Multi-award winning Hepatologist, Dr Cyriac Abby Philips, who goes on social media by the name LiverDoc, has debunked a viral ‘urine eye wash’ video. He also explained why it is bad for eyes.
But before we share why the doctor advised against it, let us take you through the viral video in which a woman is demonstrating the step-by-step process.
The first step is to collect your “midstream” urine, which she said has no colour, odour, or taste. Next, she instructs viewers to position their eyes over cups filled with urine and begin blinking.
She then advises rotating the eyes as much as possible to ensure the urine reaches all sides of the eye. After a few seconds, she suggests removing the cups and gently dabbing your eyes dry with a towel.
Towards the end, she recommends placing your palms gently over your eyes to “let the warmth of your hands transfer to your eyelids”.
Sharing this video on X (formerly Twitter), LiverDoc wrote, “Please don’t put your urine inside your eyes.”
He explained that this is because “urine is not sterile”.
LiverDoc also lashed out at people who try to be “cool” on Instagram: “Boomer aunties trying to be cool on Instagram is depressing and terrifying.”
Disgusted after watching the now-deleted video? So are we.
It was shared by Nupur Pittie, who calls herself a “medicine-free life coach” on Instagram earlier this week with the caption: “Urine Eye Wash — Nature’s Own Medicine.”
Please don't put your urine inside your eyes. Urine is not sterile.
— TheLiverDoc (@theliverdr) June 25, 2025
Boomer aunties trying to be cool on Instagram is depressing…and terrifying.
Source: https://t.co/SQ5cmpSOfY pic.twitter.com/qgryL9YHfI
What do AI chatbots have to say?
We also asked AI chatbots about washing eyes with urine. “Washing eyes with urine is strongly discouraged by medical experts,” Perplexity responded.
It added that it “contains bacteria, waste products, and potentially harmful substances that can cause irritation, infection, and even serious eye conditions if introduced to the eyes”
It further shared that if urine accidentally gets in one’s eye(s), they should rinse it thoroughly with clean water and consult a medical professional if irritation persists.
ChatGPT also responded in a similar way. “No, washing your eyes with urine is not advisable and can be harmful,” the chatbot responded to our prompt.
“There is no scientific evidence supporting any health or therapeutic benefit of using urine as an eye wash,” it noted.
Can’t unsee it now, says Internet
Many on the Internet rallied under the comments section of his post after watching the video and shared their thoughts.
“You have a tough job, man, if this is who you are dealing with,” said one social media user.
Another, who got disgusted after watching the video, said, “Why afre you bringing this to my TL. I saw it now, can’t unsee it.”
“Oh no, in the video, did it really drip through her eyes & to her lips!” a third asked. LiverDoc confirmed that it did.
A fourth, who found it hard to believe even after watching the video, asked if it really was urine. LiverDoc responded, “It’s urine. You can see that her eyes are hurting at the end of the reel. The woman is bonkers.”
“What did I just watch?” asked yet another irked user.
