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Is My Baby’s Eye Discharge Normal?

Written by Nicole Blades

In this Article

• What’s Normal?
• When It’s Conjunctivitis
• When Treatment Is Needed

As the parent of a newborn, nothing beats staring lovingly into your sweet little bundle’s eyes. (Well, watching your baby sleeping soundly comes pretty close!) But what if when you look into your child’s eyes, you see that they have goopy, sticky discharge? Is it something to be concerned about?

What’s Normal?

First of all, take a breath, because sticky eye discharge in newborns is very common. If the white part of your baby’s eye -- the sclera -- is clear and there is no redness, but there is discharge, it’s most likely a blocked tear duct.

About 1 in 5 babies are born with tear ducts that haven’t fully developed. The blockage is usually in one eye but can be in both. It often clears up on its own. A warm compress can help, but if it lasts a long time, it might need surgery.

When It’s Conjunctivitis

Since a newborn hasn’t been around that long -- under 2 months -- it’s not common for them to get a lot of viral infections. But sometimes their clogged tear duct can lead to an infection such as conjunctivitis.

This happens when there is inflammation of the thin layer of tissue (conjunctiva) that covers the sclera. Symptoms are similar to the sticky, watery eyes that come with a blocked tear duct. But with conjunctivitis, there is more swelling, tenderness, and redness of the eye area, and the whites of the eye will be pink or red. Your baby’s eyelid might be red, sticky, and itchy, and the discharge takes on a yellowish color. Also, their eyes might be more watery than usual. The infection often starts in one eye and spreads to the other.

Chemical conjunctivitis can happen when eye drops and ointments, typically used on newborns at birth to help prevent infection, actually cause the irritation. It can show up as mildly red eyes and some puffiness in the eyelids.

It’s rare, but red, angry, itchy eyes with swollen eyelids and discharging pus could mean ophthalmia neonatorum (ON).This is a bacterial infection that can happen during childbirth if the baby passes through a birth canal infected with chlamydia. The symptoms usually show up 5-12 days after birth. Among newborns with ON, half also have the infection other areas of their bodies.

Call the doctor if the baby has a fever and:

• Your baby cannot open their eyes or you cannot see the eye
• The area is tender to touch and the skin around the eye is red
• There is a lot of eye discharge

These may be signs of a bacterial infection of the sclera.

When Treatment Is Needed

Doctors usually recommend a wait-and-see approach, as this issue often clears up on its own. You can also apply a warm compress to the bothered eye.

If the tear duct is still blocked and the eye discharge continues up to the baby’s first birthday, you should see your child’s doctor. They may refer you to a pediatric eye specialist, as it may need surgery.

To treat conjunctivitis caused by the blocked tear duct, try a gentle warm massage with your clean hand between your baby’s eye and nasal area. For chemical conjunctivitis, the symptoms usually only last for 1-3 days after birth, so no treatment is needed. And if it’s ON, doctors usually treat that with oral antibiotics.

Conjunctivitis: symptoms, causes, treatment of viral, allergic, bacterial conjunctivitis.

From All About Vision



1. Causes
2. Symptoms
3. Treatment

What is conjunctivitis?

Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the thin, clear membrane that covers the whites of the eye and the inside of the eyelids (conjunctiva). nine0003

Conjunctivitis may sound daunting, but this common eye problem is easy to treat. In addition, with a few simple precautions, conjunctivitis can often be prevented. However, there is one type of conjunctivitis that can cause serious vision problems if left untreated. See an eye doctor if you have concerns about conjunctivitis.

Anyone can get conjunctivitis, but office workers, shop workers, preschoolers, schoolchildren, university students, teachers, and childcare workers are particularly at risk of contagious conjunctivitis because they work in close contact with other people. nine0003

Here's what you need to know about conjunctivitis:

What causes conjunctivitis?

The main types of conjunctivitis, depending on the cause, include:

• Viral conjunctivitis. Caused by a virus, such as a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. This type of conjunctivitis is highly contagious but usually goes away on its own within a few days without treatment.

• Bacterial conjunctivitis. Caused by bacteria; this type of conjunctivitis can cause serious damage to the eye if left untreated. nine0003

• Allergic conjunctivitis. This type of conjunctivitis is caused by eye irritants such as pollen, dust and animal dander in susceptible individuals. Allergic conjunctivitis can be seasonal (pollen) or year-round (dust; pet dander).

Symptoms of conjunctivitis

The main symptom of conjunctivitis is the pink color of the eye. Other symptoms of conjunctivitis depend on the type of conjunctivitis:

• Bacterial conjunctivitis has symptoms such as sticky, yellow or greenish-yellow discharge at the corner of the eye. In some cases, these secretions can be strong enough that the eyelids stick together in the morning after sleep. One or both eyes may be affected. Bacterial conjunctivitis is contagious and is usually spread by direct contact, that is, by touching the eyes with infected hands or objects.

• Symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis include tearing, burning, itchy eyes, and are often accompanied by nasal congestion and runny nose, and sensitivity to light. Allergic conjunctivitis affects both eyes, but this type of conjunctivitis is not contagious.

Ways to treat conjunctivitis

As you might expect, the treatment of conjunctivitis depends on the type of conjunctivitis you have:

• Treating viral conjunctivitis

  In most cases, viral conjunctivitis lasts for several days and does not require any medical treatment. Applying a cold, damp flannel cloth to your eyes several times a day can relieve the symptoms of viral conjunctivitis.

• Treating bacterial conjunctivitis

  Your doctor will usually prescribe antibiotic eye drops or ointment to treat bacterial conjunctivitis. nine0003

It can often be difficult to tell by symptoms alone what type of conjunctivitis you have (or if you have other eye conditions and health problems that cause similar symptoms).

Conjunctivitis can also cause dry eyes. In addition, bacterial conjunctivitis can sometimes lead to very serious eye problems, including permanent loss of vision.

For these reasons, whenever redness and irritation of the eyes occurs, you should immediately call the optometrist and make an appointment for an eye examination. nine0003

If you wear contact lenses and you develop redness and irritation in your eyes, remove your lenses and wear only glasses until your eye has been examined by an optometrist.

9 Tips for Preventing Conjunctivitis

Now that you have a basic understanding of viral conjunctivitis and other forms of conjunctivitis, what can you do to protect yourself and your children from it?

Here are nine simple precautions you can take to significantly reduce your risk of conjunctivitis:

1. Never share personal items such as facial sponges, hand towels or tissues.

2. Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, avoid rubbing your eyes and avoid touching your eyes.

3. Wash your hands frequently especially when you are at school or other public places.

4. Keep hand sanitizer nearby and use frequently. nine0003

5. Frequently wipe surfaces such as countertops, bathroom surfaces, faucet handles and phones in common use with an antiseptic.

6. If you know you have seasonal allergies , ask your doctor what you can do to minimize your symptoms before they occur.

7. If you wear contact lenses, follow your optometrist's instructions for lens care and replacement timing, and use contact lens solutions appropriately or consider switching to disposable daily contact lenses. nine0003

8. When swimming , wear swimming goggles to protect yourself from bacteria and other micro-organisms in the water that can cause conjunctivitis.

9. Remove your contact lenses before showering to prevent bacteria from getting between your eyes and lenses.

Wash your hands frequently to prevent the spread of viral conjunctivitis.

Despite these precautions, you or your child can still develop conjunctivitis. nine0003

If your child develops conjunctivitis, inform caregivers/teachers of the infection so that they can take extra sanitization measures in the classroom or in the daycare group. The child should remain at home until the contagious stage has passed.

Your optometrist will tell you when you or your child can go back to public places without the risk of spreading conjunctivitis, usually about three to five days after diagnosis. nine0003

If conjunctivitis persists, or because red or pink eyes can be a symptom of many different eye conditions - some of which can be quite serious - see an optometrist.

Page published on Thursday, November 12, 2020

Allergic conjunctivitis in children. What is allergic conjunctivitis in children?

IMPORTANT
The information in this section should not be used for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. In case of pain or other exacerbation of the disease, only the attending physician should prescribe diagnostic tests. For diagnosis and proper treatment, you should contact your doctor. nine0003

Allergic conjunctivitis in children is an inflammatory process in the conjunctival membrane of the eye, which is a reaction to a particular antigen that sensitizes the body. The development of allergic conjunctivitis in children is accompanied by local swelling, itching and redness of the eyes, lacrimation, and photophobia. Diagnosis of allergic conjunctivitis in children is carried out by a pediatric ophthalmologist and allergist; includes microscopic examination of the lacrimal fluid, total IgE, KLA, skin tests. Therapy of allergic conjunctivitis in children requires the elimination of contact with the allergen, the appointment of antihistamines in the form of eye drops and orally, and specific immunotherapy. nine0003

ICD-10

h20. 1 Acute atopic conjunctivitis

• Causes
• Classification
• Symptoms
• Diagnostics
• Treatment of allergic conjunctivitis in children
• Prognosis and prevention
• Prices for treatment

General

Allergic conjunctivitis in children is a common disease in modern pediatrics, which is the subject of study in pediatric ophthalmology and allergology. Allergic conjunctivitis is characterized by inflammation of the mucous membrane covering the sclera and the inner surface of the eyelid, due to the body's hypersensitivity to any allergen. In most cases, the manifestation of allergic conjunctivitis in children occurs at the age of 3-4 years. Among school-age children, allergic conjunctivitis occurs in 3-5% of cases. Allergic conjunctivitis in children usually accompanies other allergic manifestations: allergic rhinitis, hay fever, atopic dermatitis, bronchial asthma, etc. nine0003

Allergic conjunctivitis in children

Causes

The basis of allergic conjunctivitis in children is an increased individual sensitivity to certain environmental factors - allergens. Such exogenous factors can be allergens: household (household and library dust, mites, pillow feathers, household chemicals), pollen (pollen of flowering trees and grasses), epidermal (dandruff and animal hair, pet food), food (food - citrus fruits, chocolate, honey, berries, etc.), medicinal (medicines). nine0003

In some cases, foreign bodies of the eye, as well as allergens of bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic origin, become the cause of the development of allergic conjunctivitis in children. It has been established that allergic eye diseases in young children are more often caused by genetic and social factors, and in older children - by previous household, food, epidermal sensitization, the severity of which largely determines the severity of allergic conjunctivitis. nine0003

Classification

Taking into account the etiopathogenetic mechanisms, the following forms of allergic conjunctivitis in children are distinguished: hay (hay fever), macropapillary (hyperpapillary), medicinal, tuberculosis-allergic, infectious-allergic and spring catarrh.

• Pollinous conjunctivitis in children is an allergic eye disease caused by the pollen of grasses, cereals, trees. It has a seasonal dependence, occurs during the flowering of those plants to the pollen of which the body is sensitized. With hay fever, pollinous conjunctivitis in children is combined with urticaria, asthmatic bronchitis, atopic or contact dermatitis, Quincke's edema, dyspeptic disorders, headaches. nine0008
• Spring conjunctivitis. It most often occurs in boys aged 5-12 years. Spring conjunctivitis in children has a persistent chronic course; exacerbations occur mainly in the sunny season. Spring catarrh can occur in conjunctival, limbal and mixed forms.
• Hyperpapillary conjunctivitis. The occurrence of hyperpapillary conjunctivitis is associated with contact irritation of the conjunctiva by foreign bodies (contact lenses, eye prostheses, sutures). On the conjunctiva of the upper eyelid, on examination, giant papillae (from 1 mm or more) are revealed. nine0008
• Drug allergic conjunctivitis in children develops against the background of the use of various eye drops. An allergy can occur both to the main active ingredient and to the preservatives used in the drops; especially often, allergic conjunctivitis in children occurs with the instillation of antibacterial eye drops and anesthetics.
• Infectious-allergic conjunctivitis in children is associated with sensitization of the body to microbial allergens: bacterial, viral, fungal exotoxins. At the same time, the pathogen itself is not detected in the conjunctiva of the eye. nine0008
• Tuberculous-allergic eye damage proceeds according to the type of keratoconjunctivitis, with simultaneous damage to the conjunctiva and cornea. This form of allergy is the result of an allergic reaction to the waste products of Mycobacterium tuberculosis circulating in the blood.

Symptoms

Usually, the symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis in a child develop within a few minutes or one day after exposure to the allergen. In this case, both eyes are immediately involved in reactive inflammation. The eyelids of the child swell, the conjunctiva becomes hyperemic and edematous, lacrimation occurs, and with severe conjunctivitis - photophobia. nine0003

The leading subjective symptom of allergic conjunctivitis in children is intense itching, which makes the child constantly scratch his eyes, further intensifying all manifestations of the disease. In the conjunctival cavity, a transparent (sometimes sticky or membranous) discharge constantly accumulates. Purulent discharge in uncomplicated allergic conjunctivitis in children is usually absent, and occurs only when an infectious component is added.

Allergic conjunctivitis in children can be acute (with a quick onset and a quick end) or chronic (long, sluggish, with periodic exacerbations). The nature of the course is determined by the causally significant allergen and the frequency of contact with it. nine0003

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of allergic conjunctivitis in children is carried out by a pediatric ophthalmologist and an allergist-immunologist. Reliable diagnostic criteria for allergic conjunctivitis in children include: the presence of an allergic history, the relationship of the onset of the disease with certain external factors (flowering, contact with animals, the use of certain foods, etc.), characteristic clinical symptoms.

To confirm the diagnosis, a microscopic examination of the lacrimal fluid is performed, where, with allergic conjunctivitis in children, more than 10% of eosinophils are found. With the allergic nature of the disease, an increased level of total IgE, eosinophilia, is also detected compared to the age norm. In the presence of a purulent secret, a bacteriological examination of the discharge from the conjunctival cavity is performed. The manifestation of a systemic allergic reaction necessitates examination of the child's gastrointestinal tract, analysis of feces for helminth eggs, and scraping for enterobiasis. nine0003

The direct cause of allergic conjunctivitis in children can be identified by skin allergy tests and a blood test for specific IgE. Differential diagnosis of allergic conjunctivitis in children is carried out with demodicosis, fungal, bacterial, autoimmune conjunctivitis.

Treatment of allergic conjunctivitis in children

An indispensable condition for successful therapy is elimination measures that involve the exclusion of contact with the allergen. The pathogenetic basis for the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis in children is antihistamines in the form of tablets and instillations of eye drops in age-specific dosages and concentrations. In the persistent course of the disease, topical NSAIDs and corticosteroids are prescribed. nine0003

It is possible to carry out allergen-specific therapy, which is most effective in children. It involves the introduction of small doses of the allergen in increasing concentrations, which is accompanied by a gradual addiction to this allergen, a decrease or disappearance of the symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis in children.

Prognosis and prevention

With untimely diagnosis of allergic conjunctivitis in children, the cornea and other eye tissues may be involved in the inflammatory process, which is fraught with a decrease in visual acuity and the development of forms of eye diseases that are difficult to treat (keratitis, corneal ulcers). Identification and elimination of the allergen, as well as specific immunotherapy, can prevent recurrence of allergies. Specific prevention of allergic conjunctivitis in children has not been developed. Attention should be paid to strengthening the general immunity of the child, to conduct preventive courses of desensitizing therapy during the seasons of exacerbation of the disease, to avoid contact with known allergens. nine0003

You can share your medical history, what helped you in the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis in children.

You can get advice from an ophthalmologist and an allergist-immunologist in Volgograd, Volzhsky and Mikhailovka at DIALINE clinics.

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