Eyebalm

/ˈaɪbɑːm/ noun

Definition

A healing ointment or salve applied to the eye area to soothe irritation or promote healing.

Etymology

Compound of 'eye' and 'balm' (from Hebrew 'balsam' via Greek and Latin). Medieval herbalists created many such eye remedies and named them descriptively.

Kelly Says

Before modern eyedrops, eyebalm was serious medicine—recipes included rose oil, egg white, and sometimes gold leaf for wealthy patients. Medieval physicians treated the eye as uniquely precious.

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