I don't bee-lieve it! Man, 62, cures painful eye infection with 99p jar of honey


Frank Dougan from Glasgow spent eight years searching for a cure for a chronic eye condition
Frank Dougan from Glasgow spent eight years searching for a cure for a chronic eye condition
A man who spent eight years searching for a cure for a chronic eye condition was amazed when he finally found the remedy in a 99p jar of Tesco Value honey.
Frank Dougan, 62, lost his left eye when he was shot with a bow and arrow in a childhood accident and he later developed a painful infection called blepharitis.
He visited doctors and eye specialists and spent a fortune on different drops over the years but nothing worked.
But he was finally cured when he cut his hand while on holiday in Jerusalem and he was advised to put honey on it.
Surprised by the results, when he returned home to Glasgow he bought a jar of Tesco Value Honey and tried it on his eyelid - and within weeks the infection had cleared.
He said yesterday: 'It’s unbelievable. It’s incredibly effective. I have spent a fortune on prescription eye drops over the years, I have a fridge full of them.
'It’s funny that at the end of it all the cure would come in the form of a 99p jar of honey from the supermarket. And it’s not bad on toast either.'
The retired soul DJ, who has played for celebrity fans like Rod Stewart, Shirley Bassey, Joe Cocker and Eric Clapton, lost his left eye as a 12-year-old lad.
He has worn a prosthetic eye ever since, but it caused irritation at the end of the day and he eventually developed the painful infection which blighted him for eight years.
Despite the pain, he kept on working as an international DJ, completing long residencies at top hotels around the world including Hong Kong and D|sseldorf.
Frank spent hours visiting doctors and eye specialists but none could find a long lasting treatment.
Frank suffered blepharitis that caused chronic inflammation of the eyelid
Frank suffered blepharitis that caused chronic inflammation of the eyelid
He said: 'I got shot in the eye by a bow and arrow when I was playing with friends as a kid. It was a terrible experience but I got through it and never let it hold me back.
'Sometimes prosthetic eyes can cause irritation, especially at night after you have been wearing them all day.
'Over the years I have learnt to live with it and I get a new eye made every few years.
'But eight years ago I began to get these infections that turned out to be blepharitis.
'Lots of doctors gave me eyes drops, I have a whole fridge full and I have spent a fortune but nothing worked.'
The fed up Scot retired three years ago and has spent his time travelling the world visiting historic monuments, all the while suffering intolerable pain.
But in February, Frank stumbled across the cure while on a trip to Jerusalem, Israel.
He first spread the honey on his eyelid twice a day, including on his tear duct, and after just a few weeks the problem cleared up completely.
He said: 'I was staying at a B&B when I cut my hand. I didn’t have a first aid kit and the owner recommended putting honey on it.
'I did what he said and the cut healed overnight. Then weeks later I was at home and got a terrible inflammation in my eye.
'I thought I would give it a try and I haven’t had any problems since. I have looked it up and honey has anti-bacterial qualities so that must be it.
'Before that the best cure I could find was Johnson’s tear free baby shampoo.

THE BUZZ ON HONEY

Honey has long been known to have antibacterial properties and is sometimes included in licensed wound-care products.
Research has demonstrated that honey can inhibit pathogens normally capable of causing wound infection, including superbugs that are resistant to conventional antibiotics.
While Mr Dougan used supermarket honey, Manuka honey is thought to be particularly potent because it contains high levels of the compound dihydroxyacetone.
'I would wash my eye out with it and the pain would go away, but it was only a temporary fix and the pain would always come back.
'But I went to the opticians a few weeks ago after using the honey and she said she couldn’t find any trace of blepharitis.
'I have been all over the world and seen terrible illnesses in places where people can’t afford to go to the doctor. So to find a cure that’s so cheap could help so many people.
'It’s fantastic. My life has improved so much and for 99p I get a massive 340 gram tub which last for months.'
A Tesco spokesman said: 'While we can’t attest to its healing powers, we can say for sure that Everyday Value Honey is great quality at a fantastic price and we’re delighted that it has helped one of our customers.'
Consultant dermatologist Dr Sasi Attili, from www.onlineskinspecialist.com, based in Dundee, said: 'Honey does have anti-bacterial qualities and is used in medicine for wound healing and conditions such as leg ulcers.
'It’s hard to say whether a particular treatment will or won’t work because everyone is different, but honey has obviously worked well for this particular patient.'