Is DMSO safe for your eyes?

 

Could this compound radically change your vision?

Since I published my articles and videos on Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and its various applications, many subscribers have asked me to delve deeper into the effects and benefits of this compound regarding eye health. 

DMSO has a particular affinity with the eyes that allows it to participate positively in the treatment of various visual disorders that conventional therapeutic options often fail to achieve on their own.

Numerous testimonials (mostly anecdotal) highlight DMSO's properties for restoring circulation, reviving dying cells, and stabilizing misfolded proteins, which would allow it to treat a variety of retinal diseases such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, or retinitis pigmentosa; as well as eliminate visual obstructions such as floaters and cataracts, and even reverse glaucoma.

The anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties of DMSO allow it to treat dry eyes, inflammatory diseases around the eye, such as blepharitis, styes and psoriasis; or inside the eye such as iritis, uveitis, conjunctivitis, keratitis, among others.

This article focuses primarily on the protocols commonly used for these eye conditions.

A study published in 2021 by the Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics in the United States indicates that DMSO administration shows favorable results in human eye diseases, with low or no ocular or systemic toxicity, and is shown as a potential therapeutic drug to treat such conditions.

 

The information I share here comes from the documentation of someone known as "A Midwestern Doctor," a physician in North America who wishes to remain anonymous and provides this documentation simply to raise awareness. ( article )

According to this doctor, many DMSO users have noticed that their vision improved while using it for something else (according to this , this , and this reader testimonial here), which in turn inspired some doctors to start applying it to the eyes of patients with vision problems.

Ocular distribution of DMSO

The logic behind applying DMSO to the eyes is that a much stronger dose can be applied than would be possible with applications for other conditions in the body.

In one study , it was observed that although DMSO tended to distribute uniformly throughout the body (typically with a lower concentration in tissues than in the blood), its concentration in the iris and ciliary body matched that in the blood, while in the cornea (the surface of the eye), after 2 hours it was 2.2 times higher than in the blood (in rabbit experiments and 4 times higher in rats). In other words, DMSO specifically concentrates in the cornea when administered to the body (after which it is rapidly eliminated), suggesting that DMSO is appropriate for treating diseases of the cornea and uvea. Similarly, another study found that DMSO enhances drug penetration into the cornea and anterior chamber (experiments conducted in rabbits).

It should be noted that some studies (such as the first one mentioned) are over 50 years old and involve both animals and humans. This particular study indicated that concentrations did not increase with repeated administrations (suggesting that DMSO does not accumulate in the body).

More importantly, that study helps explain why the use of DMSO can often directly benefit and improve eye health.

Conversely, in another study , rat eyes were exposed to DMSO and it was found that, regardless of the route of administration or the concentration used, the DMSO was rapidly eliminated from the eyes:

This, in turn, suggests that DMSO can quickly draw out of the eyes what shouldn't be there (e.g., excess fluid), since everything in the eye will be drawn out to the rest of the body with the DMSO that comes out of the eyes.

Note: DMSO has also long been used to preserve corneas for transplantation into another person , indicating once again that DMSO is relatively non-toxic to the cornea.

DMSO eye safety

Regarding the systemic administration of DMSO, there had long been concerns that DMSO might (temporarily) alter the refractive index of the eyes. This finding was observed in certain animals at very high doses of DMSO, but never, despite exhaustive evaluations, in monkeys or humans (see, for example, this study or this JAMA publication which proves that DMSO has no ocular toxicity).

Note: There are numerous common medications that are known to temporarily alter the refraction of the lens.

 In humans , when DMSO was taken daily at doses 3 to 30 times higher than the standard dose (achieved by covering the entire body with DMSO), 9% of participants experienced burning or pain in their eyes. According to the author, this is due to the fact that DMSO concentrates in the cornea, but, at the same time, it will never actually be a problem for a DMSO user, since the effect only appears with very high doses (and has no real consequences other than temporary irritation).

Some studies have been done on animals to evaluate the effects of direct application of DMSO to the eyes, but I will emphasize human experiments because otherwise this would make this text endless.

Note: An author from Substack, the primary source for this report, recounted an experiment in which 100% DMSO was repeatedly applied to the eyes (a much higher concentration than normally recommended) and no side effects were observed, apart from five minutes of irritation (along with a marked improvement in vision and the almost total disappearance of floaters).

Similarly, one study reported that topical DMSO administered to 108 patients (for a total of 157 eyes) at a higher concentration than used by others showed no eye problems or toxicity (with follow-up periods of up to 19 months after treatment), even in patients with pre-existing eye problems (e.g., 8 patients with glaucoma who frequently experienced an increase in intraocular pressure when given a steroid).  These patients did not experience such an increase with DMSO and, similarly, 17 patients with pre-existing cataracts did not experience a worsening of them with DMSO).

None of the human eyes treated with topically applied DMSO for periods ranging from approximately one month to fifteen months showed signs of corneal injury or deposits, as sometimes occurs with certain medications. Varying degrees of conjunctival irritation and burning discomfort occurred with the use of higher concentrations. As a rule, patients who could not tolerate the topical preparation discontinued treatment during the first week of the trial. Seventeen patients had pre-existing signs of lens opacities of a degree considered clinical cataracts. None of these increased appreciably during the DMSO treatment period, except for two with uveitic cataracts. This was considered to be related to the uveitis and not to the therapy. None of the patients exhibited ocular changes analogous to those observed in the animal eyes.

Note: In another unpublished study (detailed in this 1980 book ), a series of 30 German patients (along with another 280 treated over various periods) who were treated with DMSO showed no detectable adverse effects on the eyes, and one of the authors noted that the doses needed to produce the effects observed in animals were astronomical compared to those taken by humans.

Existing data show that the toxicity threshold of DMSO for the eyes is much higher than the doses to which the eyes will be exposed in clinical applications.

STUDIES IN HUMANS

Several individual clinical cases support the value of DMSO for the eyes.

One author reported on Stanley Jacob's use of DMSO in more serious cases of eye damage, such as:

•A man who had been blind for more than 30 years after suffering a dynamite explosion to the face and who began to see flashes of light after applying DMSO to his head.

A man lost sight in his right eye (along with other eye functions, such as focusing) and gradually lost sight in his left eye after a near-fatal car accident while skateboarding. After trying DMSO for hair loss, he noticed a sensation in the back of his right eye, so Stanley Jacob decided to try applying DMSO to that eye, eventually opting for a high concentration (which stung for several minutes, made him water, and left his eyes red for about 20 minutes). After this, sight quickly returned to his right eye (demonstrated by a blindfolded test), and he regained the ability to see colors (something his good eye had lost since the accident).

To cite another author :

Ophthalmologist Norbert J. Becquet, MD, of Little Rock, Arkansas, reported to the American Academy of Preventive Medicine (AAMP) in May 1980 that he had achieved great success using DMSO in the treatment of cataracts and other eye problems. “I have treated two hundred patients in the past year for macular degeneration, macular edema, and traumatic uveitis… Using DMSO, glaucoma medications are potentiated, including those needed to treat open-angle glaucoma. But DMSO is only better for macular degeneration .”

•Other authors have reported that the use of DMSO eye drops before eye exercises is ideal, as their muscle-relaxing properties help to loosen tense or stiff eye muscles, thus improving the effectiveness of the exercises in improving eye muscle mobility.

Another author who has worked with many physicians using DMSO reported that they have found that applying DMSO to the eyes seems to help with various vision problems and eye pain, and that a stinging sensation typically occurs for 30-40 seconds after applying DMSO to the eyes, after which the eyes usually feel better than before the treatment. Similarly, he also cited a physician in Los Angeles who had several patients who were able to read small print more easily after only one week of applying DMSO to their eyes.

In a case that cited A 90-year-old man who could not read (due to macular degeneration and other eye problems) was treated daily with DMSO eye drops (along with oral DMSO) and, after a month, was able to read his books again (as well as thinking more clearly and feeling better all over).

In another case , a 78-year-old man had various eye problems that made it difficult for him to walk around his house. His doctors told him that, given the nerve damage in his eyes, nothing could be done and that he shouldn't waste his money on treatments with no proven effectiveness. However, this man decided not to give up and convinced another doctor to apply DMSO to his eyes (along with oral DMSO). Initially, his vision was 20/200, then, within two weeks, 20/100, two weeks later, 20/70, and finally, 20/50 with glasses, which allowed him to regain his independence (which he maintained along with his excellent health for a man over 80 years old).

Similarly, a reader who had always been nearsighted reported that , after taking DMSO orally for a few months, he stopped seeing clearly through his glasses and noticed that his vision had normalized (e.g., he could see smaller letters quite clearly) and that he had not needed glasses for reading since.

The cases are countless and I have tried, to the best of my ability, to include the corresponding link to the study or testimony, as the case may be.  You might wonder, however, with all these applications, why isn't the use of DMSO more widespread and its benefits not more widely publicized?

The answer is provided by the 2021 study I mentioned, and whose explanation I will quote verbatim (the translation is mine):

“Although the FDA has relaxed restrictions on DMSO clinical research over the past 20 years, the initial enthusiasm for DMSO-derived drug research and development and clinical use of this compound has not resurfaced. DMSO remains a vital component of the most sophisticated modern therapeutic approaches, such as stem cell transplantation, cell therapy, and immunotherapy for cancer and genetic disorders. One of the main reasons for the undesirable use of DMSO is economic. Because it is inexpensive and unpatentable, pharmaceutical companies and physicians have no financial incentive to investigate practical applications and translational research of this therapeutic agent.”

I hope this information is helpful and allows you, along with your doctor, to make the appropriate decisions and find the protocol that best suits your particular case.

 

DMSO REFERENCE TABLE FOR EYE CONDITIONS

This table is for educational reference ONLY. It is NOT a medical prescription. Mandatory ophthalmological supervision is required before use. Consult your doctor before implementing any protocol.

EYE CONDITION	TOPICAL ROUTE	TOPIC SCHEDULE	ORAL ROUTE	ORAL SCHEDULE	RECOMMENDED DURATION	MONITORING
Dry Eye Syndrome (mild-moderate)	10-25% drops + 1:1 saline solution	2-3 times/day (morning, afternoon, evening)	Not initially recommended		4-8 weeks	Every 2 weeks
Dry Eye Syndrome (severe)	25-50% drops + 1:1 saline solution	3-4 times/day + PRN	250-500mg every 12 hours with food	Morning and night	6-12 weeks	Every 2 weeks
Keratitis (corneal inflammation)	25-50% drops + antibiotic if necessary	4-6 times/day (every 4 hours)	500mg every 12 hours	Morning and night	2-4 weeks	Weekly
Cataracts (preventive/initial)	Drops 10-25%	2 times/day (morning-evening)	250-500mg every 12 hours	Morning and night	8-12 weeks	Every 3-4 weeks
Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)	10% Drops (optional)	1-2 times/day	500-750mg every 12 hours	Morning and night	12+ weeks (long term)	Every 4 weeks
Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (IAON)	Drops 25-50% (complementary)	2-3 times/day	500-750mg every 12 hours	Morning and night	6-8 weeks	Every 2-3 weeks
Diabetic Macular Edema	10-25% drops (adjuvant)	2 times/day	250-500mg every 12 hours	Morning and night	8-12 weeks	Every 2-3 weeks
Uveitis (uveal inflammation)	25-50% drops + corticosteroid if necessary	4-5 times/day	500mg every 12 hours	Morning and night	3-6 weeks	Weekly
Corneal scarring (post-surgical)	Drops 25-50%	3-4 times/day	500mg every 12 hours	Morning and night	4-8 weeks	Every 2 weeks
Pterygium (preventive recurrence)	Drops 10-25%	2 times/day (post-surgery)	250-500mg every 12 hours	Morning and night	6-8 weeks post-surgery	Every 3 weeks

 

STOP IMMEDIATELY IF YOU EXPERIENCE:

- ❌ Persistent blurred vision

- ❌ Increasing eye pain

- ❌ Redness that worsens after 5 days

- ❌ Changes in intraocular pressure

 

UNIVERSAL PROTOCOL FOR EYE SAFETY WITH DMSO

DMSO is potent. If used improperly in the eyes, it can cause irritation or damage.

 

UNVIOLABLE RULES

USE THE CORRECT CONCENTRATION:

- Oral use: 70% DMSO maximum

- Topical ocular use: 30% DMSO **NEVER more concentrated**

- Use pharmaceutical grade DMSO, not industrial grade.

Buy only from certified suppliers; Avoid DMSO with additives or preservatives; Verify that it is 'ophthalmologically pure'

 

If you need to make your own 30% DMSO:

You can take 3 ml of DMSO 70%, add 7 ml of distilled water or sterile physiological saline; mix gently and store in a dark glass bottle

-To apply, use a sterile pipette (not your fingers)

- Apply 1-2 drops to the inner corner of the eye

- Keep eyes CLOSED for 2-3 minutes to allow absorption

- Do not blink excessively immediately afterwards

- Wait 15 minutes before touching your eyes

 

EXPECTED (normal) SIDE EFFECTS

- Mild burning for 30 seconds — NORMAL

- Temporary tearing — NORMAL

- Very slight blurred vision for 5-10 minutes — NORMAL

- Breath

 

WARNING SIGNS — STOP DMSO IMMEDIATELY IF IT PERSISTS

- Severe eye pain (not a mild burning sensation)

- Severe redness that persists for more than 1 hour

- Blurred vision that does NOT resolve in 15 minutes

- Visible swelling of the eyelid

- Abnormal eye discharge (not normal tears)

- Extreme sensitivity to light

- Corneal ulcers (grey/white spots on the iris)

If any of these occur: WASH YOUR EYES WITH SALINE SOLUTION IMMEDIATELY and go to an ophthalmologist.

 

ABSOLUTE CONTRAINDICATIONS:

- Active eye infections (bacterial, viral, fungal conjunctivitis)

  - DMSO can accelerate propagation

- Pre-existing corneal ulcers

  - DMSO penetrates too deeply and causes damage

- Acute glaucoma

  - It may temporarily increase intraocular pressure

- Recent eye surgery (less than 3 months)

  - Interferes with healing

- Known allergy to DMSO (rare, but it exists)

 

PHARMACOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS:

- Steroid eye drops: Wait 30 minutes between applications

- Antibiotic eye drops: DMSO may alter concentration — consult your ophthalmologist

- Oral anticoagulant medications: DMSO increases blood fluidity, so there could be a risk of eye bleeding.

- Warfarin, Aspirin, Clopidogrel: Increased risk — monitor INR/bleeding times

 

PREGNANCY AND BREASTFEEDING: 

- DMSO crosses the placenta

- Do NOT use during pregnancy (teratogenic effects unknown in humans)

- Do not use while breastfeeding (it is excreted in breast milk)

- Wait 3 months postpartum if you are breastfeeding

 

AGE AND SENSITIVITY:

- Under 18 years of age: Only under direct ophthalmological supervision

- Over 70 years: Start with a 50% lower dose — reduced tolerance

- Sensitive corneas: Use 20% DMSO instead of 30%