Glaucoma is a slowly progressive, insidious disease of the eye, associated with a chronic elevation of intraocular pressure. It is the leading cause of blindness in Americans of African descent.
In some patients, the eye is red and painful due to abrupt, severe elevation of intraocular pressure. In others, because the elevation of intraocular pressure develops gradually, there is no pain or redness of the eye. Often, severe and irreversible damage can occur before either the patient or physician recognizes the diagnosis. Screening of patients for glaucoma by measuring intraocular pressure is vital. Glaucoma is treated in allopathy with topical adrenergic agonists, cholinergic agonists, beta-blockers, and prostaglandin analogues. Occasionally, systemic absorption of beta-blocker from eye drops can be sufficient to cause side effects of bradycardia, hypotension, heart block, bronchospasm, impotence, or depression.
Homeopathy could offer a safe and alternative mode of treatment for glaucoma. It may be used alone or with the eye drops prescribed by the ophthalmologist. In that case, soon the need for the eye drops reduces and the patients are therefore exposed to lesser toxic effects of these medicines.
Some of the specific homeopathic medicines that have been found useful in the treatment of glaucoma are:
OSMIUM is a homoeopathic drug that is useful for glaucoma with iridescent vision. Green colors surround the objects esp. candlelight. They have violent neuralgic pains above and below the eyes with watering of the eyes. There is an increase in the intra- ocular tension, with a dim sight and photophobia (intolerance of light).
PHOSPHORUS also has a green halo about the candlelight like Osmium. Letters appear red. Sensation as if everything were covered with a mist or veil, or something pulled tightly over eyes. The patient sees well by shading eyes with the hand. There is a fatigue of the eyes and head even without much use of the eyes. Degenerative changes in the eyes with soreness and curved lines are seen in old people.
It is also a good drug for retinal trouble with lights and hallucination of vision.
Black points seem to float before the eyes. There may be an atrophy of the optic nerve and partial loss of vision from abuse of tobacco or a thrombosis of retinal vessels and degenerative changes in retinal cells.
COMOCLADIA DENTATA is to be considered when there are throbbing pains worse by heat. There is a ciliary neuralgia with the eyes feeling large and protruded, especially RIGHT, which is worse, near warm stove. Sees only a glimmer of light with the left eye. Glaucoma, with a sense of fullness; eyeball feels too large. Eyes feel as if pressed outward. Motion of eyes aggravates.
PHYSOSTIGMA is another drug for glaucoma with flashes of light and partial blindness.
There is a contraction of the pupils and twitching of ocular muscles. There is also a spasm of the ciliary muscle in the eye, with irritability after using the eyes. It is an important drug for patients with an increasing myopia.
Other eye conditions where this drug is useful are: night-blindness, photophobia, floaters, paresis of accommodation and astigmatism.
PRUNUS SPINOSA is useful for glaucoma with a sudden pain in left eye as if it would burst, better by lachrymation. There is sometimes also a bursting pain in the right eyeball, shooting like lightning through the brain to the occiput. It is also useful for ciliary neuralgia, irido-choroiditis and opacity of the vitreous humor.
SPIGELIA has glaucoma with a sensation in the eyes as if they are too large. There is a severe pain in and around the eyes, extending deep into the socket. There is also a pressive pain on turning them. There may be a pain from beneath the eminence of the forehead and temples, extending to the eyes. It is felt as a semi-lateral headache, involving the left eye; the pain is violent and throbbing; worse, making a false step.
The pupils are dilated.
Read more about cured ophthalmic cases at Homeopathic Healing- Homeopathy in Ophthalmology.
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Disclaimer: A detailed history followed by constitutional treatment by a good and qualified homeopathic practitioner is necessary to treat the complaints that appear due to any disease. The homeopathic remedies mentioned in this post are for informational purposes only. The information contained on this site is general in nature and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other health care professional. None of the statements on this site are an endorsement of any particular product, or a recommendation as to how to treat any particular disease or health-related condition. It is not advisable to resort to self-medication for any disease.