Patient's question:
Detailed medical condition and consultation purpose: When my child was born, his right eye was damaged by being squeezed, with blood in the white part of the eye. At the time, the doctor said it was nothing, but now the blood has gone, but there is a lot of eye discharge. Is this a disease? If it is, how is it treated. First question supplement: It's just the right eye that has a lot of eye discharge, the other eye doesn't have any eye discharge.Doctor's answer:
Hello:Normal children, at 2 to 3 months old, may have some eye discharge in the morning upon waking. This is because eyelashes tend to grow inward during this period, and friction (stimulating) the eye produces discharge. Around the age of 1, eyelashes naturally grow outward, and the discharge gradually decreases, so treatment is not necessary. A warm towel can be used to clean it, or a cotton swab dipped in a 2% boric acid solution can be gently wiped from the inner to the outer corner of the eye.
If a child has a layer of grayish-white substance on their eyes at birth, it is not eye discharge. This grayish-white substance is medically known as "vernix caseosa" (), which serves to protect the skin and prevent heat loss. It can be absorbed on its own, so it should not be removed casually.
Another reason for excessive eye discharge is internal heat accumulation, commonly referred to as "fever" (). This is often caused by a diet high in fish, shrimp, meat, and other calorie-rich foods, with insufficient intake of fruits and vegetables. In addition to excessive eye discharge, symptoms may include aversion to heat, easy sweating, dry stools, and thick (tongue coating). The best treatment is to adjust poor dietary habits, drink more water, and take some traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that clears heat, expels fire, and aids digestion if necessary.
If a child suddenly has a lot of eye discharge and also experiences eye irritation, redness, or itching, they should see a doctor to check for "pink eye" (). In addition to local use of chloramphenicol eye drops and erythromycin ointment, personal hygiene must be emphasized. The child should be reminded not to rub their eyes with dirty hands, and to avoid sharing face bowls or towels with others to prevent cross-infection.