The Medical Advisor

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), a solvent discovered in the 19th century and explored medically since the 1960s, has garnered attention for its potential in ophthalmology despite FDA restrictions halting much U.S. research. Initially praised for treating diverse conditions, it faced suppression, yet persists in alternative medicine, veterinary applications, and self-experiments for issues like cataracts, macular degeneration, floaters, glaucoma, dry eyes, infections, and retinal diseases. Combined with castor oil, it offers synergistic benefits for hydration and inflammation reduction, supported by anecdotal reports. (1, 2, 7) While not mainstream, its resurgence through online communities highlights non-invasive alternatives to surgery or injections. Update: DMSO and the Eyes: A Complete Guide to Every Eye Condition It May Help Organized by Category — From Dry Eyes to Macular Degeneration, Cataracts, Glaucoma, and Retinal Disease Mechanisms of Action DMSO...

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is one of the more unusual compounds in medicine. It has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, membrane-active, antioxidant and drug-delivery properties, and decades of laboratory research have examined its effects on platelets, vascular tone, ischemia, tissue injury and the blood-brain barrier. These properties have generated a provocative hypothesis: could DMSO improve circulation, reduce vascular injury and protect tissue during ischemic events such as stroke? The hypothesis is biologically plausible, but the clinical evidence is much less definitive than some popular accounts suggest. DMSO has demonstrated important vascular and neuroprotective effects in laboratory and experimental models, while human evidence remains limited and insufficient to establish DMSO as a standard treatment for acute stroke, myocardial infarction, deep-vein thrombosis or peripheral arterial disease. Clinical bottom line: DMSO should currently be regarded as an investigational o...