Know Your Remedies: Euphrasia Officinalis (Euphr.)

Common Names: Eyebright; euphrasia.

General Information

Euphrasia Officinalis (Euphr.) is for catarrhal problems of the mucous membranes. It is an important hay fever and allergy remedy, especially when symptoms centre on the eyes but can also treat colds when the symptoms match. Symptoms in general are improved in the open air but are worse in the wind and in the evening.

Eye Problems

• Conjunctivitis with burning and swelling of lids.
• Itching and burning of the margins of the lids.
• Eyes are irritated by and sensitive to the light.
• Rapid and frequent blinking to relieve irritation.
• Acrid, burning, stinging tears or discharges (discharge from nose is bland).
• Sticky mucus or pus in front of the eye – must blink rapidly to remove it.
• Symptoms are relieved by bathing the eyes.
• Sensation as if a hair hanging over the eye.

Nasal Problems

• Profuse bland discharge (while discharge or tears from eyes, burns).

Cough

• Coughing only during the daytime.
• Cough with watery eye discharge.
• Cough which is worsened by smoky air.
• Cough relieved by lying down.

Headache

• Headache from catarrhal congestion.
• Headache with profuse discharge from eyes and nose.

For Pets

• Profuse, irritating discharge from eyes which are sensitive to light.

Where do I find it?

Euphrasia Officinalis (Euphr.) is available from our online store as a single remedy, and as part of the following Complexes (combination remedies): Hay Fever; Conjunctivitis.

Important

While above self-limiting or acute complaints are suitable for home treatment also contact your healthcare provider during emergency situations or if symptoms worsen or fail to improve. Chronic or persistent complaints, which may or may not be mentioned above, require a different treatment and dosage protocol so are best managed by a qualified homeopath for good results.

Dosage Instructions (suitable for babies to adults)

For the home treatment of acute and self-limiting complaints take one pill or five drops of the remedy every 1 minute to 4 hours (1 minute for intense or emergency symptoms (plus seek emergency help), 4 hours for milder ones). Once an improvement is noticed, stop dosing and repeat the remedy only if symptoms return. If there is no improvement at all by three doses, choose a different remedy or seek professional guidance.

Note: Chronic symptoms or complaints require a course of professional treatment by a qualified homeopath to manage the changes in potencies and remedies that may be required.

More Information

Guidelines on which potency to use

From Past Masters

Homeopathy is a 200-year system of medicine. Early medical homeopaths recorded initial provings, remedy relationships, and their early experiences with each remedy in great detail.

These writings were then shared with others to advance homeopathic knowledge and practice.

Today, these same writings give a fascinating insight into the symptoms and clinical conditions for which each remedy was used.

The following extract, with minor editing, is one example.

Leaders In Homoeopathic Therapeutics by E. B. NASH M.D.

Euphrasia (Euphr.)

The action of this remedy seems to center in the eyes. If you read the symptoms as laid down in “Hering’s Guiding Symptoms,” you would think that it would cure almost all possible affections of the eyes, acute or chronic conjunctivitis, iritis, kerato-iritis, spots, vesicles, pannus, etc., and so it will if indicated by the symptoms.

In colds with cough and severe fluent coryza it will sometimes cure, but here the choice must be made between it and Arsenicum, Allium Cepa and Mercurius. (See Allium Cepa for comparison).

In measles with watery eyes and fluent coryza it is sometimes the best remedy. I remember Dr. C. W. Boyce, of Auburn, N. Y., reporting great success with it in an epidemic in that city.

He cured all his cases with it. So I went for the next epidemic in my vicinity with Euphrasia, and my failure was as marked as his success. It was not the remedy for my epidemic.

But I know enough not to “go it blind” that way very long, and hunted up my simillimum. Then I succeeded, too. Look out, young man, for the remedy that is recommended for all cases of any disease, or you’ll “come down hard” some time.

One very prominent characteristic in eye troubles for this remedy is a tendency to an accumulation of sticky mucus on the cornea, which is removed by winking.

All cases of any kind attended with photophobia and lachrymation, with or without coryza, should suggest this remedy, or at least call it to mind.

In the eye affections of Euphrasia the lids are often involved. Of course this is so with other remedies, such as Arsenicum, Apis, Rhus toxic., etc. Study up. one more symptom: Cough, sometimes dry, but generally loose, worse during the day, not troublesome at night. This is important, as more coughs are < at night.