Sweet disaster: use of honey-based eye drops as an alternative treatment for vernal keratoconjunctivitis

Abstract

A 16-year-old boy with underlying bronchial asthma, vernal keratoconjunctivitis, and bilateral eye steroid-induced glaucoma presented with right eye itchiness, redness, and progressive painful blurring of vision for the past 3 weeks. His mother had been treating him with honey-based eye drops purchased from an unregistered source/traditional healer. On presentation his right visual acuity was counting fingers, the cornea was hazy, and a small central stromal abscess with a large endothelial plaque was seen in the anterior chamber. He was treated for right eye fungal keratitis and subsequently admitted for intensive treatment. He showed marked improvement and was discharged. His final vision on follow-up was 6/15.