Eye infections are common in newborn babies and young children. Conditions like conjunctivitis, blocked tear ducts and styes can leave your little one’s eyes looking red, swollen or crusty.
If your baby or young child has an eye infection or blocked tear ducts, please see a healthcare professional for appropriate treatment. In conjunction with the recommended treatment, you can use sterilised eye wipes such as Little® Eyes to gently clean the delicate eye area and remove secretions and discharge from around the eyes. Little® Eyes can also be used as a warm or cold compress for soothing relief.
What types of eye infections commonly affect children?
Babies and young children are susceptible to a number of different types of eye infections.
Conjunctivitis is very common, and can be contagious. It can be caused by a viral or bacterial infection; and allergic conjunctivitis can also affect children. Generally, conjunctivitis inflames the clear membrane that covers the eye and the inner surface of the eyelid. Depending on the type of infection, the eye can become crusty around the eyelids, puffy or weepy.
Some babies are born with blocked tear ducts, which can cause symptoms like a discharge of pus and crusted mucus along the eyelashes. Conjunctivitis can also lead to blocked tear ducts.
Styes are also quite common. A stye is a little pimple which may be caused by a bacterial infection that forms at the base of an eyelash, and can cause swelling and discomfort around the eye.
How can you clear crust and discharge from your little one’s eyes?
It can be distressing for you to see your baby’s eyes become red, crusty or weepy. You can help to relieve their discomfort by gently wiping away the grit or sticky residue from their eyes and between the eyelashes using Little® Eyes sterilised wipes.
Little® Eyes wipes are gentle on the delicate eye area. They contain no alcohol, fragrances or preservatives, and they are pH balanced to match your child’s own tears. No stinging, no nasty surprises for your little one.
When cleaning your little one’s eyes, it’s important to wipe from the inside corner (near the nose) outwards towards the ear and to use a separate wipe for each eye. This helps to minimise the spreading of infections from eye to eye. After you dispose the used wipe in a rubbish bin, make sure you wash your hands with warm soapy water to prevent the infection from spreading to others.
Little® Eyes can be used on newborn babies, from day one. Each wipe is packaged in a sterilised sachet, with 30 and 60 sachets in a pack.
