A leading eye specialist in the Upper West Region, Dr Zakaria Al-hassan Baluri, is cautioning parents to immediately stop the long-standing practice of putting breast milk into children’s eyes, describing the habit as dangerous and medically unfounded.
During an interaction with journalists after inspecting the new Bliss Eye Care facility in Wa, Dr Baluri revealed that the clinic continues to record alarming cases of children whose conditions have worsened because caregivers relied on breast milk as a remedy.
He explained that although breast milk is widely believed to contain natural healing properties, it has no antibiotic components capable of treating infections of the eye.
“We do not know of any antibiotic in breast milk. Many of the conditions we see in children are caused by infections, and breast milk cannot treat an infection. In fact, it does more harm than good,” he warned.
Dr Baluri noted that the practice, often passed down culturally, delays appropriate medical care and exposes children to complications that could have been avoided. In some cases, he said, infections progress so severely that children risk permanent damage by the time they reach the hospital.
He urged parents to pay close attention to warning signs such as redness, discharge, persistent irritation, swelling, or difficulty seeing, and seek professional attention without delay.
“The eye is extremely delicate. Early diagnosis and early treatment make a huge difference. Once serious damage sets in, restoring vision becomes very difficult,” he emphasized.
Dr Baluri further called for expanded public education to clear misconceptions about eye health, especially beliefs that attribute eye problems to spiritual causes rather than treatable medical issues.
With cases of preventable eye infections increasing, he appealed to health authorities, community leaders, and the media to intensify awareness campaigns and help protect children from harmful practices rooted in misinformation.
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