Correction of Severe Traditional Medication-induced Lower Lid Ectropion: A case report

Traditional medicine is the sum total of knowledge, skills and practices based on the theories, beliefs and experiences indigenous to different cultures that are used to maintain health, as well as to prevent, diagnose, improve or treat physical and mental illnesses. Traditional medicine that has been adopted by other populations (outside the indigenous culture) is often termed alternative or complementary medicine. Herbal medicines include herbs, herbal materials, herbal preparations, and finished herbal products that contain parts of plants or other plant materials as active ingredients. Harmful traditional eye medication continues to be a problem in Nigeria. Traditional eye medicines (TEMs) are biologically-based concoctions instilled into the eye to achieve a desired ocular therapeutic effect. They tend to be crude or partially processed organic (plant and animal products) or inorganic (chemical) agents. TEM is often used as a result of peer pressure, advice from family, friends and acquaintances and the easy accessibility of traditional healers in less urbanized areas of the country. Ectropion caused by traditional eye medicine has rarely been reported specifically in the literature. However, ectropion from ‘burns’ is often reported. Other causes of ectropion often listed are 5