A Must for Your Medicine Cabinet
Written: Jun 06 '04 (Updated Jan 07 '09)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Soothes eye irritation
Cons: Bit pricey--but cheaper than prescription meds. Not for use on children under age 6.
The Bottom Line: Alcon Naphcon A eye drops for Eye Allergy Relief have saved me from having any eye infections.
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| jmatsu's Full Review: Alcon Naphcon-A Allergy Relief Eye Drops |
Several years ago, I had some redness in one part of my eye and, as usual, it got worse. I tried some over-the-counter eye drops that were supposed to help with irritation from pollen, etc. , but they didn't help. After a few days, my eye was redder and itchy and gummy. I went to the doctor expecting to get the usual prescription eye drops and he surprised me.
Instead of ordering a prescription medication, he told me to get some over-the-counter Naphcon A eye drops. I told him that I already had some other over-the-counter anti-redness eye drops at home (and told him which ones), but he said that those wouldn't do. He said that when you have an eye inflammation, some of the eye drops that reduce redness can make the problem worse. Although they may temporarily work to get the red out, they do so in a way that further irritates the eye. Plus, they don't address the cause of the irritation. The eye might look less red for a little while, but once the treatment wears off, the condition of the eye could become worse.
What he'd described was what had seemed to be happening when I used the eye drops I already had. He'd further sugggested that if I ever needed anything to treat dry, tired eyes, to just use Natural Tears.
I went to the drugstore and I found Alcon Naphcon A eye drops. The label said it was for "Eye Allergy Relief." It was a bit more expensive than the other eye drops, so I bought it grudgingly. I took it home and put some in my eyes. I don't recall if I needed several treatments, but I do recall that my eye started to feel better right away and was completely better pretty quickly (probably in a few days).
No More Doctor Visits
In the past if I had an eye that was itchy or a little red, it would usually get rapidly worse and end up as pinkeye, requiring a trip to the doctor. Usually this would happen once a year, sometimes once every two years. I haven't had pinkeye since I started using Alcon Naphcon A--and it's been several years (more than 10).
Now, when an eye inflammation seems to be starting or my eye is unusually itchy, I put in one or two drops of Alcon Naphcon A and that's it. My eye looks and feels better pretty quickly. One treatment is usually enough--unless it's the lid that's affected.
A few months ago I was visiting a friend whose daughter had a puffy eyelid. It was swollen and tender and her doctor had prescribed these eye drops that stung like the devil. It was probably a coincidence, but a few days later, my eyelid was swollen and itchy in the same way. It took several treatments of Alcon Naphcon A over a few days, but the swelling went down without my having to see a doctor.
About the Medication
The eye drops sting a little, but not much. They get the red out and my eyes are unusually white and clear after I put some drops in. The eye drops also contain some antihistamine, which helps reduce swelling and irritation from allergens. I haven't had any problems in using this in my eyes after removing contacts (I've had some problems with some other eye drops in the past). I don't use this very often--2 to 3 times a year on the average, though I've needed it a lot more since we've moved (the new house is very dusty and we've adopted a cat).
ACTIVE INGREDIENTS:
Naphazoline Hydrochloride (0.025 percent)..... Redness reliever
Pheniramine Maleate (0.3 percent).....Antihistamine
INACTIVE INGREDIENTS:
Benzalkonium chloride, boric acid, edetate disodium, purified water, sodium borate, sodium chloride, sodium hydroxide and/or hydrochloric acid.
The label says that it can be used for the "temporary relief of redness and itching of the eyes due to ragweed, pollen, grass, animal dander and hair."
SOME WARNINGS from the label:
Check with a doctor BEFORE using this on children under the age of 6!! Also check with a doctor if you have heart disease, high blood pressure, trouble urinating or narrow angle glaucoma.
And of course as with all medications, KEEP THIS AWAY FROM CHILDREN. Swallowing of this by infants or very young children is extremely dangerous (it can cause coma).
Some Advice About Eye Inflammations
Conjunctivitis (aka "pinkeye") is an inflammation of the membrane that covers the lining of the eyelids and the outer eye. It can be caused by an infection (bacterial or viral), an allergy or an irritant.
If you have pinkeye, experts say you should see a doctor. If the pinkeye is caused by a bacterial infection, then it might require antibiotic drops (though some doctors like to wait and see if the bacterial infection might clear on its own--usually in 5-7 days). Bacterial eye infections are EXTREMELY CONTAGIOUS. If you have one (or aren't sure), wash your hands often--especially after touching your eyes--and don't share your towel with anyone else. If you are around someone with a bacterial eye infection, wash your hands often and try to avoid touching your eyes.
If you have any type of eye inflammation, stop wearing contact lenses until after your eye is completely better.
In using eye drops, be careful to not let anything touch the tip of the applicator, or you might contaminate the solution.
Special Thanks
My thanks to Bops_mom for helping to get this product listed! It took a lot of patience and following up on her part.
Another Health Product
Another health product I strongly recommend is Airborne, a dietary supplement that can prevent you from catching a cold. For more information, read my review on Airborne.
If your sinuses are driving you crazy because of allergies and colds, you might be interested in my review on the Sinus Survival Program.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
jmatsu
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 - Top 1000 |
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Member: Joy M
Location: outside of Seattle
Reviews written: 73
Trusted by: 22 members
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