TikTok trend: Why you must never put castor oil in your eye

Many videos have been circulating on the social media platform, showing different ways people have been “treating” dry eyes, floaters, cataracts and glaucoma to name a few.

TikTok accounts have been suggesting that rubbing the oil over eyelids, eyelashes and under the eye, can solve the above visual health problems.

However, doctors have now warned people using the oil and taking inspiration from the popular video-sharing app is "not going to seep in and dissolve or fix anything".

@kaityneis-onger Who else does this? #castoroil #wellnesstips #eyehealth ♬ original sound - Kaity | Mindset Coach

What is castor oil and how is it used?

Castor oil is a type of vegetable oil originating from a plant native to Africa and Asia.

It contains high amounts of fatty acids, including omega-6 and ricinoleic acid.

The product is often used as a natural remedy for skin issues.

At its purest form, the oil is a colourless or pale yellow liquid with a distinct taste and smell.

"Castor oil is not a cure-all. If you have concerns about your eyes, you need to see an optician," Dr Ashley Brissette, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology told Sky News.

What do you usually use castor oil for? (Image: Getty)

Dr Brissette also explained they cannot make recommendations as research which looks at the effects of eye drops that contain castor oil for dry eyes are of "low quality", as they include "small sample sizes and no control groups".

Dr Vicki Chan, an optician in Los Angeles added that castor oil has “no effect on conditions that affect the inside of the eyeball”.

Posting on TikTok herself, she confirms: “Does castor oil help floaters? I would have to professionally disagree.”

This was in response to a comment from one account on the social media app that claimed her eye problem disappeared in five days after implementing castor oil into her usual everyday beauty routine.

@vickichanmd Replying to @MYOB PLEASE #castoroil #castoroilbenefit #eyeeducation ♬ original sound - Vicki Chan MD

She added: “Floaters are actually little proteins that are floating inside the vitreous jelly inside your eye.

“And if you’re going to say castor oil helps those, number one it would have to penetrate the eye and get into that gel, and number two, it would have to dissolve protein, both of which castor oil does not do.”

Dr Brissette also suggested that ignoring early symptoms of glaucoma, including waiting to see if applying castor oil improves conditions such as cataracts, can amount to “permanent vision loss or complications with surgery”.

If you want to look after your eyes properly using alternative techniques, Sky News reports eating a healthy balanced diet, removing all makeup before bed, wearing sunglasses outdoors and attending eye examinations often can help.