Question
Why does a baby born half a month ago always have eye discharge? How should it be treated?
Answer
Hello: It is normal for children, around 2 to 3 months old, to have eye discharge in the morning upon waking up. This is because during this period, eyelashes tend to grow inward, causing friction and irritation to the eyes, which leads to the production of eye discharge. Generally, by around 1 year of age, eyelashes will naturally grow outward, and the eye discharge will gradually decrease. Therefore, no treatment is needed. You can clean it with a warm towel or gently wipe it clean with a cotton swab soaked in a 2% boric acid solution, from the inner corner of the eye to the outer corner. If a child is born with grayish-white matter on their eyes, this layer of grayish-white substance is medically referred to as “vernix caseosa.” It has the functions of protecting the skin and preventing heat loss and can be absorbed naturally, so it should not be removed arbitrarily. Another reason for excessive eye discharge is that the child has internal heat, commonly known as “being overheated.” This often occurs due to a diet high in calorie-rich foods such as fish, shrimp, and meat, with less consumption of fruits and vegetables. In this case, besides having excessive eye discharge, symptoms such as aversion to heat, easy sweating, dry stools, and thick tongue coating may also occur. The best way to treat this is to change poor eating habits, drink more water, and take some herbal medicine for clearing heat and reducing fire if necessary. If a child suddenly has a lot of eye discharge and also experiences itching and redness in the eyes, it is necessary to go to the hospital for a check-up to see if they have contracted “pink eye.”