Question
My son is 7 months old, and since birth, his left eye has always been watery, and later he also had eye discharge. Four months ago, we took him to the hospital for a check-up, and the doctor advised massaging the corner of the eye, but there has been no improvement to date. We have been consistently using Tetracycline eye drops every night. Is this normal? I’ve heard that it will naturally get better as he grows up. Is that true?
Answer
Everyone has lacrimal glands that produce tears and lacrimal ducts that drain them (including lacrimal puncta, ducts, sacs, and nasolacrimal ducts). Usually, some tears produced by the lacrimal glands evaporate and solidify, while others flow through the ducts into the nasal cavity. Some people are more sensitive to cold stimuli. When the eyes are exposed to cold air, the lacrimal glands produce more tears. In fact, this is a protective physiological response of the lacrimal glands to cold stimuli.