Eye drops are medicines that are used for application to the eye. Eye drops are also called oculoguttae in medicine. Eye ointments also provide an alternative option.
What are eye drops?
Eye drops, for example, are often administered to patients who tend to have dry and irritated eyes. Depending on the type of eye drops, their consistency can be either watery or oily. At the same time, eye drops usually have a pH similar to the pH of the eye so as not to irritate the latter. The European Pharmacopoeia, among others, is dedicated to the basics of the production of eye drops; here it is stipulated that the production of eye drops must always be sterile. Within Germany, eye drops are considered to be subject to pharmacy regulations, which is why they may only be sold in pharmacies. The containers in which eye drops are found can vary: For example, some eye drops are offered in containers made for single use only, while other eye drops are in vials made of special brown glass.
Application, effect and use
Eye drops are used for local application. In this case, the drug is usually introduced into the conjunctival sac, where it can develop its effect. In medicine, there are various applications for the use of eye drops:
For example, eye drops are often administered to patients who tend to have dry and irritated eyes. In addition, eye drops are sometimes used for the medical treatment of glaucoma (also known as glaucoma). Glaucoma is a collective term for a number of eye diseases that involve the breakdown of nerve fibers that affect vision. Medication with eye drops is often the first step in treatment. The goal of treatment with eye drops is primarily to lower eye pressure, which is often associated with glaucoma. Eye drops can also be used to treat conjunctivitis or corneal inflammation (keratitis). If these inflammations are caused by bacteria, applied eye drops may contain antibiotic agents, for example. In addition to their curative (healing) use, eye drops are also sometimes used in medicine as local anesthetics; for example, during surgical procedures on the eye.
Herbal, natural, and pharmaceutical eye drops.
Eye drops, whose active ingredients are pharmaceutical-chemical in nature, are available for various problems of the eye. The active ingredients contained are also composed accordingly: if inflammatory processes are to be combated by the eye drops, corresponding preparations may contain antibiotic active ingredients, for example. And there is also a wide range of pharmaceutical-chemical eye drops for other complaints. Depending on the active ingredients they contain, these eye drops require a prescription. In addition to pharmaceutical-chemical eye drops, there are also eye drops on the market for the treatment of eye problems that contain natural substances. For example, alternative practitioners recommend eye drops containing calendula extracts (extracts of marigold) to treat a stye. According to alternative practitioners, extracts of calendula in eye drops have antibacterial and wound-healing effects. In homeopathy, eye drops are used whose active ingredients are potentized to various degrees. It is assumed that active substances have a higher effect, the higher they are potentized. The remedy that is administered to a person with the help of eye drops and the corresponding potency of the remedy depend on the constitution and ailment of the individual. For example, to moisten eyes that are dry, for example, due to wearing contact lenses or heating air, eye drops are also available in pharmacies, which are only moisturizing and do not contain medicines.
Risks and side effects
The various forms of eye drops carry the risk of intolerance in sufferers when used. This is the case both with eye drops containing pharmaceutical-chemical active ingredients and with eye drops containing natural active ingredients. Corresponding intolerances can manifest themselves, for example, in reddening of the eye, itching or lacrimation.In the case of homeopathic eye drops, homeopaths advise against independent self-medication, since, for example, highly potentized or individually inappropriate active ingredients can have a negative effect on the eye. Eye drops with pharmaceutical-chemical active ingredients often also contain preservatives. According to expert statements, some of these preservatives should not enter the bloodstream, so that the use of corresponding eye drops is not recommended, for example, in the case of injuries to the eye. The same may also apply to applications during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
