Does Your Baby Have Eye Boogers?

Jun 13, 2017Dr. Jenna Zigler

Does Your Baby Have Eye Boogers?

Your perfect little baby is finally home from the hospital and your family is getting used to the idea of having this little one around 24/7. Nothing could possibly come between you and your little one...they’re perfect! Until you wake up one day and notice yellow, goopy discharge in their eyes. How could this happen?

At the beginning of life, many babies do not have properly developed tear ducts. This means that their eyes will not drain tears like they should, causing those tears to back up. Just like water in a stagnant pond, those tears can become gunky and filled with bacteria. Even if your baby doesn’t have completely blocked ducts, infants have much narrower drainage systems which can still cause this issue.

What can you do to prevent sticky baby eyes?

Wash away the drainage with a soft, damp cloth four to five times per day (or as often as necessary).
Gently massage the corners of the eyes (inward toward the nose) to help unblock or dilate the ducts. Do this after each time you wash your baby’s eyes.
Clean the eyelids with a gentle antibacterial cleanser, such as Heydrate Eyelid and Eyelash Cleansing Spray (spray onto a clean cotton ball or round and gently clean baby’s lids and lashes, avoiding the eyeball). Do this once or twice per day.

If the above steps do not clear up the yellow discharge within a few days, or you notice that the inner corners of your baby’s eyelids are red or swollen, it’s time for a visit to your eye doctor. The eye doctor will take a closer look and may prescribe antibiotic ointments to clear any infection present. Since tear ducts grow as your baby grows, this drainage problem should clear up within a few weeks to months of using the above remedies.

This common problem has easy prevention methods, all of which include keeping your infant’s eyes as clean as possible. Our Heyedrate Lid and Lash Spray is super helpful for this, since it’s an organic, vegan cleanser that is alcohol free, fragrance free, contains no parabens, no sulfates, and is preservative free. This hypoallergenic, diluted Hypochlorous Acid formula will never irritate your baby’s delicate skin. Give it a try! If you’re interested in learning more about keeping the eyelids clean, visit the following blogs: Eye Love Releases Innovative Heyedrate Eyelid and Eyelash Cleansing Spray and Dr. Jenna Zigler Explains How To Use Heyedrate Lid and Lash Cleanser.

One Love,