Euphrasia eye drops

introduction

The Euphrasia eye drops are drops made from the medicinal plant Euphrasia (also called "eyebright"). In addition to Euphrasia, the drops contain rose petal oil (Rosae aetheroleum). The eye drops are manufactured, for example, by the companies "Weleda®" and "Wala®". These companies produce anthroposophic medical products. They are used for watery, irritated and inflamed eyes and have a pain-relieving and healing effect.

Indications for Euphrasia eye drops

The direct indication for Euphrasia eye drops is an inflamed and irritated eye. The drops should be used especially with catarrhal inflammation. The inflammation can include the edge of the eyelid or the conjunctiva. Catarrhal means that when there is inflammation, a secretion is secreted on the surface of the mucous membrane. This secretion is rich in protein and has a watery to slimy consistency. In contrast to pus, there are few inflammatory cells in the secretion. Apart from inflammation, irritation, burning and redness (see also: Red eyes - the various causes) of the eye Euphrasia eye drops help calm the eye and let the inflammation subside. Eyebright eye drops are also a tried and tested treatment for allergies and promise rapid symptomatic relief. In addition, the drops are said to regulate the fluid balance of the eyes. The Euphrasia drops can also be used when the eyes feel dry or tears are too strong. The euphrasia (eyebright) has a supporting effect on the self-healing powers of the human body.

Use in conjunctivitis

In the case of conjunctivitis (also called conjunctivitis in technical terms), the Euphrasia eye drops promise rapid symptom relief. The redness and the pain of the eye should decrease. If the conjunctivitis is bacterial, it may be necessary to take an antibiotic, especially if it develops into severe conjunctivitis. A doctor should be consulted, who may have to determine the bacterial pathogen. But allergies can also cause the conjunctiva of the eye to be inflamed. In addition to the therapy with the eye drops, it is advisable to find out what triggered the allergy and to avoid this allergen (substance that causes the allergy).

Also read our article: Eye drops for conjunctivitis

Use on a stye

A stye is an inflammation of the eyelid. This often results in an abscess that breaks through inwards or outwards. The inflammation is, in most cases, purulent and painful. Even with a stye, the Euphrasia eye drops help to fight the inflammation of the eyelid. To do this, a drop should be put into the affected eye three to four times a day. In addition, the eyelid should be moistened with the eye drops to increase the effectiveness. If the stye does not break up after a while, an ophthalmologist should be consulted. This then opens the stye through a puncture.

Use of the drops in case of an allergy

An allergy leads to an immune reaction of the body against actually harmless substances (e.g. food or pollen). An inflammatory reaction of the eyes can occur, especially if you are allergic to pollen. In the event of an allergic reaction in the eyes, Euphrasia eye drops can be used to relieve the symptoms. A drop should be put into each eye once or twice a day. It is also important to find out what is causing the allergy. Treating the symptoms with the eye drops is quite helpful, but the cause should also be treated to prevent the allergic reaction from occurring again.

Helpful against dry eyes

Especially in winter or when you do more work on the computer, you often get the feeling that your eyes are getting dry. Due to the increased environmental pollution, the eyes are exposed to increased irritation, which results in irritation and dry eyes. Euphrasia eye drops can be used to moisten the eye. Due to the positive influence of the drops on the fluid balance, future drying of the eyes is combated. The rose petal oil contained in the Euphrasia eye drops also has a calming effect on the eye. The fact that the eye drops can also be taken long-term make them a good therapy method for chronically dry eyes. In the case of chronic treatment, however, the doctor should be consulted.

More on the topic at: Eye drops for dry eyes and what can you do with dry eyes?

Are there Euphrasia eye drops without a prescription?

The Euphrasia eye drops can be bought without a prescription. Because the eye drops are made from herbal active ingredients, which are also low in side effects and interaction, there is no need for a prescription. In Germany, the Euphrasia eye drops are only approved as an anthroposophic therapy, as their healing effects are not scientifically proven.

These are the ingredients of Euphrasia eye drops

The Euphrasia eye drops consist on the one hand of the Euphrasia officinalis, also called eyebright. This contains 50 mg per 0.5 milliliter of medicine. The components of eyebright are e.g. Iridoid glycosides, phenylethanoid glycosides, tannins and lignans. Exactly which ingredients develop the healing effect has not yet been adequately researched. In addition, the eye drops consist of Rosae aetheroleum (rose petal oil). The liquid also contains an amount of 50 mg per 0.5 milliliter. Otherwise, Wala brand eye drops contain sodium chloride (table salt), sodium hydrogen carbonate and water. These ingredients roughly correspond to a saline solution and are therefore similar to the composition of tear fluid. They are necessary to transport the active herbal ingredients and thus have a function as a solvent.

How do the Euphrasia eye drops work?

The effect of the eye drops unfolds on the one hand through the eyebright. This has anti-inflammatory, analgesic and calming effects in the eye. The Euphrasia is also said to have an antibacterial effect. These properties also explain why the eye drops are used especially for eye infections. At the same time, the Euphrasia regulates the fluid balance of the eyes. The assumption here is that the tannins contained in the eyebright change the surface of the eye mucous membrane. This change ensures that the eyes remain hydrated for longer. This counteracts increased tear flow as well as dryness of the eye. The rose petal oil has a different effect. This has a calming effect on the eyes and thus combats irritation and redness.

What are the likely side effects?

When using Euphrasia eye drops, hardly any side effects are known to date. On the one hand, this is due to the fact that the ingredients are purely vegetable in nature. However, sensitive people may experience a slight burning sensation when the eye drops are instilled into the conjunctival sac. However, this burning sensation should also decrease as the inflammation heals. You may also feel itchy or reddened. However, these are largely normal when using eye drops, since an exogenous substance is still put into the eye. If the side effects mentioned should occur for a long time, it is advisable to stop using the eye drops and consult a doctor or ophthalmologist.

Are there any interactions with other drugs?

Interactions of Euphrasia eye drops are not known to this day. This is also due to the fact that they do not act systematically but only locally on the eye. Accordingly, the eye drops can be taken in parallel to other medication without having to fear interactions.

Should one expect counter-indications?

Contraindications to Euphrasia eye drops are also not known at the present time. Since the eye drops are purely herbal and do not show any addiction, it is safe to use the eye drops (even long-term).

The dosage of Euphrasia eye drops

The eye drops should be instilled into the conjunctival sac one to three times a day. One drop should be used per eye. The dosage does not differ between children and adults. If a different dosage has been prescribed by the doctor, it should be followed.

How often should I use Euphrasia eye drops?

The frequency of application is variable. Both the dosage of 1 to 3 times daily intake and the duration of the treatment can vary. As a rule, the drops can be used indefinitely if you feel dry or irritated. There is also no risk of addiction or undesirable side effects. Nevertheless, a doctor should be consulted. In the case of acute inflammation, the disease should end after about two weeks. If there is no improvement in acute illnesses after a few days, a doctor should be consulted.

How much do Euphrasia eye drops cost?

The price of the eye drops depends on the amount and the manufacturer. The Euphrasia eye drops from the manufacturer “Wala Heilmittel GmbH” are available in 30 x 0.5 ml sizes from around € 11.50 plus shipping. 10 x 0.5 ml can be purchased from around € 5.50 plus shipping. The smallest size, 5 x 0.5 ml, is sold from 3.12 € plus shipping per pack. The eye drops from the manufacturer “Weleda AG” are offered as 10ml bottles. Here the bottle costs around € 6.50 plus shipping. However, the eye drops are also available as single doses. 20 times 0.4 ml cost around € 7 plus shipping. 10 x 0.4 ml are sold from € 5.29 plus shipping and the size 5 x 0.4 ml costs around € 3 plus shipping. These prices refer to mail order pharmacies, the price may differ in other pharmacies.

Alternatives to Euphrasia eye drops

In addition to eye drops, the effect of eyebright can also be developed using globules. In the case of inflammatory processes or irritation to the eye, there are also other herbal alternatives in the form of drops to the Euphrasia eye drops. If the inflammation in the eye has a purulent character, you can switch to calendula eye drops. If the symptoms are limited to dry and irritated eyes, you could use mallow extract in the form of Visiodoron eye drops. If you want to use a non-herbal medicine, there is also a wide range of eye drops available. For example, eye drops containing azelastine hydrochloride (e.g. Allergodil acute or Vividrin acute) can be used against allergic inflammation. However, these contain preservatives and should not be used for too long. There are also film formers against dried out eyes (e.g. Lacrimal O.K. or Artelac EDO) and so-called "whiteners" against reddened eyes (e.g. Ophtalmin N or Berberil N EDO).

Can it be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding?

As a rule, all medications that are taken during pregnancy or breastfeeding should be discussed with the doctor. This also applies to Euphrasia eye drops. In principle, the use of the eye drops during pregnancy or breastfeeding is not problematic.

Use in babies and toddlers

Euphrasia eye drops can also be used on babies or small children. Nevertheless, a doctor should be consulted if the baby or toddler's eye is infected. This will examine the child and find out the cause of the inflammation. If it is an infection with bacteria or viruses, a more targeted therapy is necessary. For example, the administration of antibiotics is appropriate in the case of bacterial inflammation. If it is foreign objects (such as grains of sand), the doctor is also able to remove them. If the doctor declines to give the Euphrasia eye drops, the same dosage as for an adult can be used.

Also read our article: Conjunctivitis in the baby