castor oil & more

[shorttcake521]

I am now 47 and had my first one occur at the tender age of 19! I just want to share a couple of things I use that are beneficial to me. I found a spray (http://naturestears.com/) that has done wonders for me! Please check out the website as they can explain it better than I! You can also buy the spray on amazon.com and get good price deals! That is where I buy mine usually unless the naturestears.com has a good sale. I spray my eyes morning, noon and night, and it has made a world of difference. Especially with the "grit" feeling in my eyes that I usually always keep. I have had the erosions since using the spray, so it's not a cure, but has made them fewer and more far between. AND when I wake up during the night feeling like my eyes are "sticking," I lean over and grab the spray off the night stand and spray my lids, which helps and makes them unstick!

Now, onto what I've been reading about here lately. Google search "castor oil for dry eyes." MANY people apparently have been helped with putting drops of castor oil ( The Palma Christi, Castor Oil, Hexane Free and Certified, Pure Cold Pressed Top Quality Oil. Heritage Products, Virginia Beach, VA, 1-800-862-2923) in their eyes before going to sleep at night. I have not yet purchased the oil nor tried it yet, but definitely am and SOON! I live in VA, so I will go to the Heritage Product store and get me some of the quality oil and will report back here! I read just this morning about a woman who tried the drops and then went to her eye doctor to make sure that it wasn't harming or damaging her eyes, and the doctor said her eyes were great! From what I've read the CO also makes the white's of your eyes whiter! I just wanted to share some of my antidotes. I wish everyone the best of luck!

I know that some of you have diseases or issues with your eyes that CO may not be able to help at all, so these things aren't for everyone, but I hope they will give some of you some much-needed relief!


Terry

[Judy]

Making more tears unconventionally

Hi shorttcake521, I would love to try "The Palma Christi, Castor Oil" in my eyes, so I hope you post with your results! I'd also love to have WHITER WHITES!!!

[PotatoCakes]

Castor oil is found in Restasis http://www.allergan.com/assets/pdf/restasis_pi.pdf so, depending on your sensitivities, it might be helpful. It is believed to be an irritant for a lot of people though, which is why a fair number of us use compounded cyclosporine without the castor oil. Even if it doesn't irritate your eyes (burning, redness), I don't see how it would make your eyes whiter.

[Rebecca Petris]

I have moved these posts as they were tacked onto a dormant thread from 2006. (Just a reminder to newbies, please start a new thread rather than replying to one if it's old, esp > 1 year)

[alisonW]

I thought castor oil could be cytotoxic (meaning causes cell death - I remember reading about it in one of the Dry Eye Digest Issues) and that it wasn't recommended to be used in the eyes unless it was in the form of compounded, sterile drops. I know there's a Youtube video that's quite popular of a woman who claims to have cured her red, dry eyes with castor oil, but I didn't find her to be very knowledgeable at all, and she continues to use Visine regularly which also diminishes her credibility in my mind. Not sure I'd risk putting plain ol' castor oil in my eyes. Has anyone done it with favorable results?

[Hopeful2]

I bought some pharamceutical grade castor oil from a compounding pharmacy yesterday. I have not read any reports of castor oil being damaging. I did a quick search and came up with this site, although I am not sure how reliable the information is on this site. Keep in mind that castor oil has been around for a really long time and used in many cultures as an anti-inflammatory agent. I suspect that the reason it gets added to products like cyclospoirine in Restasis is that it is so effective.

http://www.ehow.com/way_5376538_cast...-dry-eyes.html

[Scout]

I thought castor oil could be cytotoxic (meaning causes cell death - I remember reading about it in one of the Dry Eye Digest Issues) and that it wasn't recommended to be used in the eyes unless it was in the form of compounded, sterile drops. I know there's a Youtube video that's quite popular of a woman who claims to have cured her red, dry eyes with castor oil, but I didn't find her to be very knowledgeable at all, and she continues to use Visine regularly which also diminishes her credibility in my mind. Not sure I'd risk putting plain ol' castor oil in my eyes. Has anyone done it with favorable results?

http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/showt...ctor+cytotoxic

Here is the article I posted on the potential for castor oil in eye drops to be cytotoxic.

There are many personal testimonials of people who swear by the positive effects of castor oil. But this study shows that for use in the eye drops, there are other oils that have less potential for toxicity.

Scout

[alisonW]

Yes, thanks Scout...

I was also refrring to this:

http://dryeyedigest.blogspot.com/200...astor-oil.html

[Hopeful2]

Scout and Alison,

Looks like the two links are referring to the same study. I had a read through the study. . . interesting. I thank you both for drawing our attention to this. I guess I happen to be one of the few people who actually likes Edura drops. The odd time they sting a tad, but I do find my eyes are doing better. . . not as much crustiness in the a.m. . . As always, it is hard to know what is responsible for the improvement.

I am curious to see it there might be more recent research on castor oil. I will do some more research.

[Hopeful2]

Hello again,

I haven't found any recent studies, however, I did find this Japanese study regarding castor oil's effectiveness in treating MGD. Any one have access to the complete study?

http://www.modernmedicine.com/modern...l.jsp?id=57630

One thing I did want to mention was that the study citing cytotoxicity was completed on cell samples in a lab. I wonder if there would be a difference in response to the castor oil if a similar study was done on a live eye? Substances can behave differently in a test tube and in a live body.

[Hopeful2]

Another, more recent study, suggesting the usefulness of castor oil drops in the treatment of MGD:
http://www.contactlensjournal.com/ar...150-7/abstract

As well as this study:
http://palmapro.innovimport.com/blog.php?id=103
Any comments?

[Tankie]

Can a doctor write a prescription for castor oil eye drops? If so, what would he/she write on the prescription pad? I'd love to give it a try seeing as I'm using ointment during the day to get by. I'm excited about this!

[Hopeful2]

I share your excitement and I would like a bit more information before I get too excited You don't need a doctor's prescription. You can buy pharmaceutical grade castor oil through a pharmacy in Victoria. I'm just not sure if pharmaceutical grade would also be 'hexane free'. Apparently you need to make sure that the castor oil is 'hexane free'. Some people here are using organic, cold pressed 'hexane free' castor oil and putting it in an eye dropper dispenser bottle. I think I would prefer for my CO to also be phramaceutical grade. . . I would use this very cautiously and preferably in consultation with a doctor. The studies that I've found seem to involve a dilute form of castor oil. I don't know how it would work to use full strength castor oil.

Have you tried the Refresh Endura drops? They contain some castor oil. You can get them at Shopper's Drug Mart but they aren't cheap ($19.00 for 20 PF vials).

[shorttcake521]

Hi Judy. Been so busy with the holidays that i haven't yet started the castor oil. i did, however, order a 16-oz bottle of it TODAY, so will let you know as soon as i start it. BUT, alas, it's back ordered and won't be in for weeks! My luck! lol