Expert warns against use of onion, urine, breast milk to treat eye infection

DR Sewuese Bitto, Head, Department of Ophthalmology, Garki Hospital, Abuja, has warned against the use of harmful substances such as onion fluid, breast milk, urine and battery water in treating eye infection.

Bitto, who gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja said such practices were dangerous and harmful to the eyes.

The HOD, who was speaking on the sidelines of the celebration of `World Sight Day’, a day set aside annually to focus global attention on blindness and vision impairment.

Bitto, a Consultant Ophthalmologist, urged those with eye infection to seek professional medical assistance in treating infections.

“People need to also stop the use of traditional harmful practices like use of breast milk, urine, onion fluid, battery water, saying these could be dangerous to the eyes.

“Although some of these practices were handed over to us from past generations, they are wrong.

“Please, take this information to your families, neighbours and friends; everybody needs to stop the use of these harmful substances in the eyes, because we are the ones battling with complications that arise from this in the hospitals.

“Immediately something happens to some ones’ eyes, you see people advising them to use things like this to treat their eyes.

“We want people to be informed and equipped with the information that these practices are harmful and bad,” Bitto said.

The theme for this year’s celebration is `Universal Eye Health’.