Evidence supporting the use of: Lysozyme
For the health condition: Eye Infections

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 2

Lysozyme is a naturally occurring enzyme that is abundant in human secretions such as tears, saliva, and mucus. Its primary function is to hydrolyze the peptidoglycan layer of bacterial cell walls, leading to the lysis and death of certain bacteria—especially Gram-positive species. The presence of lysozyme in tears is one of the eye’s first lines of defense against microbial invasion, and its antimicrobial properties are well characterized in vitro. Because of this, lysozyme has been investigated and used in some topical ophthalmic preparations, particularly in Eastern Europe and Asia, to support the treatment or prevention of superficial eye infections.

However, the clinical evidence supporting the direct use of exogenous (added) lysozyme for treating eye infections in humans is limited. Most of the support comes from the understanding of its natural protective role in the tear film, animal studies, and a small number of human trials with mixed results. There is little high-quality, large-scale clinical trial data showing that supplementing lysozyme through eye drops or ointments provides significant additional benefit over the body’s own natural lysozyme production or standard antibiotic therapies. Therefore, while the biological rationale is strong and there is some scientific investigation, the strength of the clinical evidence specifically for treating eye infections with lysozyme is modest at best, justifying a rating of 2 out of 5.

More about lysozyme
More about Eye Infections

Products containing lysozyme

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