What is Eyebright?
Eyebright is an herb with the botanical name Euphrasis officinalis and belongs to the family of Orobanchaceae which was earlier part of the Scrophulariaceae family.
The plant is native to Europe but has been introduced to Asia and North America. The term Euphrasis is derived from the word Euphrosyne which in Greek language means gladness. The name of the herb is related to one of the three Graces in the Greek mythology who was known as Euphrosyne. As the name suggests, eyebright was traditionally used as an eye wash for eye related problems like conjunctivitis, blurry vision, and swollen, puffy eyes caused by cold and allergies. Used orally, it is used to treat inflamed nasal passages, allergies, hayfever and sinusitis.