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Children's health

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Original poster

Sticky eye in a baby

21 replies

Umnitsa · 31/01/2011 19:05

My daughter has a narrow left tear-duct and since birth has had yellow gunk in her eye. She often wakes up with the left eye just glued shut. The paediatrician we saw is quite reassuring in that she will grow out of it by 12-15 months (she is 5 months old now). I rinse the eye several times a day and put some breast milk on it but there is still some stuff in.

My concern is that her left eye already looks smaller than the right eye, and I worry that as time goes by the difference will be even more pronounced.

If your child has had a sticky eye, did it lead to asymmetrical eyes later on? What can be done to prevent it?

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KenDoddsDadsDog · 31/01/2011 20:21

My DD had a sticky eye from birth up to being about 7 months. No issues with size of eyes though - maybe see your HV if you are worried?
Don't think you can prevent it - DD was born with it.

Original poster

Umnitsa · 01/02/2011 15:54

Thanks, KenDoddsDadsDog. HV has not been helpful but I might bring it up next time.

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KenDoddsDadsDog · 01/02/2011 20:31

Actually I forgot that I took her to the GP and had to get ointment. Sorry, DH reminded me!

Original poster

Umnitsa · 02/02/2011 00:17

Ah, interesting! Was it antibiotics? The GP took a swab and fortunately there was not infection, so he did not prescribe anything. I wonder if there is a non-AB ointment that may help.

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KenDoddsDadsDog · 02/02/2011 06:36

It wasn't antibiotics, it was like golden eye ointment for babies. She had it for months before that. Her eye was glued together after every sleep when I took her.

Original poster

Umnitsa · 04/02/2011 12:03

Thanks, will check with the GP about it.

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AtYourCervix · 04/02/2011 12:05

DD1 had sticky eyes and what the doc described as 'narrow ducts'. breastmilk worked wonders and also massaging the bit of face between the eye and nose. Here eyes are fine now.

Original poster

Umnitsa · 06/02/2011 17:00

Thank you, AtYourCervix. Haven't thought about massaging there. good tip!

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deedee321 · 07/02/2011 08:10

I took my 4 week old to doc with sticky eyes last week and without swabbing them he prescribed antibiotic eye drops. His eyes have cleared up immediately. They are called fucithalmic viscous eye drops. Not sure if this helps/is relevant.

usedtobeyoung · 07/02/2011 08:21

My son has this too.

I think massage is a fairly standard approach to this, it?s what I have been told to do by GP and paediatrician.
Put your finger next to her eye on near the nose and draw your finger downwards a couple of centimetres, apparently it?s the downward movement that helps.
I hope that makes sense.

I really don't think its anything to worry about.

Tigresswoods · 07/02/2011 15:53

DS is now 11 months and had sticky eye from about birth in one eye. We saw the dr numerous times and even had penecillin at one point as it was deemed to be an "infection".

Anyway after much cleaning and using drops and people constantly pointing out that he had a "gunky eye" one day we just realised that it had got better and that we hadn't had to do a thing to it for weeks.

I told the Dr when we went recently for something unrelated and he said something along the lines of, "I told you so"

So... wait until your DC is a year and if its still bad then get it seen to but ours just cleared up one day and I could have written the same post as you a few months back.

Original poster

Umnitsa · 07/02/2011 21:00

Many thanks all for your advice and encouraging posts! I take it that none of your children ended up with one eye smaller than the other as a result?

Saw the GP today and he gave her fucithalmic eyedrops as well. Hope this makes a difference.

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Trifle66 · 07/02/2011 21:11

my daughter had sticky eye - caused by narrow ducts until the age of 2 -when she was referred to an eye clinic. The consultant wanted to operate - I thought she was too young and that sticky eye wasn't that terrible a thing and if it was still bad by the time she was 10 she could have the op then, when she (and I) could cope better with an operation - i'm glad I did as it had cleared up by the time she was 3 - She has beautiful eyes and are both the same size!

Piccalilli2 · 07/02/2011 21:18

Dd2 had it pretty bad (permanent gunk) until she was about 14 months, you wouldn't know it now (she's nearly 3), her eyes are fine - big and blue and very sparkly! We just used to bathe them with cooled boiled water and cotton wool if they were really bad and massage the tear duct gently - between the corner of the eye and the nose.

greensnail · 07/02/2011 21:25

DD2 had this and its just cleared up pretty much overnight about a week ago (she's 8 months). Everyone is commenting on how good her eyes look now

Original poster

Umnitsa · 09/02/2011 00:33

How wonderful to hear these stories! Very happy for your kids!

Well, after two days of the eye-drops DD's eyes are clear as well! Why on earth was not she given the drops before...

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deedee321 · 15/02/2011 09:58

Very glad to hear it! Doc should have prescribed them at once surely??

Thandeka · 15/02/2011 10:08

am marking my place as DD is one and has just been referred to opthamologist. Her dad had to have the tear duct surgery when he was a baby but maybe we should wait longer but her right eye is constantly "snotty" (Adair's DD called that and it made me snurk) The trouble is she is nightmare to put drops in or clean the eye- she will scream and scream so more often than not she is going around with a bit of gunk that is dried in -gross- never going to win mother of the year!

fuziluv · 15/02/2011 10:18

My DD had a narrow tear duct and despite massage, breastmilk, cooled boiled water, etc it was always red and sore looking.
At 12 mths she was referred to bham childrens hosp and at 15 months they operated as hers was so severe thry felt it was unlikely to improve on its own.
We were in on a day case, general aneastetic (the worst bit) but she was out of theatre within 30 mins, normal bubbly self within 2 hours and home a couple of hours later. And she has never had a sticky eye since, she is now 4!! For us, although it was daunting, it was the right choice. x

thegauntlet · 15/02/2011 12:30

Hi!
My daughter also has this problem, much worse if she has a snotty nose. If it is relevant to you- I have a problem with nasal reflux into my eyes ( yep...grosssssssssss!) which is pretty scary great party trick when I get a nosebleed. This is the cause of my LO problems I think. I prefer for her not to be on meds, and so BM and boiled cool water is how I roll. I havent had to take her to the dr yet for it, and the HV is happy that i have it under control.

Original poster

Umnitsa · 16/02/2011 19:36

How interesting, TheGauntlet! Actually the eye gunkiness does worsen when she has a runny nose...

Thankdeka - hope you had a good appointment with the ophthalmologist and have a plan for sorting out your DD's eye now.

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