The patient said that many people advised her to use wine soaked with custard apple seeds to kill lice and nits, so she did so. However, after several times of using wine soaked with custard apple seeds to kill lice, she accidentally got it in her eyes. After that, both mother and daughter had symptoms of pain, irritation and sore eyes. The mother and daughter went to the hospital for examination and were diagnosed with first-degree corneal conjunctival burns.
Doctors at the Vietnam - Sweden Uong Bi Hospital recommended that using wine soaked with custard apple seeds is a folk remedy that is said to be effective in eliminating lice, but there is no research proving that custard apple seeds are effective in eliminating lice and their eggs. Not to mention that custard apple seeds contain toxins, if allowed to flow into the eyes, it can cause burns to the corneal epithelium and can affect vision if not treated promptly.
Parents should not use custard apple wine to treat lice in children to avoid the risk of possible side effects. If it gets into the eyes, it should be treated promptly with the following notes:
- Quickly rinse eyes with saline, rinse as much as possible.
- Do not rub your eyes.
- Take the patient immediately to a medical facility with an eye specialist for timely examination and treatment.
- Do not buy medicine for use without consulting an eye specialist.
