Being parents, the health of the baby is of prime importance to you. A little hiccup may make you all worried. Most of the time, all anxiety comes from uncertainty because parents are not really aware of the seriousness of the problem. In case you notice problems with your little angel’s eyes, you may become worried to the core. Vision problems are pretty common among babies and a proper medical treatment can easily cure it.
In order to ease your stress and concerns, we have gathered a little list of some very common eye problems in babies:
1. Conjunctivitis
Neonatal conjunctivitis commonly called pink eye is caused by a bacterial or viral infection or because of blocked tear duct. Some of the common symptoms are redness in the white part of the eye, excessive tears, swollen and red eyelids, thick and watery discharge from the eye. Here is how you can treat it:
- Gentle warm massage: Gently doing massage between the nasal area and the eye can prove to be fruitful if the conjunctivitis is due to blocked tear duct. Simply take cloth and soak it in hot water. Gently press it between baby’s eye and nasal area. Repeat thrice a day. The blocked gland will open and produce yellow discharge.
- Antibiotic eye drops: we all know antibiotics kill bacteria. You can apply the antibiotic eye drop to the baby’s eyes several times a day till the symptoms subside. It is best to take doctor’s advice before using an antibiotic drop.
- Salt water remedy: Take a cup of boiling water and mix a pinch of salt in it. let it cool till the temperature is okay for your baby. Soak a cotton ball in it and press it gently on the eyelids. Repeat two to three times a day. It will bring releif to your baby and help him get rid of sticky yellow drainage.
2. Amblyopia
Amblyopia commonly called lazy is a common condition in little babies. It usually strikes one eye. It occurs because of anything that blurs the vision like high spotlight, camera flash etc. lazy eye occurs when any one eye gets to have better focus compared to the other eye.
Some of the common symptoms are lack of depth perception, eyes wander apart and teary eyes. It is curable if taken notice of at an early stage. If you leave it untreated, the vision of the affected eye will never fully develop.
4. Pseudostrabismus (Falsely Misaligned Eyes)
Many parents get worried when they notice that their infant’s eyes look crossed. This condition is called Pseudostrabismus. Even though the eyes may look crossed but they are straight. Most of the time , it is the infant’s wide nasal bridge that causes Pseudostrabismus. Another reason is the extra folds of skin present between the nose and inside of the eyes.
This usually does not call for any medical treatment. However, parents should discuss with an ophthalmologist to make sure whether it is Pseudostrabismus or actually misaligned eyes. In case of misaligned eyes, a surgery may be needed for cosmetic reasons.
