No scientific evidence onion juice cures conjunctivitis 

By Toheeb Babalola

A video of the cure to conjunctivitis recently circulated on TikTok. The video shows a middle-aged woman with the username “Lizzy Remedy Herb” alongside displayed pictures of “Pink and Red Eyes” with the inscription “Onions Clear It.”

In a teaching style, the woman held two onions (red and white) and began narrating their traditional benefits in clearing conjunctivitis in human eyes.

In pidgin English, she told her over 500,000 followers that “if your eyes bring water or dey red like this [display picture], all you need is red onion.”

The herbalist then instructed them to peel and slice the red onion, then pour it into a pot and add water. She told them to boil it for at least 5 to 10 minutes, and once it was ready, they should drink it for 2 weeks.

“By the grace of God, your eyes will clear,” she concluded on the red onion.

The woman on TikTok instructed users to cut the white onion into pieces and leave it in a pot for 24 hours, allowing its natural juice to extract.

She instructed them to “use the liquid and drop it on [your] pink eye. One drop in the morning and evening.” 

Ending her one-minute session, she said, “I have been giving this remedy to people since last year. Go and check. Because of the new followers, I have to repeat it. Please share.”

As of October 14, 2025, the video has garnered 21,400 likes, 442 comments, and 18,700 shares, and the count continues to grow. Inside the comment section, many users showered praise on the herbalist. While some users disagreed with the woman, preferring to drink the onion juice rather than use it as an eyedrop. 

DUBAWA reviewed her page and found no description of her as a registered specialist or of her affiliation with a particular traditional herbalist association. We also found that some of her former pages had violated TikTok’s community guidelines and were subsequently removed.

Given the claimant’s history and its potential impact on public health, DUBAWA decided to verify the information.

Verification

Conjunctivitis, mostly called ‘pinkeye,’ is an infection that turns the white area of the eyelid and eyeball red or pink, allowing small blood vessels in the membrane to become swollen and irritated.

It is caused by either a viral or bacterial infection. Both infections are contagious and could be traced to adenovirus, herpes simplex virus, and varicella-zoster virus. They spread through direct or indirect contact with the liquid that drains from the eye of someone who’s infected. One or both eyes may be affected.

Eye pain, the sensation that something is stuck in the eye, blurred vision, light sensitivity, itchiness, redness in one or both eyes, and non-stop discharge of tears in one or both eyes are all symptoms of conjunctivitis.

On the other hand, the onion, botanically known as Allium cepa, is a biennial vegetable plant grown for its edible bulb. It is in three different colours—yellow, red, and white—depending on the climate and where it is cultivated. Despite this uniqueness, onions are widely used to prepare home cuisine.

When fresh onions are cut and left for hours or days, a volatile oil is naturally extracted, known as ‘onion juice.’ This juice produces a pungent stench due to the release of enzymes called allinases, which convert amino acid sulfoxides to sulfenic acids. However, does it cure conjunctivitis/pink eye?

In 1999, a study titled “chemical process that causes eyes to tear when peeling an onion” revealed that the volatile liquid also produced a stinging sensation in the eyes of people nearby, triggering “uncontrollable tears.”

A recent quasi-experimental study on the outbreak of conjunctivitis in South Sudan investigated the application of onion juice as eye drops. The study showed that 59% of participants experienced a decrease in symptoms after the first use, and 100% achieved full recovery after three applications. However, the study’s self-reported methodology lacks rigorous laboratory and clinical trials, flagging it as ‘unreliable.’

In 2014, the Jundishapur Journal of Microbiology published a study on the Effects of Onion Juice on the Normal Flora of Eyelids and Conjunctiva in an Animal Model. The study suggested that onion juice acts as an inhibitor of microorganism growth in the eye. But it requires ‘further investigation’ to treat eye infections, including conjunctivitis and blepharitis.

Some researchers view garlic and onion as potential antidotes to combat antibiotic-resistant infections, which would be ‘mixed with other ingredients’.

Femi Dokun-Babalola, a professor of ophthalmology at the Faculty of Medicine, Bingham University, and medical director at Rachel Eye Centre, said that there is no scientific evidence that onion juice cures conjunctivitis, confirming that onions contain sulphur compounds that may irritate the eyes and cause reflex tearing, but this is not the same as treating infection or inflammation. He noted that no peer-reviewed ophthalmology studies support the use of onion juice for curing conjunctivitis.

Dokun-Babalola stated that applying raw onion juice to the eyes is not safe and can cause corneal damage or abrasions, which may increase the risk of secondary infection and exacerbate the underlying condition, thereby delaying proper treatment and healing.

“The eye is highly sensitive, and applying unsterile or caustic substances can lead to blindness. Traditional remedies are popular and sometimes culturally significant, but not all are safe for delicate organs like the eye.

“People should also avoid urine, sugar water, and battery acid. All dangerous. They should seek medical attention early, especially if symptoms are severe (pain, discharge, decreased vision),” he explained.

Catherine Ukponmwan, a professor and consultant ophthalmologist at the College of Medical Sciences, University of Benin, buttressed that “onion juice is very harmful and toxic to the eyes because, if applied, the eyes can develop infections such as endophthalmitis and corneal ulcers and become blind.”

She advised that people should never use any traditional remedies for treating the eyes. Adding that can lead to severe visual loss and blindness. She said, “They should see a medical doctor or ophthalmologist for proper treatment.”

Speaking from experience, Origho Misan Soleye, an optometrist at the State Specialist Hospital, Asubiaro, Osogbo, said she has encountered patients who developed cornea ulcers after carelessly applying onion juice to their eyes,  which required them to seek urgent medical attention. She emphasised that “what started as a simple conjunctivitis that could have been resolved with medication becomes a corneal ulcer that leads to vision loss.”

In her decades of practice, Soleye has confirmed that substances like onion juice and breast milk are not safe to be placed in the eye, reiterating that they have yet to be proven scientifically as solutions for conjunctivitis.

Also, Kizito Osuagwu, an optometrist at the June Hospital Dental Eye Clinic, stated that onion juice can provide ten seconds of relief from itchy eyes but does not clear conjunctivitis.

“Some patients (both literate and non-literate) presented with certain symptoms, and in between consultations they ‘confessed’ to using onion as a home remedy for the symptoms they noticed. There’s always a ‘redness’ effect from using onion juice on the eye, and instead of it having a positive/no effect, it turns out to worsen the situation.

“We optometrists have used radio jingles, online adverts, pictorial representations, and even ‘life’ examples to create awareness for the public on the dangers of traditional remedies,” Osuagwu said.

Conclusion

Studies and experts reveal that using onion juice as an eyedrop directly into a human eye can worsen the infection or lead to vision loss. Also, drinking onion juice would trigger uncontrollable tears. Therefore, onion juice is unsafe and does nothing to cure conjunctivitis (pinkeye).

Source: Open Newswire @ No scientific evidence onion juice cures conjunctivitis  – Dubawa