By Heather Caruso, Hom, RNCP

Homeopathic remedies have been a champion in my practice, showing very positive results. In my clinic, I practice homeopathy and holistic nutrition but whenever I witness an amazing healing result, it is always with homeopathy. These small and mighty pills never fail to amaze me with their ability to help the symptoms of eye affections. I get feedback from my clients saying their eye doctor is amazed that homeopathy helped their eyes. First the doctor discounts the patient’s subjective symptoms, but then they are astounded when they retest their eyes and find improvements. There is little to deny when even they can see that the symptoms of the opacity of the lens, the moisture of dry eyes in Sjorgren’s or the muscles pulling in strabismus have improved after testing because these symptoms would not simply improve without treatment.

Homeopathic medicines are matched to a person’s unique set of symptoms. If there are defining characteristic symptoms, a remedy is more easily matched. The most important aspects of finding the client’s remedy is assessing these unique symptoms according to:

• The modality of the symptom, like what makes the symptom better or worse. A few common modalities that are typical for eyes are worse from sunlight, worse from reading, better for closing the eye and worse in the winter, during the night or in the morning.
• The characteristic of the symptom. For example, the vision is “cloudy”, as if looking through a mist or veil or the eyes are gritty as if sand in them.
• The locality of the symptoms, what area is affected, such as the mind, eyes, ovaries, nose and sinus.

Just last month I had an excellent case of a left sided strabismus, where the eye was pulled inwards, hormonal problems and found there was only one well indicated remedy, which was called cyclamen. I prescribed a 200CH on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. In my practice, I find plant remedies can be repeated more often. When my client went to be assessed for a referral to a surgeon for her eye, the eye doctor could no longer find the strabismus that had been documented only six months prior and she had for over 2 decades. Another case matched the symptoms of the remedy called spigelia mar. and they had a right sided strabismus. Some common remedies for the symptoms of strabismus are recommended below:

Gelsemium is suited to the symptoms of strabismus due to a weakness in the external rectus. They tend to have heavy, droopy upper eyelid(s), they may have double vision and be dim sighted or have blurry vision.

Natrum Mur is a remedy that is suited to the symptoms of strabismus since childhood and following an inflammatory rheumatism. They find it is more noticeable when the weather is hot and also in the winter. The internal recti (muscles in the eye closest to the nose) are weak. Their eyes may water quite a lot and may burn. They may feel like their eye muscles are stiff and weak.

Spigelia can be related to the symptoms of strabismus from worms, itching of the anus, with twitchy eyelids and a great tendency to wink. They may feel pain in their eyes when they turn them. The eyes feel too large and are sensitive to sunlight. They may tend to nerve pains in the eyes.

Stramonium is a remedy for the symptoms of strabismus due to brain affections, epilepsy, involuntary movements due to a nerve condition, eclampsia. It can also be related to fear, terror or mental excitement. The pupils may be dilated or enlarged and eyes wide open. They desire lights and feel that darkness affects them negatively.

As one can see homeopathic remedies are individualized to the patient’s symptoms. Each person that comes for homeopathic treatment have their symptoms assessed and matched to a unique remedy suited to their needs.

Heather Caruso is a homeopath and holistic nutritionist practicing in Guelph Ontario for the past 17 years. For more information, go to www.carusohomeopathy.com