By Abiodun Olufunmilayo
A Medical expert, Dr Peter Abikoye has cautioned Nigerians against applying unorthodox substances to the eyes infected by
conjunctivitis, popularly known as Apollo, warning that such substances are capable of causing blindness.
According to Dr. Abikoye, substances such as breast milk, sugar water and urine are capable of doing more havoc than good to the eyes infected by Apollo.
The Medical Doctor, who is a Registrar in the department of Ophthalmology at Federal Medical Centre, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta explained that Apollo is a viral infection which will clear out on its own after running its course.
His words, “when somebody have Apollo, and there are no complications, we often advise such people to only wash the eyes regularly with clean water because Apollo being a viral infection, will clear out on its own on the completion of its course.”
On the use of breast milk in the treatment of
Apollo, Dr Abikoye explained that “ Breast milk is sterile and has no infection. But the problem with breast milk is that it contained a lot sugar , as such when you apply something that contained a lot of sugar in an eye that is infected, it is like putting petrol into a small fire, the whole thing will just fleer up . I have seen many children that have become blind as a result of this unwholesome practice.”
Dr Abikoye said the use of sugar water was
similar to the breast milk in the sense that applying sugar water into the affected eye is like feeding the organisms by giving them, sugar. At the end of the day, those organisms will grow and multiply fast thereby destroying the eyes. The medical practitioner advised Nigerians stop the practice of self medication whenever they noticed any health challenge in their body and visit the hospitals where necessary diagnosis will be made and proper treatment made.
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