Natural Remedies for Corneal Ulcer

Mar 30, 2018

Natural Treatments for Itching, Pain, and Vision Issues

A corneal ulcer can present as merely redness in the eye but can evolve into a blister, open wound, or even an infected abscess without treatment. The cornea is that clear layer of epithelial cells over the pupil and iris. An ulcer of the cornea may or may not present symptoms of pain or itchiness, but inflammation, tearing, and changes in vision including light sensitivity are fairly standard; and in cases caused by bacterial infection the side effects can include blindness within a day or two if the corneal ulcer is left untreated.

Also known as ulcerative keratitis, a corneal ulcer can be the result of a cornea abrasion or it may be an infectious corneal ulcer due to bacterial infiltration of the corneal lens. Either may cause an immune response (like a blister) wherein the body fills the area between the cornea and the rest of the eye with fluids to protect the inner eye and address an infection.

Alternative Medicine for Corneal Ulcer Treatment

Use of contact lenses increases your risk of a corneal ulcer, as would a chronic dry eye condition, so taking a break from contact lenses and finding a way to improve eye moisture levels is a great start. Some people have found castor oil to be beneficial to soothe and moisturize dry eyes. Supplemental Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and protein may help repair damage from a corneal ulcer and prevent a corneal ulcer scar.

Corneal Dystrophy  

Posted by Suzanne (Evansville, In) on 11/05/2013

I was diagnosed with corneal dystrophy and band keratopathy at age 12. I'm 34 now, and it has advanced quite a bit. My opthamologist says I'll need a cornea transplant within 5 years. I haven't found anything on this site or any other naturopathic source regarding this illness. Other than this, I'm very healthy. Does anyone have any knowledge on the subject? Thank you so much for this site! It has helped my family on several occasions!

Replied by Timh
Ky, Usa

I know nothing about the specific diseases you named, BUT if it were me, I would use a broad-spectrum nutritional complex specifically for eye health. Most health food stores have eye formulas. Look for any number of these nutrients:

  • Bilberry
  • Eyebright
  • Lutein
  • Zeaxanthin
  • Vit-A
  • Taurine
  • NAC
  • Zinc

Do a little research on each of these and go from there. You will certainly be very much encouraged as there is great potential, especially when combing all these ingredients for synergistic action.

Also, Magnet therapy will help. A common refrigerator mag over each eye for 15-30 min daily.

Replied by Suzanne
Evansville, In

Thank you so much. I'll start research on this today. I've never heard of your magnet recommendation. I'm hopeful something will help. It's a disease where the body attacks the cornea as if it were a foreign object. I've heard bovine collostrum is good for diseases such as this. Autoimmune diseases is what the article said, but I haven't actually found corneal dystrophy under that classification, so I'm not sure it will have any effect.

Replied by Timh
Ky, Usa

Regardless of the exact agent of "attack" on the corneal/lens, these precious tissues, in your case, seem to have very-little-to-none defense. The nutrients I listed, combined, will transform your "very weak" defenses to "very strong". Don't be afraid w/ the magnet; I use a much stronger magnet on my eyes routinely w/ only good effects; but do use only the side that sticks to metal. This will immediately reduce the destructive inflammatory process and allow healing.

Replied by Suzanne
Evansville, In

Timh fr Kentucky, thank you so much!!

Replied by Timh
Ky, Usa

I hope this means you are on-the-path to getting better. Please do report your outcome. Anyway, your gratitude is much felt and appreciated.

Replied by Sj
New York, Ny

I've never heard of the magnetic treatment before. Do you place the magnet on the surface of the eyelid where the eye is closed?< Or just hold it above the opened eye?

I've had a corneal ulcer in Nov-Dec 2013, and it went away because of some steroids by opthamologist prescribed, but when I wore my contacts again in January, I got an ulcer in the opposite eye. The eye with the first ulcer is still a little red.

I'm also trying coconut oil drops, and I ordered an Ayurvedic drops called Elaneer Khuzambu which is said to cure a number of eye diseases including corneal ulcer.

If anyone has experience with these please let me know how it went!

Replied by Tariro
Gwanda, Zimbabwe

Also suffered a severe cornea ulcer to an extend of loss of vision to blurred vision, don't know next step. Have been to different specialists to no avail

Hydrogen Peroxide  

Posted by Speshulk (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) on 01/21/2013 3 posts

I have scoured this site and get bits and pieces of things to try but I am hoping Ted and this great online community can advise me on a direct plan of action for my problem.

I have reoccurring corneal ulcers. The symptoms are itchy red irritated/painful eye, watery and runny eye, very sensitive to light, feels like there is a sharp shard of glass in the eye, at times very blurred vision in the affected eye. I use a corticosteroid drop to treat each outbreak but they always come back. They always come back in the opposite eye. They never reoccur in the same eye. It's always in the same spot on either eye but it always appears in one eye then the other. I believe it is the Herpes Zoster (shingles) virus causing this. I never had this problem until I dated a guy who would have massive irritations in his eyes that he said reoccurred in his eye but he never went to the doctor just lived through it until it subsided. Looking back I think this is what he had and passed it along to me. Now I have this chronic problem. I would like to treat it and get rid of it for good. I bought an ultrasonic nebulizer and thought I'd like to put 3% H2O2 and treat myself 2 times per day because ingesting H2O2 made me so nauseated. I have read that H2O2 is a great treatment to rid the body of nasty viral and bacterial infections. I am just unsure of how to dose myself with the nebulizer treatments. Not to mention it is hard on my throat, makes me cough and I end up needing a puff of ventolin after inhaling as it affects my breathing but am desperate so I push through these adverse symptoms. The corticosteroid drops the doctor prescribed scare me because I have heard they affect the natural immune system of the eye leaving them open to many other problems. I have also noticed the vision in my eyes getting worse with the continued outbreaks and drop treatments for this condition.

Ted/Community can you give me a plan of action to treat this corneal ulcer problem? Please be clear on the amounts and names of the items I will need to get, along with full names and not acronym letters abbreviating them as I am not up on the shortened lingo used here on the site as some of you might be. I'm sure this will help others with my same problem in the future. I thank you in advance and wish you all well.

Replied by Mmsg
Somewhere, Europe

Speshulk, the h2o2 should be diluted enough for it not to irritate your throat in any way. More is not better with h2o2.

You can also try eye washes with 1/4-1/2 a dropperful of Bilberry extract in a little eye-bath. Make sure the water is warm, not too hot. I just dab it dry after I did that, not rinsing it for a few hours.

Replied by Anon

Hi, you need to boost your immune system. This herpes virus goes to the weakest spot. I only have known peoe get this infection in their eye when they have a scratch on it and the infection enters through there. Have you seen a specialist about it? I think once you have it everytime you low your immune system to drop you will get it again. Look on this site for the immune boosters like green tea, cod liver oil, vitamin c, garlic etc but also look at your diet and stop consuming anything that lowers your immunity like wheat, caffeine, alcohol...

Replied by Speshulk
Calgary, Alberta Canada
3 posts

Thank you for you suggestions I will give them a try. I will further dilut the H2O2 as well.... A little will go a long way. Cutting out sugar and wheat products as I think it can only help. I am also taking ACV I have a freshly blended green drink each morning. I am not a big caffine person but will up my green tea as well. If anybody else has any ideas please share. Blessings :)

Replied by Jereme
Los Angeles

Hi Speshulk,

I know this is over a year old but maybe the information will still be helpful.

Herpes of the eye is rare and having it in both eyes is even rarer. Just because someone you dated may have had zoster of the cornea doesn't mean you'd get the infection in the same region on your face.

If it is herpes, then a prescription medicine like acyclovir would be more beneficial than a steroidal eye drop.

The amino acid, Lysine, can be taken to minimize herpes outbreaks too. it's in certain foods and can be purchased as a supplement.

Staying away from foods with high arginine content would be beneficial since it's known to fuel herpes outbreaks.

But, as I said previously, having herpes in both eyes is extremely rare. Have you had a blood test confirming zoster antibodies? If not, do so.

I began having corneal ulcerations at age 20, starting in the left eye, then progressing to the right. Flare-ups reoccurred often and alternated from eye to eye, eventually leading to statutory blindness.

I've seen over 40 opth doctors over the years and 39 of them were clueless. They kept scratching their heads then half-heartedly stating it was herpes despite the complete lack of evidence proving it.

It took more than 17 years before a corneal specialist diagnosed me with a very rare autoimmune disease called cogan's syndrome.

There are other autoimmune diseases that cause reoccurring corneal ulcers too.

Doctor's don't deserve blind respect, I think. Do your own research and listen to your body. Fight for yourself.

Good luck on your journey.

Replied by Tsy


My daughter used to have frequent cornea inflammation as well. Recently, I bought her bioresonance chips to be placed around her eyes. The frequent inflammation subsided. Her condition is much better now.

Replied by Kay
New York, Ny

You should NOT be using corticosteroid drops alone to treat corneal ulcers! They only reduce the inflammation and symptoms of pain and irritation but can actually make the underlying infection worse. If you are not treating the underlying infection (most likely bacterial) with antibiotic drops (like moxifloxacin), then the infection is most likely never fully going away and that is why the corneal ulcers keep coming back and/or getting worse.

Replied by Connie

Kay, would you know if this recommendation is true for recurring corneal erosion?