Caring for the eyes of a newborn is an important element in the hygiene of a small child. It is necessary to pay attention to this from the first days of the baby's life. Even in the hospital, the nurse focuses on the fact that small eyes should be wiped with boiled water once or several times a day. This is due to the fact that newborns in the corners of the eyes accumulate a thick, sticky yellowish liquid. If you notice that the baby’s eyes are watery too often, you should consult a doctor.
A little bit of anatomy
The nasolacrimal canal connects the lacrimal ducts with the nasal cavity and serves to drain excess fluid into the nasal cavity. During intrauterine development, it is closed in a child with a thin membrane. It breaks at birth - during the first cry of the baby. It rarely happens that this does not happen, then there is no outflow of excess tear fluid. As a result, the child’s eyes will constantly watery. In addition, the nasolacrimal canal of the peanuts is quite narrow, which can also contribute to its blockage and constant lacrimation.
Why are my eyes watering
In addition to obstruction of the nasolacrimal tubule, there are also reasons why the baby’s eyes are watery :
- viral or bacterial infections, for example, blenorrhea;
- allergy. In this case, the eyes may still blush and swell;
- Eczema caused by excessive dryness of the skin around the eyes, resulting in blepharitis;
- injuries that occur when an accidental contact with the eye of foreign objects, as well as when the child scratches himself;
- conjunctivitis, often infectious;
- various diseases accompanied by this symptom, for example, chickenpox, measles.
What will the doctor advise
The true causes of tearing can only be determined by a specialist. It is possible that the local pediatrician will refer you to a pediatric optometrist who will find out why the eye in a baby is watery. He will prescribe the appropriate treatment. Its nature will depend on what the symptom is due to: if allergy, then anti-allergic drugs will be used as therapy ; if the infection is antibiotics or antiviral. To prevent injuries, it is necessary to cut the child’s nails in time, put on “scratches”, and also monitor what falls into his hands. In addition, it is important to be careful when handling the baby. With obstruction of the nasolacrimal canal, it may be necessary to sound it: the procedure is not very pleasant, but necessary in such a situation.
When is massage needed?
Your doctor may give your child a massage and tell you how to do it. The essence of this procedure is to massage the skin over the nasolacrimal canal, which, as it were, pushes the accumulated fluid through it; and the membrane, during light pressure, opens the channel. Massage is prescribed if the eyes in the baby are watery due to blockage of the lacrimal canal. It is a fairly effective method that allows you to remove excess moisture. The lacrimal canal is also being developed.