HARMFUL EYE
PRACTICES/TRADITIONAL EYE MEDICINE
Traditional
Medicine can be described as the total combination of knowledge and practice,
whether explicable or not, used in diagnosing, preventing and eliminating a
physical, mental or social diseases which may rely exclusively on past
experience and observation handed down from generation to generation, verbally
or in writhing.
Herbal
ocular medicine is responsible for the estimated 8-10% of corneal blindness in
Africa. A permanent damage in the herbs with very high degree of
acidity/alkalinity or introduction of micro-organism that can lead to
supurative keratitis and endophthalmities.
Self-Medication
in Traditional Eye Medicine can be defined as indiscriminate or inappropriate
use of any drug in the eye which is not approved medically, culturally or
socially.
Traditional
Eye Treatment can be harmful or harmless. Harmless eye practices include
incantations while harmful eye medicine include the use of alcohol, herbal
preparations, man and animal urine, breast milk, salt/sugar solution, battery
water, break fluid, capsules, petrol/kerosene, menthol - Robb etc. This
concoction differ from one culture to another. The preparation is done with
little regard to asepsis which in turn lead to corneal ulceration or worsen the
existing ones and end up as scars or corneal perforation leading to blindness.
- Application of breast milk or sugar
solution create a favourable environment as a medium for growing
micro-organisms.
- Urine is acidic in nature, its
application causes damage in the eye.
- Petrol/Kerosene/Battery water: They
are chemicals which have corrosive agents. They should not be applied into the
eyes.
- Menthol: It is only meant for
external use. It should not come in contact with the eyes.
- Capsules:
The powder form enclosed in the capsule is meant to dissolve in the stomach. If
the capsulated powder is exposed and applied directly into the eye, it may
corrode the eye ball causing corneal ulcer.
The
following may lead to TRAUMA which can be very harmful to the eye;
Uncontrolled use of cane on children.
Violence and civil disorders.
Unsupervised child play.
APOLLO (AccuteHaemorrhagic
conjunctivitis(AHC))
This is a viral infection presents with red
eyes. There is no drug that cures it completely it takes its course but it can
be treated symptomatically. In Ghanaian communities it is often used as a
synonym for red eyes. Herbalists and chemical sellers dispense the same
preparation for all red eyes although there are different possible causes of
the red eyes. It is also reported that the red eye is the commonest eye
condition treated by traditional healers and it is one of the diseases the
healers have the most potential for helping or harming. The harm may occur if
substances that can lead to corneal destruction are instilled into the eye
(e.g. contaminated herbal preparations) or when there is delay in referring
patients for appropriate treatment. Imagine someone treating Apollo with
kerosene.
Disadvantages of Traditional Medicine
Lack of scientific proof of its
efficacy.
It lacks precise dosage.
Preparation is often very unhygienic
when compared with orthodox medical practice.
The methodology is relative i.e. not
universal unlike western medicine.
It is based on trial and error.
Conclusion
It is
important to note that Harmful Eye practices/Traditional Eye Medicine are still
being employed in our society/communities as means of treating eye conditions.
Harmful practices by the use of herbs, breast milk, salt/sugar solution, capsules
etc result to severe damage of the eye and subsequently lead to permanent
blindness. To take good care of our eyes, we need to consult experts trained
for eye treatment for proper check and treatment when we have eye problem.
