What to do if there is often eye mucus in the eyes

1. No treatment is needed, just good care

Normal babies, when they are 3-5 months old, may have some eye mucus on their eyes when they wake up in the morning. This is because the eyelashes tend to grow inward during this period, and the friction and irritation of the eyeballs produces eye mucus. Generally, around 1 year old, eyelashes will grow outwards naturally and eye mucus will gradually decrease, so there is no need for treatment. You can wipe it clean with a warm towel, or use a cotton swab dipped in 2% boric acid solution and gently wipe it from the inner corner of the eye to the outer corner.

2. Vernix caseosa can be absorbed by itself

If there is a layer of grayish white substance on the baby's eyes as soon as he is born, it is not eye mucus. This layer of grayish white substance is medically called "vernix caseosa". Vernix caseosa has the function of protecting the skin and preventing heat dissipation. It can be absorbed by itself, so it cannot be wiped off casually. Another reason for excessive eye mucus is that the child has accumulated heat in the body, which is commonly known as "getting angry".

3. Eat a healthy diet

Most babies have a lot of eye mucus, which is caused by their habit of eating high-calorie foods such as fish, shrimp, and meat, and rarely eating fruits and vegetables. In addition to a lot of eye mucus, they are often accompanied by symptoms such as fear of heat, sweating easily, dry stool, and thick tongue coating. The best way to treat it is to change bad eating habits, drink more water, and take some Chinese medicine to clear away heat and fire, and to help digestion and relieve stagnation when necessary.

4. Pink eye should be treated with medication

If your baby suddenly has a lot of eye mucus and is accompanied by itchy and red eyes, you should go to the hospital for a check-up to see if he has "pink eye disease." In addition to the topical use of chloramphenicol eye drops and erythromycin ointment for this disease, personal hygiene should also be emphasized. Children should be reminded not to rub their eyes with dirty hands, and not to share washbasins, towels and other bathing items with others to prevent cross infection.

5. Massage the bridge of the nose

Infants have hypoplastic nasolacrimal ducts. The nasolacrimal duct of infants is short and underdeveloped, and the valve at the opening is underdeveloped and located at the inner canthus of the eye. This prevents tears from draining smoothly, leading to accumulation of eye mucus. Cleaning method: If the baby's nasolacrimal duct is underdeveloped, the mother can massage the baby's nose bridge with her hands every day to help keep the nasolacrimal duct open.

6. Seek medical treatment promptly

It may also be dacryocystitis in infants and young children, rather than "getting angry" or "heat" as people think. Parents of infants and young children who encounter this situation should take their children to the hospital for examination and take appropriate treatment measures after the diagnosis is confirmed. Under the guidance of a doctor, you can perform local eye drops and massage the lacrimal sac: use appropriate antibiotic eye drops to control infection, and massage the lacrimal sac area downwards several times a day to promote the development and patency of the ducts themselves. If the tear duct is blocked after massaging the lacrimal sac area, tear duct flushing should be considered. If massage and flushing are ineffective, tear duct probing is performed to pierce the valve blocking the tear duct. This method is effective, but you must be careful and gentle when probing the tear duct, and do not create a false channel or damage the tear duct mucosa. Lacrimal duct probing is best performed in a hospital with the necessary conditions.