Doctors have warned people to ignore TikTokers who claim putting castor oil in their eyes can improve vision or prevent cataracts.
In one video with 621,000 views, a TikToker said a “clumpy eye floater” was gone after she rubbed castor oil on her eyes for five days, while another claimed it prevents cataracts and eye infections in a video with 6.4 million views.
However, Dr. Vicki Chan, an ophthalmologist at the Macy Eye Center in Los Angeles, said in a TikTok it’s unlikely castor oil caused the TikToker’s floater, which are small proteins inside the vitreous jelly in our eyes, to go away. She said floaters generally move out of the range of vision on their own, or the brain gets used to them and they’re no longer noticeable.
She told NBC that castor oil can’t get into the eye itself, and so can’t treat any conditions which occur inside the eyeball.
And cataracts usually develop due to aging, injury, or genetic disorders, and no studies have proven how to prevent them or slow their progression, according to the Mayo Clinic. The only treatment is removal surgery, the National Eye Institute states.
Using castor oil for more serious eye issues such as cataracts could also delay a person seeking medical treatment, meaning the condition could get worse. This could make cataracts more difficult to remove and complications more likely, Dr. Ashley Brissette, spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York, told NBC.
As for preventing infections, putting castor oil in your eyes can be dangerous because it isn’t sterile and can increase the risk of infection, Dr. Chantal Cousineau-Krieger, an ophthalmologist with the National Eye Institute, told NBC.
“We just can’t make a recommendation for something that has very little evidence behind it. Castor oil is not a cure-all. If you have concerns about your eyes, you need to see an ophthalmologist,” Brissette said.
Here’s what you can do to protect your eyes
There are plenty of things you can do to protect your eyes, according to experts, including keeping up with regular eye exams to professionals can spot any problems.
Cousineau-Krieger recommends the 20-20-20 rule to prevent eye fatigue and strain: taking a 20 second break every 20 minutes to look at something 20 feet or more away from you.
The NEI recommends wearing eye protection when there’s a possibility of injury, such as when using power tools or playing certain sports; protecting your eyes from the sun with sunglasses; and making food choices for eye health, such as by eating leafy greens, nuts and whole grains.
And removing makeup before bed prevents eyelid cysts and irritation.
Castor oil could be good for eyelashes and dry eyes
Although it may not help our vision, there’s limited evidence suggesting castor oil could improve eyelash health by conditioning them and preventing them from falling out. It’s also thought to reduce inflammation on the lash line caused by makeup.
However, Joshua Zeichner, the director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital, previously told Insider that using undiluted castor oil directly on the skin can cause skin irritation, inflammation, and dryness.
Castor oil is also commonly found in eye drops, and has been found to be effective in treating meibomian gland dysfunction, a common cause of dry eyes — but only in the form of these drops.
