“His eye is perfect”: Pet owner claims mushrooms cured her dog’s cataracts
A woman on TikTok is going viral after sharing the unexpected way she said she helped her dog’s cataracts.
Tori Rose (@toriiroseo), a New Jersey-based acupuncturist, says she “accidentally” improved her 13-year-old dog Ziggy’s eyes using a product that is marketed for pets—but not as something that treats illness.
In one of her now-viral videos, Rose showed Ziggy and claimed his eyes looked noticeably better after just one round of treatment. She’s not claiming it’s a cure or guaranteed fix, and she noted the product doesn’t advertise itself that way either.
Still, she thought the results were worth sharing—and judging by the response, viewers did too. As of Friday, the video had garnered over 87,500 views.
Wait, what?
In her video, Rose explained that Ziggy developed a cataract when he was young and had “adjusted to being blind.” But things got worse—he was later diagnosed with a tumor, prompting Rose to look into mushroom supplements that might help with pain.
She found a brand called Real Mushrooms, which she said is marketed as beneficial for senior dogs—not as a treatment for illness. Her goal wasn’t to fix his eyes, but to ease his discomfort. Still, what happened next surprised her.
Ziggy wasn’t on the supplements for long because, according to Rose, “they made him stink so bad” that her mom wanted her to stop. But even after just one round of treatment, Rose said her boyfriend noticed Ziggy’s eyes looked less cloudy.
Over the next few weeks, the improvement continued.
“His eye is perfect, and it’s been like this for months now,” she said.
@toriiroseo I am not a vet and this was on accident, but I’m also not shocked because Ziggy is a walking miracle. #pethealth #blinddog #seniordog #disableddog #greenscreen ♬ original sound - ToriRose
In a follow-up video, Rose reiterated that Real Mushrooms doesn’t claim to cure anything—and she’s not saying it does either. She simply shared what happened and showed viewers the box and some of the ingredients.
Can this really work?
Some mushrooms contain antioxidants and other compounds that may support eye health and slow certain age-related conditions—but the research is still in its early stages.
Reishi mushrooms are thought to help protect retinal cells, while cordyceps cicadae has shown promise in animal studies for preventing UV-related cataracts and helping the lens recover from oxidative stress. Lion’s Mane, meanwhile, may support nerve repair, including in the retina, due to its link to nerve growth factor expression.
Still, none of these are proven to treat cataracts in humans. More research is needed to understand their effects and limitations. As for nontraditional cataract treatments, surgery remains the only proven way to restore vision.
Some people explore alternatives to manage symptoms or delay surgery, especially in the early stages. That can include nutritional therapy or wearing UV-blocking sunglasses. Homeopathy and acupuncture are also used by some, although there’s no solid evidence that they are effective.
Again, surgery is the only treatment with measurable, consistent results.
“What’s great about cataract surgery now is that we not only remove the cataract, but we can restore patients’ vision,” Yvonne Wang, a Yale Medicine ophthalmologist, told Yale Medicine.
Viewers offer mixed feedback
Reactions to Rose’s video were split. Some viewers were skeptical that an over-the-counter mushroom supplement for dogs could actually treat a condition like cataracts.
“This is not possible. Must have been a different condition other than cataract,” one person wrote.
“So was it cataracts? Could he have been misdiagnosed?” another asked.
Others, though, said they’ve tried similar nontraditional remedies—and claim they worked.
“I bought Lutein 40mg + Zeaxanthin 1,600mcg, 360 Softgels off Amazon for my dog for his cataracts,” one commenter said. “I wrapped the pill in cheese daily for 2 months, and it’s all gone now.”
And even if the mushrooms weren’t the cure, Ziggy’s improved vision was enough to impress some viewers.
“It’s so amazing how far we’ve come,” one said.
“Wow! I was a surgical vet for over a decade, and this is so exciting, honestly,” another added.
“He’s so cute and I love this,” a third wrote.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Rose via TikTok direct message.
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