Neonatal conjunctivitis and blocked tear duct

Mild eye irritation or discharge, narrowed or blocked tear duct, and conjunctivitis are the most common problems and eye infections in newborns and babies.

Conjunctiva 

It is a transparent, smooth and shiny structure that connects the back surface of the eyelid and the eyeball. Infection and inflammation of the conjunctiva, which occur during the first month of a baby's life, are called

Neonatal conjunctivitis (Ophtalmia neonatorum).  Purulent inflammation is caused by an infection during delivery, i.e. the passage of the fetus through the birth canal. They can be caused by bacteria or viruses. The most common infections are gonococcus (gonorrhea), streptococcus, chlamydia, and the herpes virus. 

Symptoms appear from 5 days to 2 weeks after birth. These are soreness, abundant purulent secretion, redness of the eyelids and conjunctiva. An eye swab must be done and treatment must be started immediately.

In order to prevent neonatal ophthalmia, antibiotic drops or other solutions (usually povidone iodine in a form adapted for application to the eye) are applied immediately after the birth of all newborn babies. These medicines can also lead to aseptic inflammation (chemical conjunctivitis). They appear immediately after the application of the medicine and are usually not severe. They often occurred when silver nitrate solution was used for this purpose. They manifest themselves in redness and swelling of the newborn's conjunctiva and eyelids. They pass within a few days; sometimes it is necessary to rinse the eyes.

Blocked tear duct

Tears flow from the eye into the nose through a narrow tear duct, whose opening is located in the inner corner of the eye. One in twenty babies has a blocked tear duct in one or both eyes. 

Symptoms of a blocked tear duct can appear already in the first days of life, or later during the first month. It usually resolves spontaneously, but it must be addressed if symptoms of infection are present. It manifests itself in watery eyes or purulent secretion. Occasionally there may be swelling and redness in the depression along the nasal bone below the inner eye corner.

What can you do?                                                                                                                               

  • Massage under the inner corner of the eye will help to empty the secretion accumulated in the canal.
  • If there are signs of infection, the doctor will prescribe antibiotic eye drops to the baby.
  • If your baby does not have frequent infections and pronounced watering of eyes, be patient, because by the end of the first year, the problem usually resolves spontaneously; learn how to properly clean the baby's eyes.                                                               
  • If the symptoms recur and do not disappear by the end of the first year, the eye doctor will widen the canal with a fine probe and solve the problem.