Patient's question:
A 3-year-old child has a lot of eye discharge, and their eyes are always difficult to open after waking up, requiring water to clean them. The elders say it's due to excessive heat, but after taking heat-clearing medicine for a month, there's still no improvement. What could be the reason? I hope the doctor can provide an explanation.Doctor's answer:
1. Normal children, at the age of 2-3 months, may have some eye discharge in the morning upon waking. This is because eyelashes tend to grow inward during this period, causing friction and irritation to the eyes, which leads to eye discharge. Around the age of 1, eyelashes naturally grow outward, and the eye discharge gradually decreases, so treatment is not necessary. A warm towel can be used to clean the eyes, 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.2. 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 naturally, so it should not be removed casually. Another reason for excessive eye discharge is the accumulation of internal heat in the child, commonly referred to as "fever."
3. This is often caused by a preference for high-calorie foods like fish, shrimp, and meat, while consuming fewer fruits and vegetables. In addition to excessive eye discharge, symptoms may include aversion to heat, easy sweating, dry stools, and thick. The best treatment is to change unhealthy dietary habits, drink more water, and take traditional Chinese medicine that clears heat, expels fire, and aids digestion if necessary.
4. If a child suddenly has a lot of eye discharge and also experiences eye irritation, redness, or itching, it is important to seek medical attention to check for "pink eye." In addition to using chloramphenicol eye drops and erythromycin ointment locally, 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.