A new TikTok trend that promotes the use of castor oil for improved eyesight and reduced wrinkles has ophthalmologists concerned, NBC News reported Aug. 5.
The hashtag #castoroilforeyesight has more than 3.7 million views and counting.
The ingredient does have moisturizing properties and can be found in certain soaps, lotions — and a small amount is sometimes even in over-the-counter eye drops. However, the product sold in grocery stores is not intended for these purposes — and cannot solve for conditions like glaucoma, blurry vision or other eye conditions, experts told the outlet.
"These conditions occur inside the eyeball," Vicki Chan, MD, an ophthalmologist based in Los Angeles told NBC News. "So even if you put a drop of castor oil on your eye, it’s not going to seep in and dissolve or fix anything."