Patient's question:
A 8-month-old baby with tearful eyesBaby was tearful on Thursday, November 29th (left eye). Started running a fever that night. Now confirmed to be roseola (November 29th - December 5th during the roseola period). All rashes have subsided, and no more fever. However, over the past three or four days (right eye), the baby has started being tearful again. It's not severe, but it's noticeable. The eye isn't red, there are no red blood vessels, and there isn't much discharge—just some in the morning sometimes, and other times none at all.
When the baby was 3 or 4 months old, there were no signs of being tearful. Occasionally had some discharge, and when it did, we'd wipe it off occasionally. The baby was prescribed eye drops after discharge from the hospital (forgotten the name). When there was discharge, we'd wipe it off occasionally. Is the baby experiencing a blocked tear duct or inflammation? This is the first time this has happened. Do we have to go to the hospital? Are there any physical treatment methods? My colleague mentioned something about tear duct flushing, and it sounds a bit scary! It's heart-wrenching! Thank you!
Doctor's answer:
The baby has been continuously showing symptoms of watery eyes. This situation suggests the possibility of a narrowed lacrimal duct. Recommendations:1. Take the baby to the ophthalmology department of the hospital for a follow-up visit to perform lacrimal duct irrigation and examination to determine the location and severity of the lacrimal duct narrowing. In some cases, the baby's condition can improve after two or three lacrimal duct irrigations. If the symptoms do not subside, consider performing lacrimal duct probing. Do not be overly anxious or worried; lacrimal duct irrigation or probing is a minor ophthalmic procedure that can be performed in the outpatient clinic.
2. If the baby has accompanying eye (secretions), short-term use of eye drops for anti-inflammatory treatment may be appropriate.