Eye health: Optician debunks TikTok eye health hacks - from castor oil to honey, eye yoga and 'sungazing'

• Eye health hacks on social media have been claiming to deliver better eyesight.
• Videos suggest things from putting castor oil or honey in your eyes to following an eye yoga routine and drinking veggie smoothies.
• Optician Nimmi Mistry debunks eye health hacks myths.

Health trends on social media are nothing new, however, videos that claim to fix common eye health complaints have many “risks” associated with them according to a leading optician.

Videos by content creators have been making claims including that putting castor oil or honey in your eyes, following an eye yoga regime, or drinking copious amounts of veggie smoothies can deliver better eyesight. 

Professional service optician at Vision Direct, Nimmi Mistry, debunks some the most popular social media trends around eye health. 

Castor oil

Videos on social media claim that using castor oil benefits eye health with some suggesting it stopped them from requiring glasses, can prevent eye infections, or get rid of eye floaters.

Mistry says: “Castor oil is an ingredient found in low concentrations in a handful of eye drops as its moisturising and lubricating properties make it ideal in combatting potential dryness of the skin. However, the benefits of applying it near or in the eye have not been adequately researched. Instilling castor oil certainly does not cure near or far-sightedness, nor does it benefit ocular conditions such as cataracts, floaters or glaucoma.”

Adding: “Despite some dry eye suffers reporting a soothing effect after applying castor oil, individuals are asked to refrain from doing so due to the potential risk of allergies and irritation.”

Honey

Castor oil isn’t the only natural product people apply to their eyes to improve their optical health. Honey-based eye drops called Jimerito and Manuka have also been featured in videos on social media, with people applying regular honey into their eyes, or mixing it with vinegar and water to make DIY eye drops

Mistry explains: “Jumerito honey naturally contains several essential amino acids. Creators use this as a basis to justify their claims of its role in ‘curing’ astigmatism, cataracts, glaucoma and floaters. Not only is this far from accurate, but there’s no scientific evidence to support it, either.”

Adding: “Despite possessing naturally occurring anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and wound healing properties, it’s strongly advised not to apply any form of honey directly into your eyes.”

Red light therapy

Red light therapy is commonly used to help calm acne or heal wounds, however on social media people have also been using it claiming it improves eyesight and can revert myopia (short-sightedness).

Mistry explains: “The idea behind this comes from a study on 24 people in which researchers might have found a connection between exposure to longer wavelengths of light, such as red light and the performance of energy producing cells, known as mitochondria, found in photoreceptors located at the back of the eye.”

Adding: “Due to limitations within the study, further research is required to understand and prove the advantages and disadvantages of this therapeutic therapy. Additional studies are being carried out investigating the control of myopia through exposure to red light. Currently, there’s no conclusive evidence to support this theory.” 

Eye yoga

In 2021, Paul McCartney shared on Jessie Ware’s podcast that he doesn't wear glasses anymore because he practices eye yoga. Whilst eye exercises and eye yoga can be beneficial for soothing digital eye strain, helping with circulation and to relax us, they cannot directly correct visual problems.

Some videos on social media claim that eye yoga or certain eye exercises can improve eyesight, so much so that you don’t need glasses. Some even state that wearing glasses weakens the eyes and should be avoided as much as possible. 

Mistry explains: “These errors can only be corrected through wearing glasses, contact lenses or undergoing refractive laser surgery.”

Cucumber, lemon and cloves drink

Another claim doing the rounds on social media is that drinking a mixture of cucumber, lemon and cloves drink can help you regain perfect vision. Mistry explains: “Having a balanced diet is key to a healthy lifestyle, and adding this drink to your daily routine shouldn’t do any harm. However, it won’t help you regain perfect vision.”

Pinhole glasses

Pinhole glasses are cheap, plastic frames with tiny holes poked through the lenses. They work by limiting the amount of light entering our eyes. This allows for better focussing of the light rays, and therefore better vision. The same effect can be created by simply squinting. 

Social media videos claim that by using corrective glasses, your eyes become lazy, whereas these pinhole glasses actually “work the eye muscles” to improve your vision, thereby curing refractive errors.

Mistry explains: Unfortunately, this ‘improved’ vision comes at a cost. A reduction in the light rays entering the eyes dims and reduces the image quality. Additionally, your peripheral vision is also compromised with no evidence to support any therapeutic benefits to counter these negative effects.” 

“Sungazing”

This trend involves staring directly at the sun for five to 10 seconds during the first and last 15 minutes of sunlight in the day, gradually extending the staring time.

Videos on TikTok claim that UVB rays contribute to vitamin D production and support eye health and can offer several health benefits, including better eyesight.

Mistry explains: “With no evidence to support this, not only are these TikTok users exposing their eyes to harmful UV radiation but increasing their risk of developing conditions such as cataract and macular degeneration. Exposure to the sun is beneficial in Vitamin D production, but not without taking precaution to protect your eyes.”

You can find out more about how to look after your eyes and keep them healthy on NHS.UK.