100% ORGANIC CASTOR OIL

DON’T USE IF: Those who are allergic to Castor oil should not use Castor oil eye drops.

WARNING Drops will feel sticky, and you may experience momentary blurred vision when you apply them to the eyes.

History of Castor Oil
Castor oil has a long history of use for healing. It was first used by the Egyptians in 4000 BC as an embalming oil, and was also was recommended as a laxative. The Greek medicine man Herodotus prescribed Castor oil to his clients to help with skin problems and hair growth. Castor oil was referred to in the Bible as a “spiritual oil” to anoint the sick. Cleopatra used to Castor oil to whiten her eyes. In traditional Chinese medicine, practitioners used Castor oil as a compress to reduce inflamed joints. Ayurvedic medicine and East Indian Cultures used Castor oil to heal many digestive imbalances.

Why does Castor Oil work?
Castor oil offers a unique anti-inflammatory affect because its structure contains a combination of Omega 9 oleic acid and Omega 6 linoleic acid, in addition to ricinoleic acid. Ricinoleic is similar to fish oil, offering anti-inflammatory prostaglandins, which can prevent viruses, bacteria, yeast, and molds. Castor oil has been referred to as an all-purpose oil. In the 20th century, pharmacies in North America began selling castor oil because of its healing benefits. Edgar Cayce popularized castor oil packs. Today, Castor oil is recommended by naturopaths and functional medicine doctors for its versatility in optimizing health. The health and beauty industry also endorses Castor Oil to help eyelashes and eyebrows grow back and moisturize the skin.

Dry Eye Syndrome
When our lacrimal glands are unable to produce enough tears, we are susceptible to dry eye syndrome. LASIK and cataract surgeries can cause dryness or poor tear production. Another issue with dry eyes is that we don’t blink enough during the day, especially when we are working on our digital devices. Instead of blinking 10-15 times a minute we only bling 3-4 times a minute, and this staring causes tear film instability and evaporation which leads to eye strain and fatigue. If we are not getting Omega 3 fatty acids, or Vitamin D and then we are at risk of developing eye lid inflammation and dry eye syndrome. Some other diseases connected to dry eyes are thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, migraine headaches, and diabetes. Women’s hormonal changes can create lower tear production. During the early stages of the menstrual cycle, when estrogen is the highest, this can produce dry eye symptoms. Hormonal changes at pregnancy also make dry eye conditions worse. In post-menopause, because the estrogen levels are reduced, this may cause meibomian glad s to function poorly. The meibomian glands are responsible for producing the oily part of the tear film and this part of the tears helps reduce evaporation. Other risk factors include being exposed to air conditioning or heated spaces with low humidity, wearing contact lenses, ingesting a lot of caffeine, and smoking. Pharmaceutical drugs can also cause dry eye symptoms. The list includes antibiotics, antidepressants, antihistamines, appetite suppressants, birth control pills, blood pressure medications, diuretics, over-the-counter medications to “get rid of red eyes” and ulcer medications.

How To Keep Your Eyes Moist
After I learned about pharmaceutical drugs to treat dry eye and eye lid inflammation, I began seeking alternative remedies. After research, I recommend castor oil massage on the eyelids to reduce dry eye, redness, and eye fatigue from screen time. In mild to moderate cases of blepharitis, meibomian gland dysfunction, and chronic dry eye, I see great results in helping people reduce some of their symptoms. I began teaching my patients to do an evening castor oil eye massage on the eyelids before bed. After recommended this treatment for over 1000 patients over 90% reported a reduction in symptoms after using the castor oil eyelid massage after two weeks of nightly use.

Here is the protocol: wash your hands, put one drop on your fingertips and lightly massage the outside part of the eyelids for 20-30 seconds. I have found learning to softly touch your eyelids and massage them help improve the circulation and teach you to nurture your eyes. Spending this time applying castor oil is very effective in reducing eyelid inflammation and irritation. Some people who get chronic eyelid bumps, called Chalazions, have been concerned that applying castor oil will clog the eyelids even more. This cyst-like bump which occurs either in the lower or upper eyelid is caused by a blocked oil gland due to inflammation. If you do suffer chalazia, I would recommend using no more than a drop of the castor oil on the eyelid. If, after a few days of using the castor oil massage, the bump gets larger, discontinue using the castor oil and contact your eye doctor so he can recommend specific treatments for the chalazia. When you open your eyes, the castor oil will feel a little sticky, which is a normal side effect. This application is simple and fast. During the night, it will be absorbed slowly into the eyes and by morning the eyes will still feel moister and more lubricated. If you happen to get a little castor oil in your eyes, it won’t harm you. It might appear temporarily blurry, but the blurriness will go away in about one minute. All the eye structures benefit as it works its way deeply into all the tissues quite easily. Overall, I recommend the Castor Oil eye massage on the eyelids before bed as another way to be proactive about your eyes. Its track record speaks for itself!

Additional Info

Research on the benefits of Castor Oil on eye health

1. Title: Low-concentration homogenized castor oil eye drops for noninflamed obstructive meibomian gland dysfunction
https://youtu.be/eTEIHfyMsp0

Link to this study:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12414410/

2. Therapeutic potential of castor oil in managing blepharitis, meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eye
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33037703/
Each batch is third-party tested for microbial plate count, and CASTOR OIL, by Legends Technical Services, Phoenix, AZ.” Latest test: Microbiology: Aerobic Plate Count: less than 1 CFU/mL CASTOR OIL 2000RL mg/L