Historical medical texts occasionally preserve therapeutics of unexpected modern relevance. This hypothesis-generating review presents a new translation and interpretation of human milk-based ophthalmic remedies in the Ebers papyrus (∼1550 BC) and evaluates their potential applicability to contemporary dry eye disease. Growth factors abundant in human milk parallel those delivered by autologous serum tears, and emerging evidence, including animal models and limited clinical studies, demonstrates that both human milk and bovine colostrum can promote corneal epithelial healing and reduce ocular surface inflammation. Given the high cost of current therapies and the ethical constraints surrounding donor human milk, bovine colostrum represents a low-cost, scalable alternative warranting further investigation. This historical-biomedical synthesis illustrates how ancient medical practices may inform modern strategies for managing refractory ocular surface disease.
AkpekEK, AmescuaG, FaridM, et al.; American Academy of Ophthalmology Preferred Practice Pattern Cornea and External Disease Panel. Dry eye syndrome preferred practice pattern®. Ophthalmology, 2019; 126(1):P286–P334; doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2018.10.023
2.
PerezVL, ChenW, CraigJP, et al.TFOS DEWS III: Executive summary. Am J Ophthalmol, 2026; 282:135–145; doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2025.09.035
RitnerRK. The Mechanics of Ancient Egyptian Magical Practice. Oriental Institute: Chicago, IL; 1993. (Studies in Ancient Oriental Civilization; vol. 54).
5.
JohnstonSI. Myth and the Getty hexameters. In: The Getty Hexameters: Poetry, Magic, and Mystery in Ancient Selinous. (FaraoneCA, ObbinkD, eds.) Oxford University Press: Oxford; 2013. pp. 120–156; doi: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199664108.003.0008
6.
HigginsS. ‘Divine mothers: The influence of Isis on the virgin Mary in Egyptian Lactans-iconography’. J Can Soc Coptic Studies, 2012; 3–4:71–90.
7.
MaskillD. Ophthalmology in the Ebers papyrus: A translation-based reassessment of ancient Egyptian eye remedies. Eye (Lond), 2025; 39(12):2326–2329; doi: 10.1038/s41433-025-03865-4
8.
Bouras-VallianatosP. Breastmilk as a therapeutic agent in ancient and early Byzantine medical literature. In: Breastfeeding and Mothering in Antiquity and Early Byzantium. (ConstantinouS, Skouroumouni-StavrinouA, eds.) Routledge: Abingdon; 2023; pp. 105–129.
9.
HosseiniM, ValizadehE, HosseiniN, et al.The role of infant sex on human milk composition. Breastfeed Med, 2020; 15(5):341–346; doi: 10.1089/bfm.2019.0205
10.
PoweCE, KnottCD, Conklin-BrittainN. Infant sex predicts breast milk energy content. Am J Hum Biol, 2010; 22(1):50–54; doi: 10.1002/ajhb.20941
11.
Bernardes-LochRM, RibeiroAC, Ramírez-LópezCJ, et al.Human milk proteins differentiate over the sex of newborns and across stages of lactation. Clin Nutr ESPEN, 2024; 62:144–156; doi: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2024.05.013
12.
MoranJR, CourtneyME, OrthDN, et al.Epidermal growth factor in human milk: Daily production and diurnal variation during early lactation in mothers delivering at term and at premature gestation. J Pediatr, 1983; 103(3):402–405; doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(83)80412-0
13.
OkadaM, OhmuraE, KamiyaY, et al.Transforming growth factor (TGF)-alpha in human milk. Life Sci, 1991; 48(12):1151–1156; doi: 10.1016/0024-3205(91)90452-h
14.
GalanteL, PundirS, LagströmH, et al.Growth factor concentrations in human milk are associated with infant weight and BMI from birth to 5 years. Front Nutr, 2020; 7:110; doi: 10.3389/fnut.2020.00110
15.
de ZegherF, DevliegerH, EeckelsR. Fetal growth: Boys before girls. Horm Res, 1999; 51(5):258–259; doi: 10.1159/000023382
16.
HiguchiA. Autologous serum and serum components. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 2018; 59(14):DES121–DES129; doi: 10.1167/iovs.17-23760
17.
DiegoJL, BidikovL, PedlerMG, et al.Effect of human milk as a treatment for dry eye syndrome in a mouse model. Mol Vis, 2016; 22:1095–1102.
18.
PimpleSN, PedlerMG, ShiehB, et al.Human breast milk enhances cellular proliferation in cornea wound healing. Curr Eye Res, 2024; 49(11):1138–1144; doi: 10.1080/02713683.2024.2374836
19.
AsenaL, SuverenEH, KarabayG, et al.Human breast milk drops promote corneal epithelial wound healing. Curr Eye Res, 2017; 42(4):506–512; doi: 10.1080/02713683.2016.1223318
20.
BucoloC, MusumeciM, SalomoneS, et al.Effects of topical fucosyl-lactose, a milk oligosaccharide, on dry eye model: An example of nutraceutical candidate. Front Pharmacol, 2015; 6:280; doi: 10.3389/fphar.2015.00280
21.
WangM, YangX, YeY, et al.Anti-inflammatory and restorative effects of milk exosomes and dexamethasone-loaded exosomes in a corneal alkali burn model. Int J Pharm, 2024; 666:124784; doi: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2024.124784
22.
GhaemiS, NavaeiP, RahimiradS, et al.Evaluation of preventive effects of colostrum against neonatal conjunctivitis: A randomized clinical trial. J Educ Health Promot, 2014; 3:63; doi: 10.4103/2277-9531.134776
23.
SinghM, SugathanPS, BhujwalaRA. Human colostrum for prophylaxis against sticky eyes and conjunctivitis in the newborn. J Trop Pediatr, 1982; 28(1):35–37; doi: 10.1093/tropej/28.1.35
24.
SugimuraT, SeoT, TerasakiN, et al.Efficacy and safety of breast milk eye drops in infants with eye discharge. Acta Paediatr, 2021; 110(4):1322–1329; doi: 10.1111/apa.15628
25.
VerdS. Switch from antibiotic eye drops to instillation of mother’s milk drops as a treatment of infant epiphora. J Trop Pediatr, 2007; 53(1):68–69; doi: 10.1093/tropej/fml063
26.
St-OngeM, ChaudhryS, KorenG. Donated breast milk stored in banks versus breast milk purchased online. Can Fam Physician, 2015; 61(2):143–146.
27.
TarffA, Drew-BearLE, Di MeglioL, et al.Effect of topical bovine colostrum in wound healing of corneal surface after acute ocular alkali burn in mice. Exp Eye Res, 2022; 220:109093; doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2022.109093
28.
ChaumeilC, LiotetS, KogbeO. Treatment of severe eye dryness and problematic eye lesions with enriched bovine colostrum lactoserum. Adv Exp Med Biol, 1994; 350:595–599; doi: 10.1007/978-1-4615-2417-5_100
29.
LiotetS, PerrinD. Amélioration spectaculaire d’un syndrome sec sévère par instillation de colostrum [Spectacular improvement of severe dry eye syndrome by instillation of colostrum]. Bull Soc Ophtalmol Fr, 1982; 82(1):15–16. French.
30.
CostaA, SneddonNW, GoiA, et al.Invited review: Bovine colostrum, a promising ingredient for humans and animals-properties, processing technologies, and uses. J Dairy Sci, 2023; 106(8):5197–5217; doi: 10.3168/jds.2022-23013Erratum in: J Dairy Sci. 2024 Dec;107(12):11804. doi: 10.3168/jds.2024-107-12-11804
31.
PlayfordRJ, CattellM, MarchbankT. Marked variability in bioactivity between commercially available bovine colostrum for human use; implications for clinical trials. PLoS One, 2020; 15(6):e0234719; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0234719. Erratum in: PLoS One. 2020 Oct 6;15(10):e0240392. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0240392
32.
GeyerO, BottoneEJ, PodosSM, et al.Microbial contamination of medications used to treat glaucoma. Br J Ophthalmol, 1995; 79(4):376–379; doi: 10.1136/bjo.79.4.376
33.
PeilaC, MoroGE, BertinoE, et al.The effect of holder pasteurization on nutrients and biologically-active components in donor human milk: A review. Nutrients, 2016; 8(8):477; doi: 10.3390/nu8080477
34.
UntalanPB, KeeneySE, PalkowetzKH, et al.Heat susceptibility of interleukin-10 and other cytokines in donor human milk. Breastfeed Med, 2009; 4(3):137–144; doi: 10.1089/bfm.2008.0145
35.
GoelzR, HihnE, HamprechtK, et al.Effects of different CMV-heat-inactivation-methods on growth factors in human breast milk. Pediatr Res, 2009; 65(4):458–461.
36.
BaudouinC, LabbéA, LiangH, et al.Preservatives in eyedrops: The good, the bad and the ugly. Prog Retin Eye Res, 2010; 29(4):312–334; doi: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2010.03.001
TeuchnerB, WagnerJ, BechrakisNE, et al.Microbial contamination of glaucoma eyedrops used by patients compared with ocular medications used in the hospital. Medicine (Baltimore), 2015; 94(8):e583; doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000000583.
39.
CraigJP, NicholsKK, AkpekEK, et al.TFOS DEWS II definition and classification report. Ocul Surf, 2017; 15(3):276–283; doi: 10.1016/j.jtos.2017.05.008
40.
JonesL, DownieLE, KorbD, et al.TFOS DEWS II management and therapy report. Ocul Surf, 2017; 15(3):575–628; doi: 10.1016/j.jtos.2017.05.006
41.
SlutzahM, CodipillyCN, PotakD, et al.Refrigerator storage of expressed human milk in the neonatal intensive care unit. J Pediatr, 2010; 156(1):26–28; doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2009.07.023
42.
Ramírez-SantanaC, Pérez-CanoFJ, AudíC, et al.Effects of cooling and freezing storage on the stability of bioactive factors in human colostrum. J Dairy Sci, 2012; 95(5):2319–2325; doi: 10.3168/jds.2011-5066
43.
SkripakJM, MatsuiEC, MuddK, et al.The natural history of IgE-mediated cow’s milk allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol, 2007; 120(5):1172–1177; doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2007.08.023
44.
BoyceJA, Assa’adA, BurksAW, et al.; NIAID-Sponsored Expert Panel. Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of food allergy in the United States: Report of the NIAID-sponsored expert panel. J Allergy Clin Immunol, 2010; 126(6 Suppl):S1–S58; doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2010.10.007
45.
KaechC, HumphreyT, KilgourC, et al.Policies and guidelines supporting the sustainability of human milk donation to milk banks in Switzerland: A document analysis. Int J Equity Health, 2025; 24(1):214; doi: 10.1186/s12939-025-02591-3
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Donor milk banks: Service operation (CG93). NICE: London; 2010. Available from: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/CG93
48.
IbhanesebhorSE, OtoboES. In vitro activity of human milk against the causative organisms of ophthalmia neonatorum in Benin City, Nigeria. J Trop Pediatr, 1996; 42(6):327–329; doi: 10.1093/tropej/42.6.327
49.
BaynhamJT, MoormanMA, DonnellanC, et al.Antibacterial effect of human milk for common causes of paediatric conjunctivitis. Br J Ophthalmol, 2013; 97(3):377–379; doi: 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2012-302833
50.
SaravananC, CaoZ, KumarJ, et al.Milk components inhibit Acanthamoeba-induced cytopathic effect. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 2008; 49(3):1010–1015; doi: 10.1167/iovs.07-1130
