From Discipline to Disability: FUOYE Student Goes Blind in One Eye After Father’s Flogging
A 20-year-old student of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), has recounted how she lost sight in one eye after a childhood incident involving her father, with delayed medical treatment worsening the condition over time.
She said the incident happened when she was about six years old during a disciplinary encounter at home. She explained that she was struck with a belt by her father, and the metal part of the belt hit her left eye, causing immediate bleeding and injury.
According to her, the injury was initially treated with basic first aid and she was later taken to a general doctor who was not an eye specialist. She said she was given medication and eye drops, and her condition appeared to improve temporarily.
However, months after the incident, she began to experience blurred vision and worsening eyesight, which affected her performance in school. Over time, the condition deteriorated further as she continued to struggle with vision problems in the affected eye.
She said repeated complaints about her sight eventually led to visits to different eye clinics, where she was placed on glasses and later misdiagnosed at an early stage of treatment. The delay in receiving specialized ophthalmic care, she explained, contributed to the irreversible damage.
The affected person added that by her early teenage years, she had developed complications, including eye misalignment and severe vision impairment. Medical consultations later confirmed that the condition had progressed too far for effective surgical correction.
She said specialist doctors later informed her that the damage had become permanent, with only minimal light perception remaining in the affected eye.
From a child protection and safeguarding perspective, the case highlights concerns around physical discipline in homes and delayed access to specialist medical care after childhood injuries.
Child rights advocates warn that injuries sustained during physical punishment can lead to lifelong disability if not promptly and properly treated, especially when early medical intervention is delayed or inadequate.
They also stress the importance of non-violent discipline methods and timely healthcare response to prevent avoidable long-term harm to children.
