ups of chronic complaints where the patient exhibits anxiety, fearfulness, restlessness or head tossing, suddenness of symptoms, violence of symptoms, fever, flushing, a bounding pulse and bright, shining eyes: e.g. conjunctivitis, dacryocystitis, keratitis, uveitis, ophthalmia, and injuries.

Symptoms worsen in: sunlight, dry, cold winds, snow, or chill; exposure to extreme hot or cold surroundings; fright, shock or emotional trauma; during the night; being overheated in stuffy rooms; or lying on painful areas.
Symptoms improve with: sweating (not seen in all animals); rest; and fresh air.

•• Arnica — provides essential first aid relief and is an important remedy for any bruising, shock, accident or trauma. It aids in reducing blood loss, encourages reabsorption of blood from bruised tissues, promotes healing of wounds, and helps the patient become more approachable by reducing restlessness and discomfort, aching, sore pains, sensitivity to touch, and his intolerance of company: e.g. retinal haemorrhage, bloodshot eyes after a fall or other accident (bloodshot, black eye also Ledum), mechanical blows of blunt objects (also Symphytum), and post surgical procedures. Give as soon as practicable after any injury or surgery.

Symptoms worsen in: exposure to cold, damp conditions; overexposure to heat or sunlight; too much exercise or movement; at night; and being touched or approached.
Symptoms improve with resting with the head lower than the body.

•• Euphrasia — covers numerous eye complaints and is chiefly a pathological acute remedy. Symptoms may include: an abundant flow of tears; swelling and/or glueing together of the eyelids; bland coryza; bloodshot eyes, aching eyes, burning, and itching; photophobia and winking; opacity of the cornea; obscuration by a bluish film over the cornea after mechanical injuries; inflammation and ulceration of the edges of the eyelids; eruption of small milliary pimples round the eyes; and scars from ulcerations. Think of this remedy for any eye that appears diseased or damaged:  e.g. ulceration, conjunctivitis, hay fever, entropion irritation, blepharitis, iritis, uveitis, ophthalmia, eye injury, etc.

Symptoms worsen in light, smoke, in the evenings and in southerly winds.
Symptoms improve with: the dark; bathing of the affected parts; and out of the wind.
Tip: In low potency (3x-6x) this remedy makes an excellent eye rinse. One drop of euphrasia to every 20 mls of tepid, sterile, purified water can be used for bathing or flushing.