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Watery Sticky Eyes

Date issued: September 2015

For review:  September 2017

Ref: A-281/AM/REI/Watery sticky eyes

PDF:  Watery sticky eyes [pdf] 123KB

The tears are produced in the lacrimal gland and drain through a tiny hole, the punctum, in the corner of the eyelid. They then pass through some fine tubes including the lacrimal sac, before draining into the nose.  

At the junction of the tear tube  (nasolacrimal duct) and the nose there is a small flap.

Why does my baby have watery, sticky eyes?

Up to 20% of babies are born with the flap at the bottom of the nasolacrimal duct closed. This means the tears can’t drain into the nose so collect in the eye.

This leads to a sticky, watery eye. The stickiness doesn’t mean there is an infection.

 

What can I do?

Clean the eye with cool boiled water and gently massage the skin between the eye and the nose. This helps to clear the tears and mucous collecting in the lacrimal sac. If the skin of the eyelids is sore rub a little petroleum jelly/ Vaseline® onto the skin. This protects it from the wetness. Your child only needs antibiotics if the white of the eye is red.

Will it get better?

Yes, 90% of babies will be better by the age of 1. Of those that aren’t 60% will be better by 2.

What happens if it’s not better?

If the eye is still sticky and watery at 2 or sooner if severe we can arrange a small operation. This involves passing a fine probe through the drainage tubes and into the nose. This is done with a general anaesthetic as a day case. This has a 70-90% success rate.

 

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