Question
My newborn is two and a half days old, and their left eye has been unable to fully open. They seem to try to open it but only occasionally succeed, and the right eye is also not fully open. There is more secretion in the eyes, and tears are produced when crying, with a slightly yellowish tear coming out of the left eye when crying. When can the newborn normally open their eyes in this situation?
Answer
When newborns experience difficulty fully opening one or both eyes, it is usually possible to improve the situation by cleaning the eye secretions with physiological saline solution and gently massaging the tear ducts with fingers. This process generally takes about a week to see results. If there is an excessive amount of purulent secretion in the eyes, it may be necessary to use antiseptic eye drops. If the inability to open the eyes is due to conjunctivitis causing sticky secretions, the eyes will gradually be able to open as conjunctivitis is treated. Parents should not worry excessively.