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Sr Burgie Ireland
Nursing sisterQ:
My baby was born a week ago
and he is perfect! However,
about two days ago his left eye
started watering a lot, and there is
a crusty build-up around it
(especially when he wakes up).
I wipe it off with a damp piece of
cotton wool, but sometimes it’s
quite difficult to get off, and the eye
continues to water, and the gunk
builds up again. Is this normal?A:
A weeping eye in a newborn
with crusty build-up could be
due to the following four factors. Don’t
stress, though, as once identified, the
problem can be easily corrected.
Allergy – Your newborn’s immune
system is adapting to living in an
environment surrounded by foreign
particles that he has not been exposed
to before. Any simple allergy could
irritate your baby’s eyelid that in turn
creates a discharge that forms minor
crusts while he is sleeping. Ask your
pharmacist for a soothing oil-based
eye wash that should clear it in a few
days. If the inflammation gets worse
or recurs, and your baby also gets
cradle cap, this could be a seborrhoeic
dermatitis that may need an anti-
inflammatory cream.
An infection – Because a baby’s
eyes are exposed to possible bacterial
(or other) infections during birth, it’s
standard procedure (internationally)
to put drops into the eyes immediately
after the birth. Newborns are also
prone to infections despite meticulous
cleanliness. I’ve heard breastfeeding
mothers say that a drop of breastmilk
squeezed directly into the baby’s eye
clears up any stickiness in a flash. The
natural antibodies of breastmilk do
the trick. If the stickiness and weeping
continue or get worse, take your baby
to the clinic or your doctor.Blocked tear duct – A baby does
not cry tears in his first six weeks
of life because the lacrimal glands
(or tear ducts) are not yet fully
developed. If the tear duct is blocked,
it can’t drain tears.
This can lead to excessive watering
and cause an infection with a slight
discharge. Speak to your clinic nurse
or doctor about how to massage the
duct with the tip of your baby finger.
Always wash your hands first and
make sure your nails are short.
If you are apprehensive about
doing this yourself, ask your clinic
nurse or doctor to do it for you. If
massaging does not clear the eye, it
may be necessary to unblock the duct
with a probe, which your doctor will
have to do.
This is a minor procedure that can
be done in the doctor’s rooms.
Blocked eyelid gland – This
problem could originate from the
small glands in the eyelid margins
that may also become blocked and
form painless cysts that irritate the
eye and make it weep. This needs to
be diagnosed and perhaps treated
with an antibiotic ointment.
More tips for sticky eyes:- Clean your baby’s eyes with
saline or an oil-based cleanser rather
than water. - Always clean the eye from the
inside towards the outside. - When you put him down to sleep,
make sure that the affected eye is not
weeping into the unaffected eye. - After cleaning his eyes, dab
baby’s eyelashes with a touch of
Vaseline – this makes it easier to
wipe off any crusts that may have
developed while he was sleeping.
If the condition persists even after
treatment, don’t hesitate to go back to
your doctor. YB
MY BABY HAS A WEEPY EYE
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