The study, published in the Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, was authored by ophthalmologists David Maskill, Robert Morgan Blizzard, and Arthur Okonkwo, all based at NHS hospitals in the north of England. Their work is described as a "hypothesis-generating review" that combines a fresh translation of the ancient text with a survey of current biomedical evidence. The findings suggest that what was once dismissed as a magical rite may, in fact, have had a rational basis rooted in the natural healing properties of human milk.
- The Ebers Papyrus: Medico-Magical Beliefs and Treatments Revealed in Ancient Egyptian Medical Text
- Medicine Of The Gods: Egyptian Secret Book Of The Physician
The Ebers Papyrus and its Ophthalmic Remedies
The Ebers Papyrus, a 110-page scroll dating back to approximately 1550 BC, is one of the oldest and most comprehensive medical documents from ancient Egypt. Measuring over 68 feet (21 meters) in length, it contains over 842 remedies for a wide range of illnesses, from intestinal disease and skin problems to eye conditions and gynaecological matters. Among these, four remedies specifically mention the use of human milk for eye conditions. The papyrus recommends breast milk to treat "blood in the eyes," to "open the vision," and to address eye inflammation and an unspecified blindness condition. Interestingly, the remedies specify milk from a woman who has given birth to a son — a detail that Egyptologists have long interpreted as a symbolic invocation of the goddess Isis, whose milk is said to have nourished her son Horus and restored life to her dead husband, Osiris.
Bronze statuette of Isis nursing Horus, ca. 1070–343 BC. (The Metropolitan Museum of Art / Public Domain)
The authors of the new study, however, wonder whether the breast milk reference in the Ebers Papyrus might be more literal than symbolic. They suggest that the specification of milk from a mother who has borne a son may simply have been a practical indicator of a lactating woman, and that the ancient physicians may have observed genuine therapeutic effects from its application to the eye.
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The Science Behind the Ancient Remedy
The researchers highlight that human breast milk is rich in growth factors, including epidermal growth factor (EGF ), transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-α), and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). These same compounds are found in autologous serum tears, a modern treatment for severe dry eye disease (DED) that is derived from a patient's own blood. The study notes that while effective, this treatment is expensive — costing around £1,100 ($1,475) for a four-month supply in the UK — and is not widely accessible. The presence of these healing compounds in breast milk suggests that the ancient Egyptians may have stumbled upon a genuinely effective, and far more accessible, treatment for diseases of the ocular surface.
Dry eye disease affects an estimated up to 17 percent of the global population, causing chronic discomfort and, in severe cases, vision impairment. Current treatments range from over-the-counter artificial tears to the more costly autologous serum tears, which are reserved for patients who do not respond to standard therapies. The search for affordable, effective alternatives is therefore a genuine clinical priority, making the ancient Egyptian remedy all the more intriguing to modern researchers.
A page from the Ebers Papyrus, written circa 1500 BC. (Wellcome Collection / CC BY 4.0)
Modern Research and Future Potential
While no clinical trials have yet been conducted on the use of human breast milk for DED in humans, preclinical studies are encouraging. Research on mice has demonstrated that human milk can accelerate the healing of the corneal surface after injury, largely due to the growth factors it contains. Furthermore, applying a mother's colostrum to the eyes of preterm infants has been shown to reduce the incidence of conjunctivitis, likely due to the antimicrobial properties of its immunoglobulins and lysozymes. These findings lend credibility to the idea that the ancient Egyptians were, at least in part, applying sound empirical medicine when they prescribed breast milk for eye ailments.
The study authors suggest that while human milk could be a cost-effective treatment, bovine colostrum — the first milk produced by cows after giving birth — might offer a more practical and ethically straightforward alternative for developing a new therapy. They emphasize, however, that any use of milk-derived preparations for eye conditions must remain in experimental settings until proper human trials are conducted.
"Despite these encouraging observations, however, there is currently no direct evidence supporting the use of topical [human milk] for the treatment of DED in human subjects. Consequently, until human studies are conducted, the use of milk-derived preparations for DED should be confined to experimental settings, with careful attention to safety, standardization, and regulatory oversight." — Maskill et al., Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 2024
The study is a striking reminder that ancient medical traditions, often dismissed as superstition, can contain genuine insights that remain relevant thousands of years later. As researchers continue to explore the medical papyri of ancient Egypt, it seems increasingly likely that the healers of the ancient world were more sophisticated observers of the natural world than they are often given credit for.
Top Image: A doctor performing eye surgery. The Ebers Papyrus discusses medical techniques and remedies. Source: Articles sur l’Egypte et son historie
By Gary Manners
References
Maskill, D., Blizzard, R.M., Okonkwo, A. 2024. Human Milk in Dry Eye Disease: A Narrative Review with Historical Translation from the Ebers Papyrus. Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41804957/
Taub, B. 2026. Human Breast Milk Could Effectively Treat Dry Eye Disease, As Recommended In An Ancient Egyptian Medical Papyrus. IFLScience. Available at: https://www.iflscience.com/ancient-egyptian-medical-papyrus-recommends-human-breast-milk-to-treat-eye-disease-and-it-might-actually-work-82834
Wagner, B.B. 2019. The Ebers Papyrus: Medico-Magical Beliefs and Treatments Revealed in Ancient Egyptian Medical Text. Ancient Origins. Available at: /artifacts-ancient-writings/ebers-papyrus-0012333
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