A leading optometrist in the Upper West Region, Dr Zakaria Al-Hassan Baluri, has warned parents against applying breast milk to treat eye infections in children, describing the long-held practice as harmful and medically ineffective.
Speaking to the media after touring the new Bliss Eye Care facility in Wa on Monday, November 24, 2025, Dr Baluri said the clinic continues to receive children with severe eye complications caused by attempts to use breast milk as a home remedy.
He explained that although many caregivers believe breast milk has healing properties, it contains no antibiotics capable of treating eye infections.
“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 noted that the practice—deeply rooted in cultural beliefs and misinformation—often delays proper medical treatment and worsens the child’s condition. Some infections, he added, can spread or cause irreversible damage by the time parents finally seek professional care.
He urged parents and caregivers to consult qualified eye specialists immediately when children show signs such as redness, discharge, persistent itching, or trouble seeing.
“Early recognition and early treatment are key. The eye is delicate, and once damage is done, reversing it is often difficult,” he stressed.
Dr Baluri called for intensified community education to debunk myths surrounding eye care, noting that many still attribute eye problems to spiritual causes instead of treatable medical conditions.
With preventable eye infections on the rise, he appealed to health authorities, the media, and community leaders to step up awareness campaigns and protect children from practices that endanger their vision.
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