Written from the studies on PubMed, searched on 2026. nov. 11.. Every number below comes from a study listed under Sources.
The claim
Posts online say that curcumin (turmeric) helps with diabetic eye disease.
Where research stands
We found 29 published papers on curcumin (turmeric) and diabetic eye disease. They were published between 2007 and 2026. 7 of them are studies in people. 5 of them compared people who got it with a group that did not. 9 were studies in animals, and 1 was only in cells in the lab. 6 papers are reviews that sum up other studies.
- 7In people5 with a comparison group
- 9In animals
- 1Only in the lab
What the studies found
We have not summed up these studies in words yet. The most important papers are listed under Sources.
Verdict
Curcumin (turmeric) has been tested in randomised trials in people with diabetic eye disease.
What this means for you: A study in people is not proof that it helps you. Do not stop or change your medicines because of it. Ask your doctor before you start taking it.
Sources
- Short-term effects of oral curcumin as adjunct to intravitreal bevacizumab in diabetic macular edema: a randomized clinical trial.2026 · Int J Retina Vitreous · Randomised trial
- The Effect of Curcumin Plus Piperine on Mental Health Status, Sleep Quality, and Anthropometric Indices in Patients with Non-Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial.2026 · Int J Prev Med · Randomised trial
- The efficacy of curcumin-piperine supplementation in patients with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy: An optical coherence tomography angiography-based randomized controlled trial.2024 · J Res Med Sci · Randomised trial
- The effect of curcumin-piperine on cardiometabolic, inflammatory and oxidative stress factors and macular vascular density in optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy: Study protocol for a randomized, double-blind controlled trial.2023 · Avicenna J Phytomed · Randomised trial
- Effectiveness of a Hydrophilic Curcumin-Based Formulation in Coadjuvating the Therapeutic Effect of Intravitreal Dexamethasone in Subjects With Diabetic Macular Edema.2021 · Front Pharmacol · Randomised trial
- Oral administration of a curcumin-phospholipid formulation (Meriva®) for treatment of chronic diabetic macular edema: a pilot study.2018 · Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci · Study in people
- Meriva®, a lecithinized curcumin delivery system, in diabetic microangiopathy and retinopathy.2012 · Panminerva Med · Study in people
- Discussing pathologic mechanisms of Diabetic retinopathy & therapeutic potentials of curcumin and β-glucogallin in the management of Diabetic retinopathy.2023 · Biomed Pharmacother · Review
- Efficacy and safety of curcumin in diabetic retinopathy: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.2023 · PLoS One · Review
- Role of Curcumin in Retinal Diseases-A review.2022 · Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol · Review
- Therapeutic potential of curcumin in diabetic retinopathy (Review).2021 · Int J Mol Med · Review
- Therapeutic implications of curcumin in the prevention of diabetic retinopathy via modulation of anti-oxidant activity and genetic pathways.2013 · Int J Physiol Pathophysiol Pharmacol · Review
- Curcumin, a potential therapeutic candidate for retinal diseases.2013 · Mol Nutr Food Res · Review
- Effects of Curcumin on Inflammation in a Rat Model of Diabetic Retinopathy.2026 · Life (Basel) · In animals
- Design and evaluation of curcumin, naringenin, and alpha-lactalbumin encapsulated nanostructured lipid carriers for targeted ocular drug delivery in diabetic retinopathy.2025 · Exp Eye Res · In animals
- Protective Effect of Curcumin on the Tight Junction Integrity and Cellular Senescence in Human Retinal Pigment Epithelium of Early Diabetic Retinopathy.2024 · J Physiol Investig · In animals
- The effect of curcumin on on intravitreal proinflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress markers, and vascular endothelial growth factor in an experimental model of diabetic retinopathy.2023 · J Physiol Pharmacol · In animals
- Curcumin Modulates DNA Methyltransferase Functions in a Cellular Model of Diabetic Retinopathy.2018 · Oxid Med Cell Longev · In animals
- Curcumin Alleviates Diabetic Retinopathy in Experimental Diabetic Rats.2018 · Ophthalmic Res · In animals
- Curcumin inhibits high glucose‑induced inflammatory injury in human retinal pigment epithelial cells through the ROS‑PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.2019 · Mol Med Rep · In the lab
- Corrigendum to "Discussing pathologic mechanisms of Diabetic retinopathy & therapeutic potentials of curcumin and β-glucogallin in the management of Diabetic retinopathy" Biomed. Pharmacother. 169 (2023) 115881.2024 · Biomed Pharmacother · Other paper
- Anatomical and Functional Effects of Oral Administration of Curcuma Longa and Boswellia Serrata Combination in Patients with Treatment-Naïve Diabetic Macular Edema.2022 · J Clin Med · Other paper
- Effect of a Fixed Combination of Curcumin, Artemisia, Bromelain, and Black Pepper Oral Administration on Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Indices in Patients with Diabetic Macular Edema.2022 · Nutrients · Other paper
- Clinical effectiveness of a new oral curcumin formulation in acute non-infectious uveitic macular edema: a 12-month observational study.2022 · Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci · Other paper
