A prominent optometrist in the Upper West Region, Dr. Zakaria Al-hassan Baluri, has warned parents and caregivers against the prevalent practice of using breast milk to treat eye infections in children, emphasising that it lacks antibiotics and may exacerbate the condition.
Speaking to the media following a visit to the new Bliss Eye Care office building in the Wa Municipality on Monday, November 24, 2025, Dr. Baluri disclosed that numerous children are brought to the clinic with severe eye issues after parents resort to home remedies based on long-standing traditional beliefs.
He clarified that misinformation and cultural practices continue to shape the tendency to apply breast milk to children’s infected eyes.
“But we don’t know any antibiotic in breast milk. Most of what is happening to the children is due to infection, and breast milk has no antibiotics to treat it. So definitely, what are you putting in? You are doing nothing. Rather, it will cause more havoc,” he cautioned.
Dr. Baluri characterised this practice as one of the significant challenges confronting eye health in numerous communities, pointing out that it delays appropriate treatment and often results in more severe medical repercussions.
He noted that caregivers often depend on traditional remedies before seeking professional assistance, by which time infections may have advanced or caused irreversible harm.
He advocated for enhanced public education to rectify harmful beliefs and promote timely medical intervention.
He encouraged parents to consult qualified eye specialists whenever children show symptoms such as redness, discharge, itching, or difficulty seeing.
“Early recognition and early treatment are key. The eye is delicate, and once damage is done, reversing it is often difficult,” he emphasised.
Dr. Baluri also underscored the importance of community-based awareness initiatives to dispel myths surrounding eye care, noting that many individuals still associate eye diseases with spiritual causes instead of medical conditions that necessitate professional treatment.
With the incidence of preventable eye infections increasing, he urged health authorities, media representatives, and community leaders to enhance awareness campaigns aimed at safeguarding children from practices that could jeopardise their eyesight.
