Question
My baby is five months old. At birth, there was an excessive amount of discharge in the left eye. After sleeping, when she wakes up, the left eye is stuck shut and can’t open until it’s washed. We’ve been massaging along the left nostril downwards. Now, the left eye still often looks watery. It’s driving me crazy. Are there any good methods?
Answer
A baby’s tear ducts run from the inside of the eye to the nostrils. Some babies are born with blocked tear ducts. This causes tears not to flow into the nasal cavity but to overflow. It seems like there’s tears in your eye. Generally, by 7 or 8 months of age, a blocked tear duct usually improves naturally. Massaging can help the tear ducts clear through by around 7 or 8 months. If it’s still blocked after 7 or 8 months, you’ll need to seek help from an ophthalmologist to get through this tough spot.